To assess FY 2003 performance results against established targets, the Department applies a results rating methodology. Program managers use this methodology to assign one of five performance ratings for a given result. Based on established parameters shown below, managers assign a performance rating that reflects the extent to which a given target was achieved.
| Performance Rating | Significantly Below Target |
Slightly Below Target |
On Target | Above Target | Significantly Above Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Parameters | ||||
| Target Status | Missed FY 2003 target by a significant margin | Missed FY 2003 target by a slight margin | Met FY 2003 target | Slightly exceeded FY 2003 target |
Significantly exceeded FY 2003 target |
| Budget Status | Spent significantly over budget |
Spent slightly over budget | Spent on budget | Spent slightly under budget | Spent significantly under budget |
| Timeliness | Missed most critical deadlines | Missed a few critical deadlines | Met all critical deadlines | Met some critical deadlines early | Met most critical deadlines early |
| Impact on Future Operations | Significantly impairs program?s ability to achieve future years? performance targets, requiring major downward revisions to future targets |
Slightly impairs program?s ability to achieve future years? performance targets, requiring minimal downward revisions to future targets |
No change in program?s ability to achieve future years? performance targets | Slightly improves program?s ability to achieve future years? performance targets, requiring minimal upward increases to future targets |
Significantly improves program?s ability to achieve future years? performance targets, requiring major upward increases to future targets |
This methodology represents an important step toward using a standard tool to evaluate the Department?s work. However, to correctly interpret the numerical analysis of the report, it is important to note the following:
- Target Weights: The FY 2003 targets for each annual goal were weighted equally. Beginning in FY 2004, the Department intends to assign a weight to each performance target and apply those weights to the performance results.
- No Data Available: The Department could not report some performance results. In the majority of cases this was due to lagging, calendar year-based data.
The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.