CPE Performance Measurement & Indicators 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a performance indicator?
- A budget line item that tracks program spending
- A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a program is achieving its objectives (Correct answer)
- A narrative description of program activities and services
- A staff performance review metric used in annual evaluations
Correct answer: A measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a program is achieving its objectives
A performance indicator is a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a program is achieving its intended outcomes and objectives.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of an output indicator?
- Reduction in unemployment rate among program participants
- Number of training sessions delivered by program staff (Correct answer)
- Participant satisfaction with employment status one year after program
- Long-term economic impact on the surrounding community
Correct answer: Number of training sessions delivered by program staff
Outputs are the direct, countable products of program activities—such as the number of training sessions delivered—rather than the changes those activities produce.
Question 3: What distinguishes an outcome indicator from an output indicator?
- Outcome indicators measure activities, while output indicators measure results
- Outcome indicators are always quantitative, while output indicators can be qualitative
- Outcome indicators measure changes in knowledge, behavior, or conditions, while output indicators measure direct products of activities (Correct answer)
- Outcome indicators are short-term, while output indicators are long-term measures
Correct answer: Outcome indicators measure changes in knowledge, behavior, or conditions, while output indicators measure direct products of activities
Outcome indicators measure changes in knowledge, skills, behaviors, or conditions resulting from a program, while output indicators measure the direct products of program activities.
Question 4: What does the acronym SMART stand for in the context of performance indicators?
- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound (Correct answer)
- Systematic, Manageable, Accurate, Reliable, Transparent
- Strategic, Meaningful, Actionable, Realistic, Trackable
- Simple, Measurable, Attainable, Responsive, Timely
Correct answer: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—criteria ensuring indicators are well-defined and trackable.
Question 5: In a logic model, 'intermediate outcomes' refer to:
- The resources invested in a program such as staff and funding
- The activities conducted by program staff to deliver services
- Changes in attitudes, knowledge, or skills that occur as a result of program activities (Correct answer)
- The long-term changes in community conditions that a program ultimately seeks
Correct answer: Changes in attitudes, knowledge, or skills that occur as a result of program activities
Intermediate outcomes in a logic model represent changes in attitudes, knowledge, skills, or behaviors that occur as a result of activities, preceding longer-term impacts.
Question 6: Which type of indicator would best measure program efficiency?
- Number of clients served during the program period
- Average client satisfaction score on exit surveys
- Cost per unit of service delivered (Correct answer)
- Rate of behavior change among program participants
Correct answer: Cost per unit of service delivered
Efficiency indicators measure how well resources are used to deliver outputs or outcomes, with cost per unit of service being a classic efficiency metric.
Question 7: What is a baseline measurement in performance measurement?
- The minimum acceptable performance standard for a funded program
- The initial data point collected before or at the start of a program (Correct answer)
- The average performance level across all program sites nationally
- The target level of performance established by funders or policymakers
Correct answer: The initial data point collected before or at the start of a program
A baseline measurement is the initial data point collected before or at program start, against which future measurements are compared to assess change.
CPE Performance Measurement & Indicators 1
What is a performance indicator?