This page is a brief guide to terms related to quality and outcomes measurements.
Aims
The aims are what you plan to achieve, that is what change you plan to make in service delivery or in the situation of the person using the service
Accreditation / external assessment
A process by which an external organisation or individual assesses your organisation’s performance against an agreed set of criteria. You will be entitled to use the logo on headed paper etc to show you have achieved the standard.
Audit
A methodical examination or review of a condition or situation. Audits can range from official external audits, or less formal internal and external stakeholder reviews and self assessments, provided they are methodological and reasoned.
Baseline data
Information collected on outcomes at the start of the project to compare changes against.
Continuous improvement
An attitude or ethos of an organisation that means it is always working towards doing better.
Evaluation
Using data and other feedback to assess how well you are doing.
Monitoring
The routine, systematic collection of information for the purpose of checking progress against a plan.
Outcomes
Changes as a result of your work.
Outcome indicators
Things to measure to show if you have achieved your desired outcomes.
Quantitative
Information concerned with quantity of something. Will therefore focus on numbers.
Qualitative
Information concerned with the quality of something. Will therefore focus on views and attitudes.
Quality standard
The agreed level of performance expected for a particular area of work.
Quality assurance system
A formal system to implement quality management.
Self assessment
The process by which staff, volunteers, clients and trustees from within an organisation make judgements about the organisation’s performance against a set of quality standards.
Stakeholders
The people who have an interest in how your service is run – staff, volunteers, trustees, funders, donors, member etc.
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