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Results-Based Accountability

Results-Based Accountability (RBA), also known as Outcomes-Based Accountability, is a disciplined performance framework developed by Mark Friedman and set out in his 2005 book Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough. It provides a simple, common-sense method for moving from talk about results to measurable action, organised around a sharp distinction between population accountability — the wellbeing of whole populations in a place — and performance accountability — how well a specific program, agency or service is doing. For each, RBA asks the same disciplined set of questions and drives toward concrete actions that 'turn the curve' on key indicators.

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Sources

  1. Friedman, M. (2005). Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough: How to Produce Measurable Improvements for Customers and Communities. Victoria, BC: Trafford Publishing. ISBN: 9781439237861

How to cite this page

ScholarGate. (2026, June 22). Results-Based Accountability (RBA / OBA). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/public-policy/results-based-accountability

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Referenced by

ScholarGateResults-Based Accountability (Results-Based Accountability (RBA / OBA)). Retrieved 2026-06-24 from https://scholargate.app/en/public-policy/results-based-accountability · Dataset: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20539026