Benefits realisation (including post implementation reviews)

Overview

Benefits realisation assesses whether the expected benefits of activity/programme/package are being achieved at their expected cost. In the future this will involve reviewing funded activity/programme/package at different stages of their lifecycle from planning and design through construction and implementation.

There are two parts to NZ Transport Agency’s benefits realisation assessment 

• Performance measures
• Post implementation reviews.

Performance Measures

The NZ Transport Agency (Planning & Investment) expects that Approved Organisations and the NZ Transport Agency (State Highways) will monitor the impacts of their land transport investments.  This is good business practice and an important part of the delivery of any project.

To make measuring investment performance easier, the Transport Agency has developed a framework for investment performance measurement. This includes a range of performance measures. Appropriate measures need to be selected by Approved Organisations and NZ Transport Agency (State Highways), and agreed with the NZ Transport Agency’s regional Planning & Investment staff.

For further information explaining the background, including why performance information needs to be captured and how it works, please read:

• Questions & Answers explaining the background including why performance information needs to be captured
• Activities required to have performance measures and how it works
• The framework for investment performance measurement with performance measures to choose from.

Post Implementation Reviews 

• assess whether activities/programmes/packages have delivered the expected benefits, including how well they have performed against their performance measures
• explain variation between actual results and expected benefits and costs, and
• identify any lessons learned that can be used to improve how future activities/programmes/packages are implemented.

Post implementation reviews are carried out on a sample of activities/programmes/packages that have been substantially completed for at least two years. This gives enough time following completion for meaningful assessment of how well generally they have achieved their outcomes.

Activities or packages/programmes to have post implementation reviews are selected at the start of each financial year as part of the development of a wider investment assurance work programme. The planned programme is published in May each year in a general circular sent to all approved organisations.

The Approved Organisation or NZ Transport Agency(state highways) office will be contacted directly if a post implementation review is planned for any of its activities/programmes/packages. This contact will be to request information about the project/package to inform the review, and to arrange a time for a site visit.