Applying a Dynamic Performance Management Framework to Wicked Issues: How Coproduction Helps to Transform Young People’s Services in Surrey County Council, UK

摘要

This article explores how a dynamic performance management (DPM) approach can give policyudmakers a more integrated, time-related understanding of how to address wicked problemsudsuccessfully. The article highlights how an outcome-based approach to solving wicked policyudproblems has to balance three very contrasting objectives of stakeholders in the policy makingudprocess – improving service quality, improving quality of life outcomes and improving conformityudto the principles of public governance. Simultaneous achievement of these three objectives mayudnot be feasible, as they may form an interactive dynamic system. However the balancing actudbetween them may be achieved by the use of DPM. Policy insights from this novel approach areudillustrated through a case study of a highly successful co-production intervention to help youngudpeople with multiple disadvantages in Surrey, UK. The implications of DPM are that policyuddevelopment needs to accept the important roles of emergent strategy and learning mechanisms,udrather than attempting ‘blueprint’ strategic planning and control mechanisms. Some expectationsudabout the results may indeed be justifiable in particular policy systems, as clustering of quality ofudlife outcomes and outcomes in the achievement of governance principles is likely, becauseudbehaviours are strongly inter-related. However, this clustering can never be taken for grantedudbut must be tested in each specific policy context. Undertaking simulations with the model andudrecalibrating it through time, as experience builds up, may allow learning in relation to overcomingudbarriers to achieving outcomes in the system.