The federal government places a high priority on the modernization of comptrollership in departments and agencies. Modern comptrollership is one of a number of initiatives sponsored by the Treasury Board Secretariat to modernize management practices across the federal government.

To assist in implementing this initiative, DIAND along with four other departments (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, National Defence and Natural Resources Canada) became pilot departments to spearhead the modernization efforts. One of the first steps in the pilot process was to assess each pilot departments' current management practices with the help of KPMG and, in the case of DIAND, Whiteduck Resources using a capacity check assessment tool.

The Capacity Check is an assessment tool designed to provide a baseline reading of existing management practices. It has gained acceptance in both the private and public sectors as one of a number of useful tools to assess a wide range of management and operational issues.

The result of the Capacity Check provides an assessment of how the department's managers view key elements of modern management practices in their organization. Information was collected through interviews and document research, then validated by managers collectively.

The capacity descriptions are based on generally recognized best practices with a rating system of "1" to "5". A high rating does not necessarily mean "goodness" but rather maturity of capability. Level 5 is based on a high standard of world class best practices and is therefore the exception. Target ratings in response to the Capacity Check will depend on the circumstances of each department, the business they are in and how management wants to respond to emerging needs and the changing environment.

The completion of the Capacity Check is a milestone in the modernization process for all of the pilot departments. DIAND will use the results of the capacity check together with other management reports and performance information to help identify priorities for improvements and to develop an action plan to address them.

Modern Management Practice Assessment (Capacity Check) (PDF 392 Kb) in PDF format.

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