At the AOC we are convinced that the transformation of digital public services in Catalonia requires that the efforts of each professional translate into a real impact for citizens and administrations. To make this possible, we have consolidated a objective-based evaluation system which we make available to everyone on our website, with the complete procedure, guides and manuals.
The fundamental challenge is not to "assess people", but to build an organization capable of transforming daily work into better public services. That is why the starting point of the system is the mission and strategic lines of the Consortium: we want each person to see how their contribution connects with the country's objectives and that we have an objective and homogeneous framework to recognize them fairly. Our system, which the AOC has been developing and refining year after year since 2001 and which currently covers 84% of the workforce, is born precisely from this desire: to give meaning and purpose to work and to orient it towards the results that really matter.
A model inspired by OKRs, adapted to the public sector
The system is inspired by the methodology OKR (Objectives and Key Results), widely used by leading organizationseres of the private sector, but carefully adapted to the reality of a public administration. We adopt its four principles: the focus, concentrate your efforts on what matters, thealignment, connect each job with strategic direction, the compromises, that each person takes ownership of the objectives that they have helped to define and follow-up with ambition and we clearly distinguish three levels: theaspirational goal (what we want to achieve), the impact result (how will we know if we have achieved it) and the operational tasks (what will need to be done). This structure avoids the usual confusion between objectives and activities, and places the evaluation where it should be: on the impact, not on the amount of work.
The definition combines two complementary perspectives. Aspirational goals are set from top to bottom, based on the strategic lines reviewed by the steering committee; the impact results are proposed by each person and agrees with their manager, from bottom to top. They all follow SMART criteria, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound and must allow objective verification of their achievement.
A balanced and evidence-based assessment
The assessment combines three sections: the corporate strategic objectives (20%), common to all; the specific objectives for each job (60%), which reflect individual priorities; andmanagement evaluation (20%), a collegial assessment of competencies such as collaboration, teamwork, adaptability, autonomy, proactivity and service orientation. Thus, most of the grade is based on objective results, but we also recognize the attitudes and competencies that the results-based assessment alone does not capture.
Everything is documented with individualized tracking sheets and is justified with verifiable evidence: projects executed, milestones achieved, activity recorded in corporate tools. And we define deliberately ambitious milestones, aware that they will hardly be achieved 100%. It is an intentional ambition, because it pushes teams beyond what is comfortable and brings out the best in each person. However, as the OKR methodology defines, the assessment is generous and achieving 80% of a demanding result is already considered a very good result.
Rigor and transparència
The model is rigorous but not inflexible: it takes into account the circumstances of the period, internal and external interdependencies and new priorities that arise throughout the year. For this reason, the evaluation interview is not a measurement procedure, but a development conversation: a space of trust where work well done is recognized, unachieved objectives are analyzed with data and without blaming, and an improvement plan is co-created. The commitment is two-way: the person commits to objectives and the organization supports them with training, monitoring and resources.
And it is radically transparent: everyone's definition of goals is public and sharedIn an organization that works by projects and with high interdependence between teams, knowing each person's priorities facilitates collaboration and decision-making.
Why are we sharing this?
We know that management by objectives in the public sector still faces real difficulties: defining impacts and not tasks, deadlines, the complexity of measuring according to which activities or the lack of a consolidated culture of evaluation. At the AOC we explain them openly because recognizing them is part of the maturity of the model and our commitment to continuous improvement.
We publish all the documentation with a conviction: the knowledge we generate is a common heritage. If it can be useful to other administrations that want to move towards a more results-oriented and people-oriented management, our objective will have been achieved.
