Communicating organisational outcomes using simple performance indicators: a case study using ACT elective surgery waiting lists

Abstract

This research explores the communication consequences of using simple, numerical information to convey information about the performance of large, public-sector organisations. To control the scope of the research, both practically and theoretically, the case study is based on publically available material, in other words, the material accessible by a lay, rather than a specialist audience. The formal publication and public reporting in the local newspaper of elective surgery waiting times in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) public health system during 2010 and 2011 is used as a detailed case study. The theoretical basis for the research is drawn from three main disciplinary streams: performance indicators and evaluation; public health and public health policy; and communicating about and with numerical information. Each of these broad areas is itself multi-disciplinary, with research findings published across many different outlets. When I began this research in mid-2011 there was little overlap between the insights from the different discipline groups canvassed in this literature review. In particular, the application of communication theories to performance indicators had yet to be systematically explored. Research in the period 2011-2016 clarifies issues within each of the broad areas but there is still very little synthesis between them. The overall goal of the research is twofold: to characterise and systematically describe the way numerical performance indicators are used; and to develop a framework for determining how difficult to understand a numerical performance indicator is likely to be. The resulting model for analysing the communication effectiveness of using different types of statistical constructs as performance indicators can be used both as a tool for designing performance indicators and as a tool for analysing communication problems related to numerical performance indicators. Show more