Rapid, decision-oriented evaluation. (Forum - Improving Performance)

Government must do better with less, but how? At least part of the answer depends on accurate, reliable, and timely information.

Limited resources and declining public confidence are affecting government performance. Government must do better with less, but how? At least part of the answer depends on accurate, reliable, and timely information. Public managers need to know how well their programs are performing, which approaches work best, how they can cut costs and still be effective, which services are more important than others. And they want it fast. Evaluators can play an important role in improving government performance and credibility by providing this type of information.

The federal inspectors general (IGs) have been a growing force in offering this kind of useful information to policymakers through their inspections function. Traditionally, the IGs have helped improve programs by auditing the use of federal funds and investigating possible fraud and abuse. Many IGs realized that audits and investigations alone, despite their importance, did not allow …