It's the road map thing again!

Two reports have come out recently at the federal level that illustrate one of the biggest weaknesses I have found in government during my career. First, the GAO has issued its second audit on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (financial bailout). I wrote about the first audit here. In summary the audit concludes the Treasury Department should increase efforts to monitor how the financial institutions are using program funds and more clearly articulate and communicate a strategic vision for the program.

The second report is from testimony to the Commission on Wartime Contracting. This Commission is mandated by Congress to study federal contracting for wartime reconstruction and performance in Iraq and Afghanistan. This was after the hard lessons learned in Iraq. In news coverage the deputy special inspector general for Iraq is quoted as saying, "Before we go pouring more money in, we really need to know what we're trying to accomplish" (in Afghanistan)."

It's the road map thing again! The hardest work in solving a problem is establishing the direction you want to go. This includes establishing guideposts, a clear direction to the location you want to arrive at, and a way of knowing when you get there. In almost every audit I've worked on we have findings about lack of clear strategy and performance measures. It's not that management doesn't know that these are important. I think its the lack of resources assigned to these activities. When you're trying to solve a problem, its difficult to spend resources that are indirectly related to that problem. But, again, if you know where you want to go and you have a map to get there, why drive with your eyes closed?