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The Common Assessment
Framework (CAF) is a model for self-assessment
and improvement designed for public administration.
The CAF Model is a result of the cooperation which
started in 1998 among the EU countries and the
analytic work performed by the European Foundation
for Quality Management (EFQM), the German University
of Administrative Sciences Speyer (Deutsche
Hochschule für Vervaltungswissenschaften Speyer)
and the European Institute of Public Administration
(EIPA) based in Maastricht, the Netherlands.
In 2000, during the European Quality Conference for
Public Administrations held in Lisbon, directors
general of public administration officially
recommended CAF to be used by public administration
organizations across the European Union.
The concept and assumptions as well as the structure
of the CAF Model are based on the EFQM Excellence
Model (read more: EFQM Excellence Model). Particular
requirements of the CAF Model were adjusted to the
specific nature and needs of public administration
organizations.
The CAF Model helps Polish organizations achieve top
class management standards applied by public
administration organizations across the EU.
Self-assessment based on the CAF Model enables to
commence systematic and effective improvement of the
organization.
The CAF Model provides:
-
identification of
strengths and areas of improvement in an
organization,
-
means to achieve
consistency of direction and consensus on
what needs to be done to improve an
organization,
-
assessment against a set
of criteria, which are accepted across
Europe,
-
means of measuring
progress over time through periodic
self-assessment,
-
a link between goals and
supportive strategies and processes,
-
means to focus
improvement activity where it is most
needed,
-
opportunities to promote
and share good practice within an
organization and with external
organizations,
-
means to create
enthusiasm among employees by involving them
in the improvement process,
-
integration of various
quality initiatives in the organization
Self-assessment with the use of
the CAF model is easily applicable, low cost and
time consuming. Areas for improvement identified
during the self-assessment are the base for planning
and launching improvement activities.
Self-assessment workshops
Umbrella offers self-assessment in form of one-day
workshops for the management and the employees of an
organization. During the workshops the participants
analyze the organization against the CAF Model in
teamwork and then all together (in order to achieve
consensus). The analysis of particular Model
criteria aims at assessing the level of their
fulfillment on a scale of 0-5 points as well as
defining strengths and areas for improvement.
Workshops on improvement
activities planning
Workshops on improvement
activities planning can take place the next day
after self-assessment workshops.
During one-day workshops in which participate the
management and workteams that earlier performed the
self-assessment:
-
areas of improvement are
analyzed and structured
-
improvement priorities
are set
-
improvement activities
are defined
-
feasibility and potential
effectiveness of these activities is
estimated
-
execution of improvement
activities is planned
E-learning
To organizations which want to perform the
self-assessment individually we offer the
possibility of preparing to self-assessment and
further organizational improvement through
participation in e-learning courses.
Umbrella offers 2 e-learning courses in the area of
the CAF Model:
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