Corporate Planning at the National Archives

1
Corporate Planning at the National Archives

• Louise Atherton
• Head of Corporate Planning and Business Change
• The National Archives

October 2006
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The National Archives - Defining Features

• The National Archives, holding the records of the
  United Kingdom Government, especially England and
  Wales
• Information resource about non-public records and
  advisory services to archive professionals and
  record owners
• Government department since 19th century, under
  Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for
  Constitutional Affairs
• Executive Agency since 1992
• Merged with the Historical Manuscripts
  Commission, 2003 and Office of Public Sector
  Information, 2006

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The National Archives Basic facts

• Runs public services at Kew (London Borough of
  Richmond) and Family Records Centre (Central
  London) approximately 250,000 readers annually
• Approximately. 125m information requests handled
  by our websites 2005-2006
• Operates under Public Records Acts, 1958 and
  1967, and Freedom of Information and other
  information legislation
• Organised into operational groups to deliver core
  activities

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Development of Planning (1)

• Key development areas since 1994
• Public services development
• Online services and content delivery
• Information delivery and preservation
• Standards and guidance
• Legislation and government initiatives
• Public awareness of archives and TNA

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Development of planning (2)

• Targets and Indicators since 1994
• Numbers
• Quality and standards
• Value for money
• Legislative responsibilities
• Meeting customer need
• Key developments and projects

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Planning Formats

• Key performance indicators
• Work programmes
• Departmental business plans
• Planning cycles
• Publications

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Planning from 2006

• Corporate plan based on the balanced scorecard
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) critical
  success areas for business and service standards
• Individual detailed departmental business plans
• Outcome based targets and measurement
• Management leadership and staff involvement

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What is a balanced scorecard?

• Emerged during 1980s, USA, for private sector
• Framework for organisations to translate strategy
  into operational objectives, that drive
  performance and behaviour
• Looks at outcomes rather than processes where
  rather than how
• Success based on balance

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What does it look like?
Vision
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Filling the boxes
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Planning Cycle of National Archives

• Corporate planning events summer/autumn
• Development of new 5 year vision
• One year business plan for 2007-8 two year
  profiling
• Linkage to budget allocations
• Consideration of environmental changes
  legislation, feedback, trends, technological
  developments, changes in Government, central
  targets
• Feedback from our users
• Broader social and economic trends

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Monitoring and reporting

• Quarterly performance reports against corporate
  targets
• Monthly internal snapshot of KPIs
• Highlighting problems for action
• Summary reports on Key Performance Indicator
  targets every 3 months
• Wider accountability, with presentation of
  Keepers Annual Report to Parliament before
  summer recess of Parliament

13
Evaluation of success

• Achievement of targets and long term objectives
• Statistical analysis and trends, financial
  results
• User satisfaction results and feedback staff
  surveys
• Charter Mark awards and Investors in People
  accreditation
• Media coverage
• Number of parliamentary questions
• Bench marking comparing performance and
  processes with other organisations

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Current challenges

• Freedom of Information impact on archive sector
  and government record keeping
• Electronic information and records
• Records management systems and standards in
  government and public sector
• Tighter financial climate and drive for external
  funding and revenue raising
• Growing public expectations, combined with speed
  of technological change
• Doing more from existing resources and sharing
  services