Design and Development of Key National Indicator Systems:

GAO's Study of U.S. and Other Country Experiences

Bernice SteinhardtDirector, Strategic Issues

U.S. Government Accountability Office

INTOSAI Working Group on Key National IndicatorsHelsinki, April 13-14, 2011

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Key National Indicators and Governance in the 21st Century

• U.S. federal government increasingly has to partner with other governments, other levels of government, private and not-for-profit sectors, to achieve results. Examples:

• Homeland security• Disaster planning and response• Environmental protection• Public health

• Need tools and metrics to link efforts

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What are Key Indicator Systems?

• Comprehensive key indicator systems aggregate essential economic, social, and environmental indicators into a single, easily-accessible system.

• These systems can make it easier to see a more complete, general picture of the condition of a city, region, state, or nation and its progress over time.

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Key Indicator System - Examples

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Efforts to Develop National Indicator System for U.S.

• GAO, in cooperation with National Academy of Sciences, convened forum in 2003 to discuss whether and how to create key national indicator system for U.S.

• About 100 leaders in accountability, business, education, NGO, government, labor, media, minority, scientific, and statistics communities

• Efforts continued over next several years under leadership of National Academies

• Independent non-profit organization created in 2007: State of the USA

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GAO’s Role in National Indicator Efforts

• Helped to identify need for key national indicator system through forum and reports

• Recommended Congress take leadership role in highlighting need for indicator system

• Active involvement with OECD in World Forums on Key Indicators

• Member of INTOSAI Working Group on Key National Indicators

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Background of Study

• In 2010, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-148) authorized creation of a key national indicator system for the U.S.

• Law also required GAO to study:• How indicator systems are being used, designed and

developed• Factors necessary to sustain a system• Potential implications for a U.S. KNI system

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Scope and Methodology

• Building on past work, we examined 20 key indicator systems in the U.S., Australia, U.K., and Switzerland, including 7 in depth:

• In U.S., King County AIMs High (WA); Boston Indicators Project; Virginia Performs

• In Australia: Measures of Australia’s Progress; Community Indicators Victoria

• In Switzerland: MONET Indicator System• In UK: United Kingdom Government Sustainable Development

Indicators

• To be selected for an in-depth review, systems had to be (1) comprehensive, (2) in existence for at least 5 years, (3) outcome-oriented, (4) involve a governmental entity as a major partner or user.

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Key Findings: Purpose and Use

• Key indicator systems are used for multiple purposes

• Increasing transparency and public awareness

• Fostering civic engagement and collaboration

• Monitoring progress, aiding decision making, and promoting accountability

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Key Findings: Aspects of Development and Design

• Elements of design and development contribute to the relevance, usefulness and credibility of a system

• Consulting experts and stakeholders about purpose and design

• Selecting indicators based on relevant and reliable data

• Providing disaggregated and comparative data available over time

• Finding new ways to collect and use data to fill gaps

• Periodic reevaluation and revision of the indicators

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Key Findings: Sustaining Support

• Sustaining support for indicator systems is a constant challenge

• Stable and diversified funding helps ensure continuity

• Need for continued interest on part of sponsors, advisors, and champions

• Insulation from political pressure offers protection from perceptions of bias

• Continually raising public awareness of a system helps preserve relevance

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Key Findings: Implications for the U.S.

• Implications for how a key national indicator system could be developed and used in the U.S.

• Experts and stakeholders could help define purpose and select content

• Existing data sources and technologies could be leveraged

• A U.S. key national indicator system could inform federal government strategic planning and decision making

• System could be refined over time

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Related GAO Reportswww.gao.gov

• Key Indicator Systems: Experiences of Other National and Subnational Systems Offer Insights for the United States, (GAO-11-396), March 2011.

• Informing our Nation: Improving How to Assess the Position and Progress of the United States, (GAO-05-1), Nov. 2004.

• 21st Century Challenges: Reexamining the Base of the Federal Government, (GAO-05-325SP), March 2005.