This month, Dallas County published a Key Results Quarterly Update Report as part of its FY2021 Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Program. According to county leaders, the OKR Program is a comprehensive and balanced approach to strategy-objective identification and is intended to further organizational improvement by: 

• Ensuring that financial, technology, workforce and business process needs are supported to achieve departments’ key results. 
• Setting timetables for achieving goals. 
• Ensuring focus of workforce plans to support key results and action plans. 
• Allowing leadership to recognize and respond when circumstances require change and when a new key result or action is needed. 
• Stimulating and incorporating innovation.
• Helping achieve balance among varying and competing organizational needs. 

The OKR Program engages all county departments and encompasses “objectives,” which are broad-based and describe a particular area of focus and desired outcome, and “key results,” which demonstrate precisely how to arrive at and further the objectives. Each key result established is expected to be completed within a two-year timeframe. 

“The Dallas County team is committed to improving the quality of life and providing excellent customer service for our community,” said Darryl Martin, County Administrator. “We are proud to share this report, which outlines progress towards the Dallas County Commissioners Court’s FY2021 objectives and key results.” 

Dallas County has 10 objectives for FY2021 including: 

1. Engagement and development of county employees and operating as a unified county team.
2. Excellence in service delivery (optimal business processes, customer engagement and satisfaction).
3. Promoting a safe and secure workplace for employees and visitors.
4. Investment in county infrastructure and equipment.
5. Setting the standard for development and transportation.
6. Exceptional criminal justice and juvenile justice systems.
7. A healthy community.
8. Fiscal stewardship.
9. Resiliency in operations. 
10. Incorporating racial equity and inclusiveness in all we do. 

An OKR Program Report will be generated each quarter and presented to the Dallas County Administrator. Mid-year progress and end-of-year results will be shared with members of the Commissioners Court during special sessions. Assistant County Administrator Jonathon Bazan said, “Governing-body presentations will provide department heads with the opportunity to present relevant information to the full Commissioners Court and will offer the Commissioners Court the opportunity to see and understand department focus areas and issues.”