April 2000 Measuring Hard-to-Measure Work: Research Scientists Some work seems hard to measure. For example, some supervisors and employees find it difficult on an annual basis to measure the accomplishments of a research scientist— especially when the final result of the scientist's research may not occur for 2-5 years or more. How can supervisors and employees develop a results-focused annual performance plan for a research scientist who has complex, long-term projects? The Handbook for Measuring Employee Performance, available on our web site, describes systematic methods for analyzing work that can help supervisors and employees develop performance plans for hard-to-measure jobs. One method the Handbook describes uses flow charts to organize the work. Measures Derived From Work Flow Charting. Supervisors and employees can organize long-term, complex projects into interim accomplishments by charting the flow of the work. A work flow chart maps the major steps in a project by beginning with the first step, defining each successive step, and ending with the result. If a result does not occur annually, at least supervisors and employees can measure interim accomplishments. By analyzing the activities of a research scientist who may have multiple projects to complete during the next few years, the following interim and final accomplishments become evident:
Example Elements and Standards. By using the method described above and focusing on employee accomplishments, supervisors and employees might develop a performance plan that includes the following elements and standards:
Element: PROJECT PLAN(S)
Element: RESEARCH MILESTONES Element: RESEARCH REPORT(S) When appraising performance, the appraising official would most likely use these general elements and standards in connection with the specific expected outcomes for research described in the organizational work plan.
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