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Audit Reports

Aug
25
2015
Report Number:
DR-AR-15-009
Report Type:
Audit Reports
Category: Strategy & Investments

Utilization of Data by the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President

Background

The U.S. Postal Service depends on data to manage its business strategies and daily activities. It needs effective and efficient access to appropriate internal and external data to make informed business decisions.

The chief operating officer and executive vice president (COO) is responsible for the day-to-day activities of employees
working in facilities across the nation; and for Mail Processing, Transportation, Customer Service and Retail Operations,
Delivery, Facilities, Network Operations, and Maintenance.

Our objective was to determine whether the COO effectively uses internal and external business data to manage business
activities and mitigate risk.

What The OIG Found

The COO effectively uses data contained in internal systems, dashboards, and other reporting tools to manage business activities and mitigate risk. This structured data provides users with purpose and visualization, usable and actionable metrics, publishing frequency, and non-operational, function-specific metrics. Data from outside sources is also used to support business decisions.

But the COO has opportunities to supplement traditional operational metrics with strategic and business value
performance measures. This can be done by connecting to the overall business strategy, including additional metric
diversity, updating and evaluating metrics annually, and using more real-time data.

Implementing these additional metrics could enhance the COO’s ability to measure and manage performance by clarifying business capabilities, increasing efficiency, and prioritizing more effectively.

What The OIG Recommended

We recommended the COO connect metrics to the strategic plan; evaluate and update metrics annually; include predictive metrics in data tools; and identify, develop, and implement systems, data, and reporting tools which covers additional external data sources and have the capability to collect and report real-time, actionable data.

Report Recommendations

# Recommendation Status Value Management Response OIG Response USPS Proposed Resolution
1

R - 1 -- Connect metrics to the strategic plan which will enable Operations to provide insight into ongoing progress in executing strategy.

Closed $0 Agree
2

R - 2 -- Evaluate and update metrics annually to evolve alongside the organization’s priorities and strategic goals.

Closed $0 Agree
3

R - 3 -- Include predictive metrics in data tools, which enable proactive or forward-focused decision-making.

Closed $0 Agree
4

R - 4 -- Identify, develop, and implement systems, data, and reporting tools which cover additional internal and external data sources and have the capability to collect and report real-time actionable data.

Closed $0 Agree