Formats
This guide contains information on how to use the Ministerial Policy Satisfaction Survey including how to:
- set an optional performance target
- conduct the survey with your minister
- develop a score based on the results
- use the results for improving performance.
The Ministerial Policy Satisfaction Survey is used by agencies to assess their minister’s satisfaction with the services provided by the policy function. The survey is used for:
- external accountability – agencies report their ministerial satisfaction score in their annual reports
- performance improvement – agencies use the results of the survey to improve the way they engage with their minister.
The minister’s responses to the survey are subject to the Official Information Act 1982.
A. Setting a target ministerial satisfaction score#
Agencies with a policy appropriation or policy category within a multi-category appropriation must include a performance target for ministerial satisfaction in their Estimates: a score out of 5 using the ratings below.
- Needs significant improvement
- Needs improvement
- Satisfied
- Very satisfied
- Extremely satisfied
B. Conducting the survey#
Agencies enter their agency name, the portfolio, and the relevant time period at the top of the survey before providing to the minister.
Who
The survey should be completed by the portfolio minister. Your agency can also choose to survey associate ministers or parliamentary under-secretaries.
When
The survey results should cover the financial year and be completed in time for the ministerial satisfaction score to be reported in the agency’s annual report.
Agencies can decide how often to conduct the survey, although most do it annually or six-monthly. The survey can also be used to provide direct feedback on specific projects and for driving continuous improvement.
It can be helpful to engage with the minister’s office early so they can find time for the minister to complete the survey.
How
Find out from your minister whether they would like to complete the survey electronically or by hand.
Send the survey with a covering brief that reminds the minister of the policy advice supplied during the survey’s time period.
C. Scoring the survey#
The survey includes questions with rating scales and spaces for comments. Only the rating scales are used to calculate the ministerial satisfaction score.
Calculating the ministerial satisfaction score
Step 1: Calculate the average scores for all sections in the survey.
Step 2: Add the average scores for sections 1 to 6 and divide by 6.
Step 3: Take the average score for questions 1 to 6 and add to the average score for section 7.
Step 4: Take the combined score from Step 3 and divide it by 2. This is your actual ministerial policy satisfaction score. If you’ve surveyed the minister multiple times, calculate the average score across all the surveys.
The score to be reported in the annual report
Some agencies will report multiple ministerial satisfaction scores that correspond to different policy advice categories reported in the Estimates. Where an agency needs to conduct multiple surveys for one policy advice category, an average of the combined survey scores is reported.
If you’ve been unable to survey the minister, associate minister, or parliamentary under-secretary, note in the annual report that “The Ministerial Policy Satisfaction Survey results are unavailable”.
D. Adding extra questions to the survey#
Some agencies may wish to add extra questions to the survey on matters particularly relevant to their agency’s policy advice. The survey is provided in Word format so agencies can add extra questions if they wish to gain feedback on other aspects of performance (e.g. ministerial support services). The questions with rating scales are collected in tables that can be copied and pasted to the end of the document, then modified. You can add questions with rating scales or free-text responses, as necessary.
If you do add extra questions to the survey, don’t include those responses when you calculate the ministerial policy satisfaction score. Only base your score on the original questions provided in the survey. That way, all agencies with a policy appropriation are applying a common performance standard.
You can pinpoint areas for improvement by looking beyond the score and into the question responses. Note that comparing scores across ministers is of limited value due to differing expectations and standards.
To receive more regular feedback from the minister, selected questions and their rating scales from the survey can be included on individual policy advice papers, so the minister can provide feedback on that specific paper. Whether this option works will depend on your minister’s preferences.
You could use the survey results in the following ways to improve your engagement with the minister:
- Compare your scores and responses from the same minister over time to see if changes in your engagement approach are working.
- Compare scores and responses from the same minister across different portfolios, or different policy projects, to learn from how others are engaging with the minister.
- Share the survey results with policy teams across the agency. Key messages with links to resources can help drive improvements.