Metro Council PresentationJanuary 26, 2009byMike Hoglund, Director, Metro Research CenterSheila Martin, Ph.D., Director, Institute of Metropolitan Studies, PSURita Conrad, Project Director, Regional Indicators ProjectRegional Indicators Project

OverviewThe Issue: Co-creating Regional IndicatorsProject BackgroundOptions: Work Plan ElementsQuestions for Council Consideration

Co-creating Regional indicatorsA growing list of partnersMultnomah, Washington, Clackamas and Clark CountiesUnited Way of the Columbia-WillametteCity of PortlandGreenlight Greater PortlandPortland Development CommissionPOSI (Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute) Mt. Hood Community CollegeLeaders RoundtableInstitute of Metropolitan Studies, PSUMetro Economies of Scale

*The Issue

The Issue

GoalsDeeper collective understanding of the Metro areas environmental, social and economic progressImproved environmental, social and economic well-being through partner collaboration and the use of sound data*The Issue

The Issue

Metro will be able to:Better evaluate Metros progress toward its objectivesMore effectively explain to citizens what it does and whySee the bigger picture - the regions collective progress toward shared regional goals for people, place and prosperityUse a common language of data with partnersExpand its role of convener, collaborator and facilitatorEnhance the Metro Councils ability to target resourcesDifferentiate between regional indicators and program-based Balanced Score Card indicators

*The Issue

The Issue

BackgroundMetro and PSU Perspectives*

Background Metro PerspectiveMetro has performance indicators for:Region 2040, the Future VisionUrban Growth Management Functional PlanRegional Transportation PlanBut we can do better. This project will:Better align Metro performance to its own objectivesBetter align Metro performance to shared regional goals for people, place and prosperitySupport more consistent reporting

*Project Background

Project Background

Background PSU Perspective*Project BackgroundRegional indicators are mission criticalGathering and disseminating informationConvening regional partners in a neutral settingStimulating dialogue and action on critical issuesPromoting regional approaches and partnershipsRegional indicators can stimulate deeper research and understanding

Project Background

Options: Work Plan ElementsSuccess FactorsPrinciplesPhasesTeamsTimeline

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Success Factors*Shared VisionWe need to decide what we want to know together; data will depend on the question we are asking. (Kick-off Participant)Shared DataIt would be extremely useful to house all of the data collected in a universal location where a variety of actors can access this information. (Kick-off Participant)CollaborationUse the indicators to promote collaboration. If people see the benefit, they can have a better conversation. (Kick-off Participant)Options Work Plan Elements

Options Work Plan Elements

Project Principles*Inter-connectedness of People, Place and ProsperityProgress requires people.Doing is knowing.Knowledge is dispersed throughout the system.Requires the practice of listening to learnShared data can inspire, catalyze and ground partner conversationsOptions Work Plan Elements

Options Work Plan Elements

*Project will bring many partners to the table. (11 x 17 handout)Options Work Plan Elements

Options Work Plan Elements

Another Approach to People, Place, Prosperity*Courtesy of Charlotte Kahn, Boston Indicators Project

Phases of Indicator Development*Choosing Indicators a political processMeasuring Indicators a technical processUsing Indicators a communications and results management processOptions Work Plan Elements

Options Work Plan Elements

Proposed TeamsThere will be some overlap.*Options Work Plan Elements

Options Work Plan Elements

*A small sampling of partnersand potential team members

Timeline*Options Work Plan Components

TeamWinter 2010Spring 2010Summer 2010Fall 2010Winter 2011Spring 2011OversightAdvisoryChoosing IndicatorsResultsMeasuring IndicatorsDataSharing the DataCommunicationsUsing the DataResultsSustaining the EffortAdvisory

Options Work Plan Components

What to expect by July 2011A shared vision for the regionThe first (of many) regional report cardsNetworks of partners collaborating around the dataOrganization, governance and funding to sustain the effort long term*

Questions for Council ConsiderationWhat does success of this project look like in your minds?What are your thoughts on the team approach? What is your comfort level in expanding Metros normal radar screen to indicators like education, teen pregnancy, and crime and poverty?Do you have other questions or comments?

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General comments and responses - THEMES*What success looks likePartners and diverse populations region-wide (not just Portland or Metro taking on more) own and use the indicators. Indicators and data are respected regardless of ideological perspective.Indicators reflect shared goals/desired results, not inputs, including qualitative trend data on well-being (whether citizens are engaged, happy and successful).Dynamics between indicators are addressed - some indicators are at odds.Indicators are applied, have consequences and are used in policy and investment decisions. The Indicator Project enhances smart action (not talk at that expense of action).Thoughts on the team approach Necessary, but one group needs to drive momentum and accountability year after year.Comfort level in expanding Metros normal radar screen Good, in that other partners will own those indicators Metro does not directly work onSome may be concerned that Metros role is expanding.OtherWould like to see indicator on local food systems access, productivity, supply

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SLIDE 12 FRAMEWORK MOCK-UP

The factors that drive the well-being of our people, place and prosperity are complex and inter-related. Each sector has content experts, decades of research, work on the ground, networks and relationships. This project will bring as many of these stakeholders to the table as possible.

This is important, because many issues penetrate sector boundaries. One small example: people who project prison bed needs often look at third graders to predict how many prison beds theyll need in the future.

Follow along on the 11x17 handout

Click #1: Top levelPSU, Metro and other partners have proposed a straw man framework for regional indicators. It includes economic prosperity, education, culture, civic engagement, well-being, access & mobility, quality housing & communities and healthy natural environment.

Click #2: Second levelThe top-level categories are very broad. To make sure we dont leave out big hunks of issues, here is a second tier of possible subcategories, based in part on indicator categories from Metro, the Oregon Benchmarks and similar frameworks.

Click #3: Third levelThese are specific indicator ideas draw from the Metros indicator sets and the Oregon Benchmark framework. Stakeholders in these different fields will need to refine these based on what they agree are the most important goals and the drivers of progress toward those goals.

Click #4: Metros Making the Greatest Place goalsYou can see how pervasive Metros work is in this triple-bottom line framework for our regions well-being. Although Metro has strong interest and commitment to economic and social issues, it is strongest in the built and natural environment categories.

Everything really is connected. Charlotte Kahn breakthrough: Indicators in all sectors could integrate people, place and prosperity factors in their calculations, allowing us to pull out, for example, all indicators relating to people regardless of whether they were considered an environmental, social or environmental category.

*SLIDE 13 CHARLOTTES IDEA

Click twice once on the slide.

For years most indicator projects across the country and internationally have used the triple bottom line as the high-level architecture for their indicators. The problem has been the difficulty in measuring all the cross-sector relationships. The frameworks tended to reinforce a sector silo approach, which is the exact opposite of what the intent is.

Charlotte Kahn from BIP had what might be a breakthrough idea. Indicators in all sectors build in people, place and prosperity factors in their calculations, allowing us to pull out, for example, all indicators relating to people regardless of whether they were considered an environmental, social or environmental category.

I believe exploring this approach as part of the process can provide a language that can help diverse stakeholders step back and see the inter-connectedness of so many issues. It would allow pulling all the indicators relating to people, place or prosperity and seeing what sectors they fall in.

Could be done via ratio numerators or denominators, e.g., for housing/community sector:- % of housing units within 20 minutes of open space = PLACE- Affordable housing units per 1000 lower income population = PROSPERITY- % of population living in households with high lead levels = PEOPLE

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