Self-Assessment Tools
You would like to assess how your organization is performing? You would like to improve, but you do not know which specific areas of your organization need to be upgraded? You need some tools to identify these areas? The OA Tools database is what you need!
We have included over 60 practical tools for you to be able to conduct your self-assessment, whatever your sector, your interest, or your experience. These tools are classified in the following database from which you can search for the ones most appropriate to your organization. You can search the ideal tool:
- by keywords
- by type of organization (profit, non-profit, donors/grantmakers, governmental agencies/organizations)
- by area of the Universalia IOA Model (organizational capacity, external environment, organizational motivation, organizational performance)
A description is provided for each tool, detailing the aspects of the assessment it is concentrating on and whom it addresses to. We hope you find the tool you need to conduct your assessment. Feel free to suggest us new tools.
We also suggest that you try the Universalia-IDRC Development Agency Performance web-based self diagnostic tool. This tool will help you rate your own organization's capabilities on a set of selected factors that influence performance, this in entire confidentiality. Upon the completion of the diagnostic assessment tool, you will receive a summary report via email. The results will give you an overview of where your organization is now and will establish what areas would be most useful for you and your individual situation to focus on.
EPI Connection Professional Development Organization Assessment
—Website, free
Designed more specifically for the industries working in the architectural, engineering, and construction sectors, this 50 questions online survey will help you determine what needs improvement regarding the professional development program of your organization. To undertake the survey, you first need to create a new user account; you will then simultaneously receive a password in your email account. After having chosen your own password, you will be able to take the assessment. This last ask questions regarding your organization's leadership involvement, strategic education plan, needs assessment, establishment of learning objectives, program design, human resources, ongoing support, evaluation and review of educational performance, program tracking & maintenance, etc. Once the survey is completed, you obtain an short analysis of results, indicating the areas that need improvements as well as an overall total score for your professional development program.
http://tools.epiconnection.org/node/185Esperanza USA Organizational Assessment Tool
—Website, free
Initially designed for Hispanic organizations, this organizational assessment tool can also be used by any other communities and any type of organizations. The online survey consists of 99 multiple-choice questions (approx. 30 minutes to complete). The results should help you determine the areas where improvement is needed in your organization, would it be leadership, structure (including governance, human resources, etc.), administration, programs' design, or resources management. Note: Accessing results can be problematic but filling the survey can still be helpful to determine possible areas of improvement.
http://www.esperanza.us/site/c.giKPL8PQLvF/b.3917203/apps/s/content.asp?ct=5831579eXplorance Blue/360
—Website, Demo available
"Blue by eXplorance™ is 360 degree feedback software that transforms otherwise massive, complex projects into very manageable initiatives that place virtually no strain on your IT resources. Enable everyone in your organization to become a survey expert, allowing them to keep closer tabs on their audience. Create a variety of assessments for your organization allowing it to better harness information for strategic purposes."
http://www.explorance.com/blue/360-degree-feedback/Fieldstone Alliance's "Funder's Guide to Organizational Assessment: Tools, Processes, and Their Use in Building Capacity"
—Website, approximately US$50
This website provides non-profit organizations with different tools to encourage their "strategic use of technology to achieve the mission work" of their organizations. The IT tools listed on that webpage will help you determine "how to make compelling requests for technology funding"; "how to assess needs"; "how to plan upgrades and to determine cost-effectiveness". The tools are downloadable in pdf, MS power point, or html format.
http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/listproducts.cfm?FullCat=22Guide Barefoot 1 : Travailler avec les organisations et le changement social
—Website, Gratuit
« C’est un guide pratique, pour les dirigeants et les médiateurs qui veulent aider les organisations à fonctionner et à se développer d’une façon plus saine, plus humaine et plus efficace alors qu’elles s’efforcent à contribuer à une société plus humaine. Il a été développé par le Collectif aux pieds nus. Le guide, et le site internet qui l’accompagne, contiennent des concepts, des méthodes, des histoires et des activités essayées et testées. Leur objectif est d’aider à stimuler et enrichir la pratique de quiconque soutient des organisations et des mouvements sociaux dans leurs défis de travail, d’apprentissage, de croissance et de changement pour répondre aux besoins de notre monde si complexe. Bien qu’il soit destiné aux dirigeants et aux médiateurs d’organisations de la société civile, nous espérons qu’il sera utile à n’importe quelle personne intéressée par la promotion d’organisations humaines saines dans n’importe quelle sphère. »
Healthcare: Pollution Prevention & Best Management Practices - US Environmental Protection Agency
—PDF, free
The EPA Compliance Assistance & Pollution Prevention program provides hospital with an Environmental Assessment Template, an offline questionnaire to evaluate performance with regard to the management of water, air, wastes, etc. within healthcare organizations.
http://www.epa.gov/region1/healthcare/pdfs/EPAHospitalTool.pdfInformation Management-Information Technology (IM/IT) Canada Toolkits
—Website, free
This website provides non-profit organizations with different tools to encourage their "strategic use of technology to achieve the mission work" of their organizations. The IT tools listed on that webpage will help you determine "how to make compelling requests for technology funding"; "how to assess needs"; "how to plan upgrades and to determine cost-effectiveness". The tools are downloadable in pdf, MS power point, or html format. Also available in French.
http://www.vsi-isbc.org/eng/imit/reports.cfmInnovation Network Organizational Assessment Tool file
—Website, free
Here is a comprehensive assessment that will review the organizational planning and structure, the leadership, fundraising, finance and accountability, communication, and the evaluation processes of your organization. Before starting the survey (approx. 70 multiple choice questions), you need to go through a few steps. First register on the link given here (free). Second, you must log in using the link provided in the confirmation email you will receive. Then you need to "Create New Assessment". After creation of your assessment, you will automatically be directed to the survey. Anytime during completion of the survey, you can save filled answers and interupt filling. When you return, just select your assessment in "Manage Assessments" and continue the survey. Once the survey totally completed, you get an overall and detailed score for each of the seven sections of the OA. By clicking on All, you get a complete analysis of your organization, with some recommendations for improvement of your organization's effectiveness.
http://www.innonet.org/index.php?section_id=64&content_id=185Institute for Human Services (IHS) "McKinsey-Ameen Capacity Assessment Sample Questions"
—Website, free
This webpage from the Institute for Human Services defines and explains in a simple way its view of organizational assessment. At the bottom of page, you can click on the link entitled "McKinsey-Ameen Capacity Assessment Sample Questions" (below graph) to open an offline survey. While you get no analysis of your results, the survey can still be used as a basic tool for you and your team to identify possible areas of improvement among the ones explored (leadership, management, operational, and adaptative capacities). Also available in French and Spanish.
http://www.ihsnet.org/pages.asp?CatID=8&PageID=114Institute on Governance - Governance Effectiveness 'Quick Check'
—Website, free
Specifically directed to board members and CEOs, this user friendly tool will help you assess the effectiveness of your board through 15 multiple choice questions (approx. 10 minutes), providing you with a general diagnosis at the end of survey.
