There are three essential features to a portfolio. First, a series of categories is established which determines the areas in which evaluation will take place. Second, a set of documents is collected which indicate the quality of performance in each category. Third, a review committee is established to assist and review the entire process. It must be made clear that a portfolio is not an unstructured gathering of miscellaneous information; it is, instead, a structured procedure that enables an employee to assume primary responsibility for determining what methods will most sensitively assess his performance.
Selection of Portfolio Review Committee
The review committee must be selected prior to any major decisions about the portfolio. This committee should consist of the employee whose performance is being assessed plus his supervisor. In addition, it is useful if the committee includes one or more of the following individuals: another employee of comparable status, a member of the organization‘s employee review committee or representative of the HR department, a consumer, someone from outside the institution (a member of the community, a board member, an employee from another institution) and a consultant to the portfolio process.
Each of these individuals will provide a unique perspective on the employee’s performance, since each represents a different type of formal or informal relationship with him. When assessment criteria are vague, as they often are in the case of professional evaluations, these diverse viewpoints are particularly valuable. The consultant, although not directly involved in the evaluation of the employee, can be useful in bringing past experiences to bear on the design of the portfolio procedure. This person might either be someone involved with professional development programs or an employee who has used this procedure before for his own evaluation.
Definition or Identification of Portfolio Categories
The detailed specification of categories or areas for evaluation is essential to the effective portfolio; without such clarity the process can easily deteriorate into a disorganized or pro forma procedure. Categories for evaluation can be determined in one of three ways. First, the employee, perhaps in consultation with the committee, can undertake an analysis of her own strengths and weaknesses. Out of this self-assessment, a list can be developed of specific activities that capitalize on her strengths. Particular areas for improvement can then be identified. This tentative listing of contributions is then negotiated with the committee and, in particular, with the department chairperson, until a specific contract is developed. The basic elements or areas of responsibility in that contract then become the portfolio categories.
