You should begin by deciding how you will use your outcomes framework, the type of framework you want and who you will involve in developing it.
Decide who you need to provide evidence to
Think about who you need to provide evidence to about the contribution of culture and sport to local outcomes. For example, is it commissioners of specific services such as adult social care, children's services or health, councillors who are interested in the ‘big picture'? Or is it colleagues in another department, such as economic regeneration?
Look for ideas in the examples section of outcomes frameworks from other local authorities or organisations and how they have used them.
Choose to create either a generic framework or theme-based framework(s)
Think about how you will use your outcomes framework to help you decide which approach to take.
A generic framework gives a broad overview of how culture and sport contribute to local priorities and covers a number of policy themes. This may be sufficient to cover all the priorities in your area, particularly for smaller services.
Theme-based frameworks demonstrate in detail the contribution culture and sport make to outcomes under one or more specific policy themes, such as older people, health and wellbeing, or the economy. They will be most useful if you want to influence decision makers or potential partners in a sector or service outside culture and sport.
Plan who will lead and be involved in the process
Decide who to involve in developing your framework and how you will manage it. Creating the framework will need some dedicated time. Who will lead the process? Will the framework be developed as part of a team meeting or separate outcomes planning session? By tasking an individual or small project group? Through a session involving officers and councillors from different services? By involving service commissioners? Through a workshop involving external partners?
Some councils have found working with partners to create their outcomes framework important to get their ‘buy-in'. Think about whether or how to involve your corporate policy and performance unit, scrutiny boards and representatives from local strategic or enterprise partnerships, for example.
Also think about involving culture and sport partners you may want to encourage to adopt the framework or who you will need to provide evidence and data.
You should follow the remaining stages and steps to building your outcomes framework whichever type of framework you decide on. But you will need to repeat them for each policy theme if you are creating more than one theme-based framework.