USCG Marine Safety Performance Plan Objectives—improve program management

Excerpt originally published in the Summer 2008 issue of the U.S. Coast Guard “Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council” magazine as part of a special section—Capacity, Communication, Culture: The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Performance Plan.

We must deploy dynamic performance management practices through all levels of the program to maintain capacity, performance, and service, while delivering best value to the taxpayer.

Improve Management Accountability
We will restore transparency to the management of the marine safety program, and improve industry accessibility to Coast Guard leadership.

Service leaders at all levels will create opportunities to improve stakeholder engagement. We will capitalize on the Coast Guard’s modernization efforts to strengthen accessibility and timely service without jeopardizing transparency.

Strengthen Program Management
Ensuring that management structures and practices align with customer and other stakeholder needs—and that they are completely understood—is central to improving service delivery to the marine industry.

We will provide program direction that supports close, cooperative relationships with operational commands, industry customers, and other stakeholders. To the greatest extent possible, we will provide single-point accountability for all program outcomes, and designate management authorities and line-of-service responsibilities that correspond with key industry segments.

Develop a Balanced Scorecard
We will expand and improve our performance measurement capabilities and practices and develop a balanced scorecard that includes customer satisfaction metrics as well as a complete suite of outcome, output, activity, capability, and efficiency measures.

Implement a Quality Management System
We will implement a defined set of policies, processes, and procedures to execute marine safety mission activities. Implementing a quality management system throughout the program will enable us to identify, measure, control, and improve the core processes that will ultimately lead to improved mission performance.

For more information:
Full article and “Focus on Safety” edition of USCG Proceedings is available at www.uscg.mil/proceedings. Click on “archives” and then “2008 Vol. 65, Number 2” (Summer 2008).

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Online survey available at: http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/survey.asp.

Direct requests for print copies of this edition to: HQS-DG-NMCProceedings@uscg.mil.