Performance Management and Metrics Flashcards

Which DoD framework establishes the requirement for defense organizations to link strategic goals to measurable performance outcomes?

Answer: Government Performance and Results Modernization Act (GPRAMA)

GPRAMA (2010) requires federal agencies, including DoD components, to establish strategic goals, objectives, and measurable performance indicators aligned to mission outcomes.

When a defense program office calculates 'cost per output' as a performance metric, which category of performance measure does this represent?

Answer: Efficiency measure

Cost per output is an efficiency measure because it expresses the resource cost required to produce a single unit of output, reflecting operational economy.

A CDFM candidate reviews a program where actual obligations are 40% below the performance plan midpoint. What is the most appropriate initial corrective action?

Answer: Conduct a variance analysis to identify the root cause

Variance analysis is the proper first step to determine whether the shortfall reflects execution problems, schedule slippage, or changed requirements before taking corrective action.

Under the DoD Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) system, performance metrics collected during the Execution phase primarily feed back into which subsequent phase?

Answer: All three phases equally

Execution data informs all three preceding PPBE phases — historical performance shapes strategic planning, program objective revision (programming), and budget justification simultaneously.

Which statistical concept is most relevant when evaluating whether a performance trend is due to a real change versus random variation in DoD metrics?

Answer: Statistical process control (SPC)

Statistical process control techniques distinguish between common-cause (random) variation and special-cause variation, helping managers determine whether a metric trend warrants intervention.

A defense agency's Annual Performance Plan (APP) must be submitted to OMB concurrent with which document?

Answer: The President's Budget

Under GPRAMA, agencies submit their Annual Performance Plans to OMB coincident with the President's Budget submission, typically in early February.

In DoD performance management, a 'lagging indicator' for a logistics program would BEST be described as:

Answer: Total equipment readiness rates reported at fiscal year end

Lagging indicators measure outcomes after they have occurred; year-end readiness rates reflect past performance rather than predicting or driving future results.