Step Seven: Monitoring the Program

Once your program is underway, the team leader and assistants will need to closely watch the program to gauge its effectiveness. During the planning phase, the Green Team will have decided how to measure success — including what variables to examine, what data to record, how frequently to monitor, and the type and format of recording system. Only through regular monitoring (and recording what you find) will you be able to adequately assess your program’s effectiveness.

Why Measure?

Measuring success provides you with information to help promote your program and find ways to improve it. Measuring will tell you if you are on track to meet your goals. Top management, stakeholders, employees, tenants, and the community can learn how your organization is eliminating waste, saving money, and helping the environment. If one of your goals is to receive external recognition for your efforts, then measuring your program’s effectiveness is essential to provide documentation of your activities and successes. It also gives you the hard data you might need to justify the continuation of the program and to let employees or tenants know that their extra efforts are indeed making a difference.

If the measurements reveal that the program is not meeting your goals, the team needs to decide what the problems are and how to correct them. Be sure to document any changes to the program and why they were made. This experience can help you with future projects. On the other hand, if the results show that the program is effective, you’re ready for your next module!