Scoping

At the scoping stage, you define what success looks like and decide what you need to measure to track progress.

Start measuring from the beginning

Think about how you’ll measure performance from the start of the project. During the discovery phase, make sure you:

• set clear objectives for what you want to achieve
• consider how users will interact with your service and what data will be important to track
• estimate how many users will use the service and prepare for the data volume
• plan how you’ll access and use your existing data sources
• check which analytics tools are available and if they’re suitable
• get advice from performance analysts in your organisation (if you have any)

Talk to stakeholders early to understand what they need from the evaluation. This will help you gather the right insights for better decision-making later.

Define service goals and SMART Objectives

Set specific goals that show what success looks like. For example, if your goal is to make information easier to find, you could aim to reduce the average time it takes users to find key resources by 20%.

Make sure your goals are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

SMART objectives provide clear direction and make it easier to track progress. For instance, instead of saying ‘improve service speed’, set a goal like: ‘Increase the speed of transaction completion by 15% within 6 months.’

Choose relevant metrics

Start tracking metrics and gathering data from the earliest stages of the project. During the discovery phase, estimate user volumes, select analytics tools, and decide how to measure the key metrics that reflect your service's performance.

Choose metrics that align with both user needs and service outcomes. For example, measure transaction speed and completion rates to determine if users can complete tasks smoothly and without issues.

Finding and using data sources

After setting your metrics, identify the data sources that will help you track them. Common sources include:

• digital (web) analytics
• user feedback through surveys
• call centre logs
• financial data (e.g. hosting costs, staff costs)

Combine data from different sources to provide a clearer and more accurate view of your service’s performance. Be sure to involve a performance analyst in your service development to ensure that data collection is thorough and reliable.

Make use of existing data sources within your organisation wherever possible.