A Quick Guide to Citizen-Initiated Performance Assessment for Local Governments: How to Engage Citizens, Elected Officials, and Staff to Improve Government Performance

Abstract

Based on academic research and the experiences of Iowa cities in implementing citizen-initiated performance assessment, this guide suggests a two-year cyclical process in which citizens, elected officials, and departmental staff jointly develop and use performance measures to evaluate public programs so that performance measures reflect the concerns and priorities of citizens and have greater political credibility in decision making.