Highways Agency

The terms used in applying the CAT3 scoring process are defined below:

"User"

Any individual or group of individuals affected by, or involved in, what we do in relation to a particular indicator. The specific people who should be considered as "users" will vary from indicator to indicator.

"Early Days/Limited" (Score 1-3)

• Minimum legal requirement
• New initiatives
• Approaches superseded but not decommissioned

"Operationally Effective" (Score 4-6)

• Relevant to day to day activities
• Supports business strategy
• Consistent with key drivers
• Likely to be sponsored / monitored at management level
• Complies with all relevant standards.

"Strategically Valuable" (Score 7-9)

• Key to "nth year vision"
• Drives business strategy and direction
• Likely to have board-level sponsorship/monitoring
• Likely to be fundamental to company's self image
• Measures clearly demonstrate value to the business

"External Differentiator" (Score 10-12)

• Unique and/or "pioneering" approach with clear strategic benefit
• Likely to be recognised by others within and outside the industry
• Extensively publicised/used to attract customers/employees/partners/investment etc.
• "Hits you in the face" – "Wow factor"

"Fits with other things we do"

General guidance:

• If the approach(es) follows and reflects other things that are
  done, score should be 1 – 2.
• If the approach(es) drives other things that are done, score
  should be 3-4.

"Not at all"

Not an absolute term – includes "very little".

"Fully"

Not an absolute term – includes "practically complete", "no perceptible gaps or shortcomings".

"Reviewed and improved"

The level and extent of review and improvement will determine
score:

• If review and improvement is carried out in the operational
  environment, the score is likely to be 1-2
• If this happens at a strategic level, score is likely to be 3-4.

"Embedded into the culture"

Includes behavioural and maturity elements:

• How far into the collective mindset and behaviour patterns does the approach go?
• How long has it been in place?

"Sets us apart from everyone else"

• Consider both sector comparisons and broader ones.
• For a score of 4, comparisons should definitely be "world class".

"Deployed to its full potential"

• Stretching deployment beyond the obvious to exploit this capability to the fullest.
• Consider all potential dimensions, including scope within and outside the organisation, engaging partners and suppliers, time.