LEARNING AGENDA IN SUPPORT OF THE PRESIDENT’S MANAGEMENT AGENDAThis PMA Learning Agenda identifies evidence gaps related to advancing PMA priorities. In addition, the American Rescue Plan Implementation Team released a learning agenda related to equity and the implementation of the American Rescue Plan. All of these efforts are critical in communicating and coordinating what evidence is needed and how it can be used to improve the working of Government. Looking ahead, as these learning agendas spur research, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will work to share findings with leadership across the Government to inform decision making.This Learning Agenda works toward the PMA priorities across Federal agencies in three learning areas of focus. These areas of focus are intended to initiate strategic evidence-building efforts, not to be comprehensive.Office of Management and BudgetOMB_fc2d8890-ba77-4c51-bbad-1cc10871c14eJason MillerDeputy Director for Management, Office of Management and BudgetPMA Learning Agenda StakeholdersAnyone can help answer these questions, including you. You might be a researcher, student, practitioner, industry expert, or public servant. You might be from a government agency, a community organization, a university, a business, or a philanthropy.ResearchersStudentsPractitionersIndustry ExpertsPublic ServantsGovernment AgenciesCommunity OrganizationsUniversitiesBusinessesPhilanthropiesGovernment works better_2601b696-35cb-11ed-800b-3db1f382ea00To identify evidence gaps related to advancing PMA priorities_2601b786-35cb-11ed-800b-3db1f382ea00LearningEquityDiversityInclusionEngagementEmpowermentPerformanceExcellenceSecurityTrustFederal WorkforceStrengthen and Empower the Federal Workforce_2601b81c-35cb-11ed-800b-3db1f382ea001Federal AgenciesIn their agency Learning Agendas, more than half of agencies included questions on the Federal workforce. A few illustrative questions from those published agency Learning Agendas:Office of Personnel ManagementWhat strategies are effective for increasing and maintaining the capacity of the Federal workforce to meet critical agency needs?Department of CommerceHow could the Department’s leadership development programs be more effective in supporting succession planning?Department of the TreasuryHow can Treasury increase representation with respect to its public-facing call-center workforce?How can the Federal Government strengthen and empower its workforce, so it can best serve the American people? ^^ The Biden-Harris Administration wants the Federal Government to be a model employer, operated by a talented, diverse, and engaged workforce. What are effective strategies to hire, retain, engage, and grow talent within the Federal Government? Many of these questions could leverage the recent workplace and hiring flexibilities that were implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. New evidence on these questions could guide decisions at agencies and may also have relevance for employers and organizations beyond the Federal Government. Recruitment & Hiring Enhance recruitment and hiring practices_2601b8e4-35cb-11ed-800b-3db1f382ea001.1What approaches to recruitment and hiring result in high-performing, diverse teams in Federal agencies? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • What hiring assessments and practices effectively identify qualified talent, especially in high-need career series? What approaches result in a positive applicant experience, either leading to acceptance of a position, or willingness for a qualified (but not-selected) candidate to apply for other opportunities? To what extent can alternative hiring mechanisms improve the recruitment of skilled professionals while reducing the time to hire? Do these approaches lead to more or less equitable hiring outcomes? ^^ • To what extent, and through what mechanisms (for example, USAJobs and other application forms and processes, interview questions and format, time to wait for response or decision), might specific requirements (including security clearances) impact Federal recruitment of a diverse, inclusive workforce? ^^ • What barriers to entry into Federal service currently exist for potential Federal employees? How do these barriers vary across demographic populations? ^^ • How can the Federal Government organize work, workplaces, and workforces to create a competitive advantage for recruitment and retention? What workplace flexibilities and strategies, including those related to pay and benefits, promote equity, diversity, inclusion, engagement, and performance? Retention & EngagementImprove retention, engagement, inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing among Federal employees_50a4c478-363a-11ed-b984-e6970583ea001.2What strategies improve retention, engagement, inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing among Federal employees, while reducing burnout and attrition? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • How can the Federal Government be nimbler in understanding the Federal employee experience? What information do agency leaders need to improve employee engagement and retention? How can lessons from customer experience initiatives inform improvements to the Federal employee experience? ^^ • Which inclusion and belonging interventions reduce burnout and improve wellbeing and retention, and under what circumstances? ^^ • What management practices advance disability inclusion and empower Federal employees with disabilities? What management practices advance inclusion and empowerment of other underrepresented Federal employees?Empowerment & DiversityBuild a strong, empowered, and diverse cohort across the Federal Government employee lifecycle_50a4c5a4-363a-11ed-b984-e6970583ea001.3What approaches build a strong, empowered, and diverse cohort across the Federal Government employee lifecycle? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • What management strategies (e.g., delegating authorities, rewarding innovative risk) can better empower Federal employees to innovate and solve problems? Which management strategies improve agency and unit-level organizational health? Which strategies and approaches are less effective? ^^ • What strategies are effective in boosting career growth (including rotations, fellowship programs, mentorship programs, and paid internships)? What approaches to upskilling and reskilling are effective for retention? Which of these strategies effectively strengthen a diverse cohort in senior leadership positions and civil service leadership pipelines? Which strategies and approaches are less effective?ServicesDeliver Excellent, Equitable, and Secure Federal Services and Customer Experience_2601b9ac-35cb-11ed-800b-3db1f382ea002Federal AgenciesIn their agency Learning Agendas, more than half of agencies included questions on customer experience and service delivery. A few illustrative questions from those published agency Learning Agendas:Small Business AdministrationHow do SBA customers feel about their experience with SBA programs and services, and how can the SBA improve this experience, especially for small businesses that are underserved?Social Security AdministrationWhat are the effects of simplifying administrative rules and requirements on reducing the burden on program participants and supporting program integrity?United States Department of AgricultureHow effective are existing Rural Development Initiatives (e.g., eliminating unnecessary paperwork, improving stakeholder outreach, providing technical assistance to applicants, etc.) in improving equitable program access to historically disadvantaged and underserved communities?How can the Federal Government deliver programs and services effectively and build trust? ^^ A key priority of the PMA is to deliver an excellent customer experience through quality, equitable, and secure Federal services. Every interaction between the Federal Government and the public, whether it involves renewing a passport, filing taxes, or calling for a status update on a farm loan application, should be an opportunity to deliver the value, service, efficiency, and competency that the public expects and deserves. The Federal Government can build trust by demonstrating that its processes are fair, secure, effective, and efficient. The Biden-Harris Administration has already taken steps toward improving the way Federal agencies deliver services by identifying important life experiences, such as approaching retirement or recovering from a disaster, that require interaction with the Federal Government. The selected interactions are crucial for improving outcomes and reducing burden for all Americans, and can be found on the Performance.gov customer experience page. However, there are many unanswered questions about how to best measure trust and understand how different elements (such as speed, quality, ease, transparency) drive trust for different types of service interactions.Administrative BurdensReduce administrative burdens in programs and services_2601ba2e-35cb-11ed-800b-3db1f382ea002.1How can Federal agencies reduce administrative burdens in programs and services—including complicated, confusing, and timeconsuming processes people may encounter when trying to access those programs and services? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • What approaches effectively reduce unnecessary administrative burdens for people, especially those that disproportionately affect underserved communities? What approaches are effective in reducing burden consistently across different populations? ^^ • How can minimizing administrative burdens also improve upon objectives of minimizing improper payments and strengthening program integrity?Customer ExperiencesDeliver excellent customer experiences with the Federal Government_50a4c676-363a-11ed-b984-e6970583ea002.2What approaches deliver an excellent customer experience with the Federal Government? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • What mechanisms for integrated services across different levels of government, communities, and community organizations are effective for reducing the burden on and improving outcomes for customers at specific significant moments in their lives? What kinds of collaboration between Federal agencies and their program delivery partners (e.g., State, local, Tribal, Territorial, nonprofit, and industry) contribute to improved equity and programmatic outcomes? ^^ • How can Government services be more efficiently and effectively integrated and bundled to better deliver results for people? ^^ • What strategies are effective to support individuals as they navigate complex Government processes? In what cases do people need individual support to navigate a complex Government process (e.g., a community navigator), and when can an automated or virtual process achieve a similar outcome?TrustEnhance the public’s trust_50a4c7ac-363a-11ed-b984-e6970583ea002.3How can the Federal Government enhance the public’s trust? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • What methods effectively measure trust in a public service environment? How and when can customer feedback on their trust in Government be most useful and accurate? ^^ • How can agencies effectively share and use customer experience data and program results to promote trust with the public? ^^ • How do various touch points between a person and Government services affect trust in Government? To what degree is trust affected by speed (e.g., short hold times for a phone call), transparency (e.g., open data with accessible dashboards), or knowledgeable service (e.g., staff with expertise to solve a problem)? In those contexts, how do different modes or styles of communication (e.g., live chat, in person, over the phone) affect trust? What types of choices in design and wording throughout service experiences promote inclusivity, and reduce stigma or other psychological barriers in program delivery? ^^ • What communications strategies (language, channels, frequency) are effective for building trust? What type of transparency and accountability efforts have been effective at building trust? Who are these efforts currently reaching and who do they need to reach to be effective? Does transparency itself increase public trust? ManagementManage the Business of Government_2601bab0-35cb-11ed-800b-3db1f382ea003Federal AgenciesIn their agency Learning Agendas, most agencies included questions on equity. A few illustrative questions from those published agency Learning Agendas:Department of EducationWhat policies, programs, services, and practices support the design of learning environments and educational experiences that are effective in reducing gaps in student opportunity and achievement — such as those exacerbated by COVID-19 — including those that are responsive to the assets and needs of underserved students?U.S. Agency for International DevelopmentHow can USAID more equitably engage local knowledge, assets, and practices, and align programming with local priorities and metrics for success?Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentHow can Federal policy most effectively support equitable community development, place-building, and quality of life improvements in American communities?How can the Federal Government advance equity and support underserved communities? ^^ On the first day of the Biden-Harris Administration, President Biden signed an Executive Order to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities. This Executive Order calls for a Government-wide effort to advance equity. The Office of Management and Budget’s report to the President on leading methods for assessing equity recognizes that equity assessments of Federal programs represent an expanding, though still nascent, body of work in public policy, social and data science, and organizational change management. The Executive Order outlined a vision of equity that promotes fair and just treatment of all individuals, including those historically underserved, across a range of dimensions from race, gender, and sexual orientation to geography, income, and disability. To read more about this work, see the agency equity plan snapshots and the agency equity assessments. The questions below are focused on learning how advancing equity can benefit all.ServicesAdvanced equity in the design, delivery, and evaluation of Federal services_2601bb32-35cb-11ed-800b-3db1f382ea003.1How can equity be advanced in the design, delivery, and evaluation of Federal services? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • What approaches effectively improve equitable distribution of grants, loans, or other time-sensitive Federal funding and benefits programs from enacted laws (such as the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136), the American Rescue Plan Act (Public Law 117-2), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), and related legislation) or in response to disasters, climate-related crises, or public health emergencies? What lessons were learned from the public health and economic crises of the pandemic that can inform the development of future Federal programs that are both responsive to a crisis and deliver equitable outcomes? ^^ • What strategies effectively remove barriers to awareness of, access to, and delivery of Federal services, particularly for historically underserved individuals or populations? ^^ • What characteristics of Government procurement, grants, or contracting structures make them effective for reaching underserved communities or businesses owned by historically excluded groups? ^^ • What approaches to data collection and analysis could improve understanding about service utilization among underserved populations?Tools & StructuresIdentify organizational tools and management structures advance equity_50a4c888-363a-11ed-b984-e6970583ea003.2What organizational tools and management structures advance equity? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • What management structures, tools, or trainings for Government employees effectively improve equity outcomes in an agency’s operations and mission? Does changing decision-making structures to include equity-focused practices promote more equitable outcomes? ^^ • What approaches to equity assessments result in Federal agencies improving equity in the outcomes of their work?Organizational ChangesIdentify and address underlying barriers to advancing equity_50a4c96e-363a-11ed-b984-e6970583ea003.3What larger organizational changes in agencies are needed to identify and address underlying barriers to advancing equity? ^^ EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: ^^ • If agencies engage with traditionally underrepresented stakeholders at the outset when key decisions are made, does that early engagement affect outcomes and intended impact (e.g., including those whom programs are meant to serve at an earlier stage in the design process or during the definition of eligibility criteria)? ^^ • What are effective approaches that agencies can take in managing the business of Government to address barriers that have hindered equal opportunity?2022-09-16https://assets.performance.gov/PMA/PMA-Learning-Agenda.pdfOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net