About Managing For Results
Durham County Manager
Wendell M. Davis
In 2012, Durham County Government approved its first comprehensive Strategic Plan. The plan was developed at the urging of elected officials who felt that a road map was needed in order to charter a course for a new direction.
Throughout the latter part of the 20th century and well into the 21st century, Durham was and is heralded as a progressive community steeped in culture with viable business, research, medical and industrial bases.
However, like most communities across the nation, the 2008 economic downturn had profound implications for every sector – business & industry, education and government. Such being the case, setting a new course and looking at new and improved ways of doing business has been a central theme in this new climate.
In fact, the increased demand for public services, the demands for a new and refined workforce, and sobering demographic projections each influence and inform how Durham County Government should think about the future of the community.
What IMPACT does the Managing For Results framework have on the Durham community?
Managing for Results will allow the decision makers in County government to analyze data and trends over time and to then review programs and services objectively. Data will help ensure that the County is using tax dollars to buy the results that residents want.
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How Does it Work?
The Way Forward
As Durham County peers into the future, one thing is evident: we cannot have a business-as-usual mindset if we want to create a new paradigm for addressing modern-day social and economic challenges. Poverty, crime, disconnected youth, unemployment, workforce development, educational achievement, good health, and a sustainable environment are all challenges and opportunities that will require deliberate strategies that are carefully managed, planned, measured, and evaluated. Such efforts are consistent with the creation of a Managing for Results (MFR) model.
MFR is driven by continuous measurement and the analysis of outcomes. Durham County understands measurement is powerful: what gets measured gets done; if you don’t measure results, you can’t tell success from failure; if you can’t recognize failure, you can’t correct it. The MFR system provides the framework to establish performance measures, analyze said measures, and make necessary ongoing improvements to deliver quality services and programs to the residents of Durham County.
Implementation of Managing for Results
will continue gradually over the next two
years until all departments have a performance measurement system in place.
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Departments will continue to implement a performance measurement system
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Regular reporting on performance measures will be required
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Refreshed Strategic Plan will be implemented
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Assess and continuously improve Managing For Results system
