CPEC Award Process 2008

COMMENT GUIDELINES

Objectives of the To provide guidance to Assessment Team Members on how to write high-
Comment Guidelines quality comments that are clear and informative during Site Visit assessment,
ultimately providing a meaningful feedback report to the command/staff.
To provide commands/staffs clear, concise feedback they can apply to
improve processes, practices, and results.
To provide directions, suggestions, and examples to assist Assessment Team
Members in writing high-quality feedback comments.
Note: Examples provided are not specifically related to the training case study.

COMMENT DEFINITIONS

Strength & Comments fall into two groups: “Strength” and “Opportunity for Improvement”.
Opportunity for Strength comments identify approaches, deployment, learning, integration, and/or
Improvement (OFI) levels, trends, and linkage factors that are important to the applicant’s success.
OFI comments identify missing approaches, deployment, learning, and/or
integration of processes; results OFIs identify missing and/or unfavorable levels,
trends, comparisons, and/or linkages.

Process Item & Process Item comments address the methods, approaches, and practices in
Results Item Categories 1-6; comments are written based on findings and conclusions made
during the Site Visit.
Comments
Results Item comments address the results presented in response to Category 7
Criteria requirements; comments are first drafted and finalized during Site Visit.

Preliminary & Our process uses two comment types: “Preliminary” and “Feedback Quality”.
Feedback Quality Preliminary comments are used for both Process and Results Items as a first step
Comments and job aid toward developing final Feedback Quality comments.
Feedback Quality comments are used for both Process and Results Items.
Feedback Quality comments use complete, grammatical sentences, in the same basic
order as Preliminary comments, but without the job aid labels. The Program office
converts the Site Visit Scorebook into a Feedback Report and delivers it to the
command/staff within 30 days of the Site Visit Executive Out Brief.
Commands/Staffs use this feedback to improve processes, practices, and results.

Process Item Preliminary comments are brief statements that are not complete sentences; they
Preliminary are structured into three distinct content elements (follow Guidelines on page 3):
Comments o Criteria: reference and highlight specific Criteria language that your comment
addresses; include only the relevant part(s) of the Criteria.
o Examples: specific examples that show what the command/staff is or is not
doing relative to the Criteria and/or its Key Factors.
o Importance: select the Key Factor that illustrates why this is a Strength or OFI.

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Feedback Quality Feedback Quality comments for both Process and Results Items are complete
Comments sentences written in paragraph format.
Process Item Feedback Quality comments are complete, grammatical sentences
developed using the preliminary comment elements—combined and expanded—to
provide actionable feedback to the organization. For strength comments, only add a
key factor-based Importance statement in the case of ++ comments. For OFI
comments, the Importance must be written as a key factor-based “so-what”, which
states the potential impact on the command/staff.
Comments include:
• Criteria language (highlighted) with the short “how” or “what” answer
• Examples
• Importance/So-what
Results Item Feedback Quality comments are complete, grammatical sentences
developed from the Results Analysis Worksheet information—do not include
importance/so-what statement. Comments include:
• Criteria language (highlighted)
• Examples from the results/charts/graphs
Follow the Guidelines starting on page 3.

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OVERALL COMMENT GUIDELINES

BOTH PRELIMINARY & FEEDBACK QUALITY — STRENGTHS & OFIS
 Cover a single, complete thought that clearly states the strength or opportunity for improvement.
 Use a polite, professional, and positive tone. Use active voice and present tense.
 Focus on that which is most important & relevant to the command/staff: 5-8 comments per Item.
 The Key Factors determine the Criteria Areas to Address in each Item that are most relevant and
important to the command/staff—no organization can ignore an entire Item.
 Keep comments in Criteria order—both Strengths and OFIs.
 Use specific command/staff and/or the Criteria language.
 Use the command/staff name or common USCG acronym/short name.
 Refer to the command/staff as “it” not “they”.
 Use the command/staff’s terminology when appropriate. For example, some refer to employees as
team members; use this terminology rather than the generic “employee.”
 Focus on substantive strengths and OFIs; do not critique documents or graphics—maintain an
objective performance management system assessment.
 Do not start OFI comments with “Although” or “While”.
 Do not start OFI comments by describing what the applicant does do—use as example, if appropriate.
 Process Item OFIs (Categories 1-6) must include a so-what statement (importance/consequence)
based on the command/staff’s Key Factors. Results Item OFIs (Category 7) do not use so-what’s.
 Be non-prescriptive. Do not use words, such as, “could,” “should,” and “would” in comments.
 Be non-judgmental. Do not use terms, such as, “impressive,” “bad,” “ineffective,” “inadequate,”
“outstanding,” etc. State observations factually, e.g., “customer satisfaction rates favorably increase
15 percentage points over the 3-year period from 2005 to 2007.”
 Be reasonably actionable—use scoring guideline language to improve action-orientation. Put
yourself in the command/staff leader’s shoes: could you develop an action plan using your comments?
 Do not contradict other comments made elsewhere in the scorebook.
CRITERIA REFERENCE
Address the central Criteria requirements; do not go beyond the Criteria.
Include only the Criteria part or parts (specific language) that your comment addresses.
Highlight the Criteria language in both Preliminary and Feedback Quality comments.
Includes the “how” or “what” answer, i.e., “Senior leaders personally promote an organizational
environment that fosters, requires, and results in legal and ethical behavior through consistent
action, transparent communications, and organizational performance.”
EXAMPLE(S)
 Specific organizational practices/processes that respond to the Criteria requirements..
 Clearly indicates the organization’s approach (Strength), or the lack of an approach (OFI).
IMPORTANCE
 State the relevance to the organization based on its Key Factors. The Importance of a Strength
comment is implied; however, if a practice is role model or especially important given the Key
Factors, then the importance should be stated. Process Item OFIs must include a so-what
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statement (importance/consequence); Results Item OFIs do not require Importance statements.

CONTENT & STYLE GUIDELINES

*PRELIMINARY COMMENTS*
Content Guidelines Style Guidelines
Preliminary Process Item Comments include: Preliminary Process Item Comment Style:
• Criteria: the elements that your comment • Define acronyms on first use; okay to use
addresses—specific language highlighted. common acronyms (i.e., AIRSTA, SWOT,
• Example(s): abbreviated approaches/practices OSHA, COMDT, CO, XO).
(including relevant figure numbers/names) to • Use sentence fragments that other Assessment
support your Strength or OFI evaluation. Team Members can easily discern your
• Importance: relevance to the command/staff, meaning/intent.
i.e., its Key Factors. • 5 to 8 preliminary comments per Item.
*FEEDBACK QUALITY COMMENTS*
PROCESS ITEMS (CATEGORIES 1-6)
Content Guidelines Style Guidelines
Feedback Quality comments: Feedback Quality comments are written in
• Consist of 3 to 4 clear, concise sentences per complete sentences in paragraph form.
comment that contain highlighted Criteria • 5 to 8 comments per Item.
language, Example(s), and the Importance— • Define all acronyms on first use in each Item,
relevance to Key Factors. except common USCG acronyms.
• May draw linkages across Items and the • Do not use parenthesis except for results figure
Organizational Profile. references and first-used acronyms.
• Do not contradict other scorebook comments.

RESULTS ITEMS (CATEGORY 7)

Content Guidelines
Results Item comments contain just the facts:
• Criteria: specific element(s) that your
comment addresses—highlighted.
• Example(s):
oFigure title and (figure number)
oCurrent performance level
oTrend and timeframe
oComparative data
• Favorable trends, levels, and/or comparisons
are Strengths.
• Unfavorable or missing trends, levels, and/or
comparisons are OFIs.
• Do not include Importance (so-what) statement.
Style Guidelines
• 5 to 8 comments per Item—use the Key
Factors to prioritize results/figures to include.
• Italicize figure titles and place figure numbers
in parenthesis, e.g., Customer Satisfaction by
Market Segment (Figure 7.2-5).
• Use specific numbers rather than generalities
unless results presented are not specific/detailed.
• Missing results (Gaps) must include
command/staff-relevant examples of what is
missing.
• Multiple figures can be synthesized into one
comment, IF focused on a single result area.

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Process Item Feedback Quality Comments

Basic Strength Format
Subject from the Verb(s) and specific Example(s)
Criteria or Criteria from the application Importance
Application Requirements Transition or site visit (ADLI) (so-what)
“Senior leaders” “review organizational Provide the process(es) that led you to Mostly implicit in
performance” by/through/using the conclusion that this is a strength strength comments.
“The command” “uses relevant —the facts, the WHAT, the HOW. Key Factors or
information and scoring guideline
feedback” language may be
“makes needed data and used to emphasize
“The Air Station”
information available” importance.

Example
Senior leaders set and deploy through the leadership system. Leaders use an annual Strategic
organizational values, Planning Process and numerous communication methods, such
short- and longer-term as, newsletters, meetings, and stakeholder sessions to
directions, and communicate to all command employees and key stakeholders
performance and partners. The leadership system involves many
expectations participants and decision-making levels: the Sector Leadership
Team, the Sector Subordinate Commands Leadership Team,
Chiefs Mess, and Unit Improvement Councils.

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Process Item Feedback Quality Comments

Basic OFI Format
Subject from Example(s)
the Criteria or Evaluative Verb(s) and specific Criteria from the application Importance
Application Statement Requirements Transition or Site Visit (ADLI) (so-what)
Senior leaders do not encourage two-way For example, Provide what led you to the Clearly link comment
communication conclusion that this is an to the Key Factors
The command does not use the voice of the customer OFI—what is missing? and include scoring
guideline language
The staff does not make needed data and where appropriate.
information available
“Without…”
The ISC does not use a complaint management process
“The lack of…”
Final Feedback Quality Example
The command does not tailor its policies, services, and benefits to For the Diversity Team worked with the Without an effective,
the needs of its diverse workforce and example, Benefits Team to identify a method to systematic method, the
different workforce groups and segments. deal with ethnic differences to provide command may find it
two floating personal holidays; difficult to overcome its
however, there is no other tailoring to strategic challenge to
address its varied and diverse attract and retain a highly
workforce segments, including day qualified workforce.
and night shift staff, military and
civilian, individual differences and
needs, and community-based
differences associated with its myriad
command locations.

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Results Item Feedback Quality Comments
Subject from the Criteria
Customer satisfaction results
Work system performance results
Organizational strategy and action
plan results
Regulatory and legal compliance
results
Example
Results for accomplishment of
strategy and action plans
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CPEC Award Process 2008
Basic Strength Format
Specifics related to
Scoring Factors Importance
Verb Analysis and Citations (Le-T-C-Li-G) (so-what)
show favorable/improving/consistent Performance levels, Not required
demonstrate ♦ Timeframe (in, from/to, during) trends, relevant for Results
comparisons, Item
♦ Levels/Numbers (at #; from # to #)
segmentation, linkage comments
♦ Figure Title Italicized (Figure 7.#-X) to organizational
importance.
demonstrate favorable performance for the 5-year period A refined strategic planning process
from 2003 to 2007. Strategic Planning purposely and favorably reduced the
Results (Figure 7.6.1) show the percentage number of objectives and action steps in
of completed Objectives and Action Steps 2007, 96% of short-term action steps
steadily increase from 2003 through 2006. were completed—the 83% value is for
Action Steps completed annually favorably all action steps, including longer-term
increase from 71.1% in 2003 to 91% in action steps that were not intended to be
2006. complete.
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Results Item Feedback Quality Comments

OFIs — Unfavorable Results
Subject from the Criteria
Customer satisfaction results
Work system performance results demonstrate
Financial performance results
Example
Workplace health,show
safety, and security
results
Basic OFI Format
Specifics related to Scoring Importance
Verb Analysis and Citations Factors (Le-T-C-Li-G) (so-what)
show unfavorable/declining/inconsistent Performance Levels, trends, Not required
♦ Timeframe (in, from/to, during) comparisons, segmentation, for Results
linkage to organizational Items
♦ Levels/Numbers (at #; from # to #)
importance, gaps.
♦ Figure Title (Figure 7.#-X)
inconsistent performance over a 5-year period from FY03 to FY07 The Baldrige Recipient comparison
evaluated against a comparison. Results for Sick Leave Per 1,000 24.3 hours in FY03 and FY04 and
Hours Worked (Figure 7.4.7) show 25.73 hours used in FY03 slightly 24.2 in FY06 and FY07 leads
increases to 25.76 in FY04, improves to 24.17 in FY05, then consistently in all years except the
unfavorably increases to 27.62 in FY06, and slightly improves to 26.57 27 hours in FY05.
in FY07.

OFIs — Gaps
Introductory Statement
There are no results reported for
key indicators of
There are gaps in results
reported for
Some indicators of
Example
Some indicators of
Subject from the Criteria
product and service
outcomes,
customer-focused outcomes
workforce learning and
development
the operational performance important to the command are
Transition
such as,
important to the command,
such as,
important to the command
are not provided, such as,
Example(s) from the Importance
Application and Criteria (so-what)
Identify/List specific results Not required
expected based on the Org. for Results
Profile consult your Results Items
Analysis Worksheet.
See Criteria Notes to help
identify appropriate/potential
expected results.
support process cycle times; cost controls,

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of key work processes not provided, such as, and quarterly department leader audits.

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