MAF Assessment Process

MAF Areas of Management

The MAF assessment process sets out the expectations of public sector managers and deputy heads in specific Areas of Management (AoM) and measures organizational performance against these expectations. Each Area of Management represents a key internal business function that is critical to a strong performing organization.

There are seven Areas of Management, identified as either core or department-specific.

The core Areas of Management are considered central to good management. All organizations participating in the MAF assessment are assessed annually on the core management areas.

• Financial Management;
• Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT) Management;
• Results Management; and,
• People Management.

In addition, select organizations are assessed annually on one or more of the department-specific management areas, when there is a strong alignment between a department or agency’s operations and the Area of Management.

• Management of Acquired Services and Assets;
• Security Management; and,
• Service Management.

How MAF assessment information is used

The Management Accountability Framework (MAF) assessments provide individual organizations with observations by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) on where performance meets expectations on the specific performance indicators that are reviewed, and where there may be opportunities to improve. This information is of value to both deputy heads and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS).

First and foremost, deputy heads and departmental managers use the MAF assessments to understand the management capacity that exists in their organizations and to identify the areas that may require attention so they can implement any necessary changes within their organizations.

The assessments also give deputy heads information to benchmark their organizations’ performance against performance government-wide and facilitate the sharing of leading management practices across departments and agencies.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat uses the MAF results to gain a broad perspective on the state of management practices and challenges in the federal government and to monitor policy compliance and implementation across government. It also uses the MAF results to track progress on government-wide management priorities and transformation initiatives.

In summary, the MAF results help organizations to continuously improve management capabilities, effectiveness and efficiency.

MAF is a powerful tool that plays an important role in the improvement of management practices in departments and agencies across the federal government. It identifies the key elements needed for sound management in government and ensures that the federal public service continues to focus on management excellence and the delivery of effective programs and services to Canadians.