1. Terrie R. Wheeler, AMLS and Keith Cogdill, PhD, Division of Library Services, Office of Research Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Library, Bethesda, MD For further information, please contact: Terrie R. Wheeler terrie.wheeler@nih.gov 2013 MLA Annual Meeting Boston, MA Focusing Resources on User Support Using the Balanced Scorecard Approach Objective In this resource-constrained environment, performance management systems that focus resources on an organization’s strategic objectives, provide a key approach for leveraging future success. The NIH Library applied the balanced scorecard approach to performance management and is in its second year of implementation. This approach has accompanying software to create high-level strategy maps, as well as the scorecard depicting metrics that identify progress. Methodology Supervisors and Team Leaders at the NIH Library first developed a strategy map within the balanced scorecard framework. This built on the Library’s vision and mission and identified eight strategic objectives. These objectives targeted the four perspectives of the balanced scorecard: Customer Focus Internal Processes People and Tools (learning and growth) Budget (resources) How We Do It We monitor progress through measures that inform whether strategic objectives are achieved using pre- determined thresholds and targets. The resulting strategy map is a tool that communicates the organization’s story. Four strategic themes are the pillars to reach our vision – “To be the premier provider of information solutions that enable discovery and improve health” : Employee Engagement Customer Focus Strategic Partnerships Innovative Practice Sample Strategic Objective Objective IP 2.0 – Build Relationships & Enhance Partnerships Build quality relationships and effective partnerships with joint services and other persons and groups of influence. MEASURES: % of NIH IC customers with potential ROI that are partners each year15% / 7% beyond the assessment % of HHS OPDIVS and STAFFDIVS that result in being customers85% / 65% (offer $s or in-kind assets) INITIATIVES: Identify current NIH IC and HHS OPDIV and STAFFDIV customer opportunities for ROI. MH Developing future NIH IC and all HHS OPDIV and STAFFDIV customer opportunities for ROI. MH Create research-focused Web sites in support of a specific group or institute. Database Dev Team Encourage development of NIH research collaboration tools. Database Dev Team Support research portfolio evaluation efforts at NIH. Database Dev Team Digitize out-of-copyright and government-produced materials for NIH and public access. Database Dev Identify services that may be offered by NIHL on a cost-recovery basis. Special Projects Project HSRL Value Study HSRL Informationists Bioinformatics Collaborations MB, LY Informationists Program Evaluation all IFT Systematic Reviews Training and subsequent support for scientists SP,PS,AWO,NT Clinical Informationists become BTRIS data extractors for PIs (additional BTRIS privileges) SP,PS,KSm Timeline for Results January, 2012 : Balanced Scorecard Project Team formed May, 2012: First complete scorecard and strategy map, based on strategic vision, mission, values and themes. Governance document drafted May – June, 2012: Refine metrics and develop a cross-walk from original to final metrics July – September, 2012: Soft Launch. Objective Owners load initiatives into software Champion populates metrics October 1, 2012: Hard Launch – more metrics populated January 23, 2013: Vision, mission, values, themes metrics reviewed and 2013 team initiatives and milestones entered. Routine reporting of progress commences April 15, 2013: NIH Library Leadership Team & Team Leaders (LTTL) reviewed objective metrics Lessons Learned When possible, use metrics already captured or available To incorporate into culture, open each staff meeting with a Balanced Scorecard Report Red is not necessarily negative; it can mean a strategic decision not to resource Celebrate successes; learn from failures Don’t place too much emphasis on one or a few metrics Communication is key Conclusions The NIH Library has integrated its strategic goals, performance plans, budget execution, staffing requirements and internal processes into a seamless performance management system that enables the library’s leadership to manage resources, and to effectively illustrate and communicate strategy maps and performance metrics of the NIH Library to stakeholders.