The standards should be written in terms of specific measurers that will be used to appraise performance. Quality refers to accuracy, appearance, usefulness, or effectiveness. Quantity addresses how much work is produced. A quantity measure can be expressed as an error rate, such as number ore percentage of errors allowable per unit of work, or as a general result to be achieved. When a quality or quantity standard is set, the Fully Successful standard should be high enough to be challenging but not so high that it is not really achievable.
Timeliness addresses how quickly, when or by what date the work is produced.
The most common error made in setting timeliness standards is to allow no margin for error. As with other standards, timeliness standards should be set realistically in view of other performance requirements and needs of the organization. Cost-Effectiveness addresses dollar savings to the Government or working within a budget. Cost-effectiveness standards may include such aspects of performance as maintaining or reducing unit costs, reducing the time it takes to produce a product or service, or reducing waste. Specific Measures .