An online Arabic management portal that allows all Federal entities to submit performance reports electronically has been set up by the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs to better monitor the Government's progress and boost accountability. The system, named ADAA after the Arabic word for performance, was custom made for the UAE by Microsoft and unveiled at the Gitex Technology Week conference in Dubai yesterday. It has been in use since the beginning of the year. "It is the first integrated electronic portal in the region," said Ohood al Roumi, the executive director of the Prime Minister's Office. The ministry sought the online solution after it was instructed to find a way to ensure that plans outlined in the Federal Government Strategy for 2008 to 2010 were implemented effectively. That strategy was launched in April last year with the goal of realising sustainable and balanced development and providing a higher standard of living for citizens. Given the size of the task, Ms Roumi said: "We thought we needed an electronic system." The one they asked for was online and highly secure, she added. It provides detailed reports to each ministry and authority and a main dashboard for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The system has 160 users from 36 Federal Government entities. It includes more than 3,000 "key performance indicators" that represent the goals and initiatives included in the Federal Government Strategy. Performance indicators measure elements including customer satisfaction with government services and the level of training within a certain ministry. Progress towards objectives is measured numerically, and shows up in graphical form designed to look like a website. "It allows us to have a clear picture of the level of government performance," Ms Roumi said. The system is in its first phase, which provides a centralised system in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs. The second stage will be introduced next year and will include pilot projects and the use of ADAA internally within departments. By 2010, the system will be employed internally at all levels of government, down to measuring individual employees' performances and aligning those performances with organisational goals. These tactics were common in the private sphere, Ms Roumi said, but were groundbreaking for government in the region. khagey@thenational.ae