Developing a Management and Accountability Framework for the Quebec Federal Council
Summary
December 2003
The Quebec Federal Council (QFC) brings together the top-ranking officials of some 30 federal institutions in
Quebec to help them join forces and work together. The QFC has 21 interdepartmental committees composed of public servants from a
variety of institutions who share an interest in such sectors as human resources, service delivery and policy. Committee members
share best practices and carry out activities and horizontal projects that increase the efficiency of the Government of Canada in
Quebec.
The challenges of interdepartmental management
Horizontal management is a radical departure from the traditional "vertical" approach to management as
practised within the various departments. In recent years, a number of concerns with respect to interdepartmental management have
been raised: overly broad scope, high expectations, stakeholder exhaustion, difficulty accounting for activities, limited means
and the duplication of initiatives in pursuit of the same objective. The QFC looked to modern comptrollership for new ways to
address these problems.
Modern comptrollership
Modern comptrollership (MC) is based on the sound management of resources and effective decision-making. One
of the basic principles of modern comptrollership, the integration of financial and non-financial information into outcomes,
places the emphasis on the linkages to be established between:
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Invested resources (human, material, financial and information resources)
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Outcomes
The QFC submitted a proposal to the Treasury Board Secretariat for a project that would adapt this principle to
interdepartmental management. The focus was primarily on creating a structure that would, on the one hand, make it possible to
collect financial and non-financial information and, on the other, link that information to outcomes.
Developing a management and accountability framework
To apply modern comptrollership principles to horizontal management . and to integrate financial and non-financial
information into outcomes . a management and accountability framework was designed. The framework includes a logic model that
underpins the proposed approach.
Logic model
The logic model can be viewed as a process or procedure for the QFC and its committees to follow. It establishes
logical linkages between a number of basic elements: "value-added" activity areas (fields of activity warranting
collective action), objectives (what is achievable in the long term), deliverables (what is achievable in the short term),
resources (financial and non-financial), officers and activities. To this is added a system of measures (indicators) that enables
the QFC to better monitor progress and report on its activities.
The logic model has numerous advantages that provide solutions to the challenges of interdepartmental management.
The model makes it possible to:
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Better organize activities (more precise, targeted and realistic deliverables)
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Measure outcomes and, consequently, make better-informed decisions
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Assess the financial and non-financial costs of horizontal management and link them to outcomes (reporting
ability)
Performance measures
As part of its annual strategic planning process, the QFC and its committees determine the components of the logic
model and plan future activities. As mentioned above, indicators will be used to measure outcomes:
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Activity indicators: What activities were carried out?
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Cost indicators: What resources were needed?
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Satisfaction indicators: What is the level of satisfaction with respect to the activities?
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Impact indicators: What was the impact?
Management chart
Outcome measurement is not an end in itself. It is important to communicate the resulting information to call
attention to accomplishments and report on activities. The management chart was developed for that purpose and is a computer tool
that enables the QFC Office to record data on institutions, committees, objectives, deliverables, and indicators. Committees input
information on their groups' action plans, targets and, at the end of the year (or the period in question), outcomes and cost
estimates. This information is used to produce reports that present outcomes in an organized manner and provide a detailed or
general overview of the progress made:
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By a committee or group of committees
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In an activity area or with respect to a priority
Outlook
The QFC plans to make the management and accountability framework and its supporting management chart available to
other regional federal councils. The tools can be adapted and enhanced as new needs arise.
View Final Report
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