Fairfax County developed a set of 35 performance indicators to measure progress on the Economic Success Strategic Plan.
Purpose
In the long run, the indicators are intended to provide goals, targets and priorities to shape the work on this plan. Initially, however, progress will be measured by identifying historical trends or initiating the collection of new data.
Themes
These indicators are categorized into three overarching themes and eight sub-themes to provide a holistic and integrated view of the county’s economic performance:
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Innovation and Equity: the health of the county’s economy, its innovation ecosystem, and how residents access economic success.
- Economic Innovation and Sustainability
- Education, Housing, Health
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Place and Infrastructure: the interconnectedness of land use, infrastructure, and transportation in creating places and environments that are accessible and positively contribute to quality of life.
- Mobility
- Activity Centers and Creating Value
- Environment and Infrastructure
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Governance and Financial Stewardship: efforts made by the county government to improve transparency, stakeholder engagement, internal processes, and accountability.
- Communication and Culture
- Regulatory Processes
- Sound Financial Decisions
How the Indicators Were Developed
The county worked with Virginia Tech’s School of Public and International Affairs to identify a set of performance indicators as comprehensive as the plan itself. This process was extensive, and it involved engagement with internal and external stakeholders, including a survey of 200 people and 60 in-person meetings.