Data Use for Continuous

Quality Improvement

  
aacc
  
 
Key Capacities Inventory
What is the Inventory?

The Inventory is a tool to help you evaluate the extent to which the core capacities for data use are in place in your organization. It is a complement to the Key Capacities for data use. The Key Capacity Inventory includes five areas of focus:
  1. Leadership
  2. Quality Assurance
  3. Infrastructure
  4. Communication
  5. Action for Learning
Who can use the Inventory?

The inventory can be used by individuals at any level of the education system (state, district, and school) to identify the capacities that are currently in place, and target those capacities that need strengthening within an organization. In addition, teams from different levels of the system (e.g. district and school) or the same level (e.g. teachers and administrators within a school) can use the inventory as a mechanism for reflection, discussion, and planning ways to further develop key capacities within or across organizational levels.

What does the Inventory include?

The Inventory is a tool for assessing the five main capacities in the Map of Key Capacities necessary to carry out the steps for effective data use outlined in the guide. Within each key capacity, you will find several sections devoted to identifying and exploring the extent to which your organization supports the characteristics of each capacity, determining steps for improvement, and locating resources for additional information.

General Inventory:
This brief questionnaire and analysis are aimed at helping individuals and teams quickly assess key capacities in their organizations. Each section of the General Inventory should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

In-depth Inventory:
This series of reflection and discussion questions is intended to help individuals and teams further evaluate elements of their organizations' key capacities. Each section of the In-depth Inventory should take approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour to complete.

Summary of Scores:
  • Individual scores: this is a summary of your own individual responses to the Inventory questions. Only you will have access to your individual responses, not others in your group.
  • Group scores: this is a summary of your group responses. It is an aggregated summary; you may also view your own, individual responses to see your answers compare to the group. You will be unable, however, to access other peoples' individual responses.
Resources:
This collection of resources will help individuals and teams in their understanding of the five Key Capacities and data use for continuous improvement, and in the development of transformation and monitoring plans.

Transformation and Monitoring Plan:
Individuals and teams can utilize this tool to develop plans for their organizations to increase capacities for data use, and monitor progress towards these goals. Users should plan to spend at least 45 minutes to 1 hour on this task.

How do I use the Inventory?

The inventory can be used in three different ways. The approach you use or pathway you follow will vary for different organizations. Your decision on how to proceed should take into consideration the amount of time you have to dedicate to the task, the current state of data use in your organization, and whether you will be completing the Inventory individually or as a group. Below are descriptions of the three pathways:
  1. Complete the General Inventory for all 5 Key Capacities for an overview of your organization's strengths and weaknesses; OR
  2. Select one Key Capacity, such as leadership, and complete both the General and In-depth Inventories for the capacity. This approach is suited for a targeted, specific investigation of a Key Capacity you know requires attention; OR
  3. Select a focused number of Key Capacities, and complete the General and In-depth Inventories for these capacities.