performance plans and loas include responsiblities, deliverables, timeplan, specs for a tc project/activity over a defined time period.
both define specifics for individual projects.
performance plans list the expectations for an employee or co-worker (in sweden, organizations are flat, flat and er...flat) by nature they are proactive and set the floor for the company goals for the individual technical writer/communicator. for all parties, there is a tacit understanding to exceed the goals set out in the plan.
loas are contractual proposals that set the limits of the third party freelancer/consultant for the upcoming task. imho, it is a reactive statement of intent and sets the roof for the scope of the assignment.
summa summarum: better to have one motivated co-worker in the hand than two consultants in the bushes
Both letters of agreement and performance plans are a written consensus between an employee (or freelancer) and an employer (or customer). They detail what services or skills will be provided in return for what compensation. There are expectations on both sides that must be met in order for the project to succeed or the objectives to be met.
Perhaps one of the differences is that the compensation is explicit with a letter of agreement whereas it may be implicit with a performance plan. A LOA explicitly outlines that the contractor will receive a specific rate of pay for performing the listed tasks. A performance plan often implies that meeting the objectives will result in increased pay, recognition or promotion.
A LOA and performance plan seem similar in that they both spell out the steps to success for a specific project or task. Both documents spell out terms of agreement, statement of purpose, deliverables, schedule, etc. There seems to be interaction between the two documents. A performance plan ought to reflect the LOA, or be informed by it. In this sense, a difference might be that the performance plan may consider a narrower perspective than the LOA.
I'm approaching this mindful of my background working with a consulting company. My employer signs LOAs and contracts; developing performance plans and hiring people is done in context with what is detailed in the contractual agreement.
A performance plan and LOA share similarities in that they state the specific terms of an agreement and ensure that both parties know what is expected an in what time periods. The performance plan differs by setting objectives or goals that are directly related to the job description and serves as a management tool to give feedback and assess performance.
Basically, both the LOA and the Performance Plan describe what to expect from each other; responsibilities, deliverables, etc.
However, the LOA can mention extra fees and compensation, while in the Performance Plan you do not need to mention that. Generally my impression is that the LOA mentions more details.
The purpose of the two documents also differ; one is a plan while the other is an agreement.
With any work-for-hire or collaborative project, it is essential that all parties have the same understanding of the objectives, schedule, and cost (in dollars or other metric) of the outcome. Letters of agreement (LOAs) and performance plans both attempt to fulfill these goals, albeit in slightly different ways. LOAs are likely to be more rigid, with less room for mid-period revision and greater consequences, perhaps legal, if the terms are not fulfilled. Performance plans host a more qualitative character with more opportunities for changing the terms of the goal completion. Both LOAs and performance plans are useful instruments in defining expectations and providing criteria by which their successful completion can be judged.
Not much to add on top of what others have already said. Since we're strictly discussing similarities between the two documents, my short answer is this: both documents outline expectations and requirements between two parties (in measureable terms) and require a certain level of collaboration and agreement.
I've never worked as a contractor, and my company has a standard document for hiring contractors, so the term LOA is new to me.
Also, Performance Plan is new to me, and when I think about what it could mean, I think "Job Description" coupled with "Performance Evaluation/Smart Goals", potentially coupled with a "Documentation Plan".
With that in mind, the LOA would have similarities to the Documentation Plan in that they both outline what you're going to do for the project (scope), when you're going to deliver it, the size of the deliverables, the delivery method, who you're going to work with, etc.
However, I think a Performance Plan would be more for a full-time/part-time employee because it appears like something that would develop a writer. It would outline the expectations of the employee, including the amount of work they should handle, their velocity, the procedures for working on a project, expectations, etc. It would include measurable goals.
So, I guess I see an LOA as a document that's specific to a particular project. It's for contractors, and talks specifically about what's needed or expected from a writer and from the company to complete a project.
A performance plan is a long-term agreement between a company and an employee that outlines the company's expectations of the employee's performance and targets areas of growth for the employee.
A performance plan is a tool that a manager uses to provide measurable goals (objectives) for an associate. The associate can use this document to track how he/she is meeting (or not meeting) those goals and to advance within his/her career track. In some ways the performance plan is similar to a Letter of Agreement.
An LOA is a document which defines specific measurable deliverables for a project. The LOA is between the customer and the person or group delivering the agreed to items. Like the performance plan there are measurable objectives. The customer should sign and agree to these expected objectives.
Unlike the performance plan, which consists of individual personal goals, the LOA is similar to a contract with the customer and might contain communication plans, a schedule, and customer expectations.
An LOA and a performance plan share the common elements of mutually established milestones and tasks to complete a specific project as well as a means to measure the execution of the project and manage risks. Where they differ is in compensation and legal implications. An LOA is binding while a performance plan may or may not directly impact compensation.
A performance plan is like a letter of agreement in that both are written documents that specify expectations for work. Both documents describe expected results and responsibilities; both may identify key deliverables.
They are different in that a performance plan is an agreement between manager and employee, whereas an LOA is an agreement between an organization and a contractor.
Both a performance plan and a contract/LOA are an agreement between two parties (Manager and Employee) that spell out the responsibilities and expectations of each as well as projects or documents the employee will be working on.
They differ in that the contract/LOA are usually for a short-term or fixed-length project, whereas the performance plan would be an ongoing, living document that changes as the work situation changes.
LOAs and Performance Plans are similar in that they are both agreements between two parties: either between Company/Consultant or between Manager (Company)/Employee. Both documents define the scope of expectations with an emphasis on specific, measureable objectives/outputs.
One major difference between the two is that Performance Plans are typically broader in scope and include objectives other than written deliverables, such as expectations for teamwork/collaboration, increased technical knowledge or skill, and so on.
Both detail work expectations against a schedule; however, the LOA is restricted to a single project and defines payment usually based on project milestones, while the performance plan involves multiple expectations, perhaps three or four, without defining pay, which is a condition of employment.
performance plans and loas include responsiblities, deliverables, timeplan, specs for a tc project/activity over a defined time period.
ReplyDeleteboth define specifics for individual projects.
performance plans list the expectations for an employee or co-worker (in sweden, organizations are flat, flat and er...flat)
by nature they are proactive and set the floor for the company goals for the individual technical writer/communicator. for all parties, there is a tacit understanding to exceed the goals set out in the plan.
loas are contractual proposals that set the limits of the third party freelancer/consultant for the upcoming task. imho, it is a reactive statement of intent and sets the roof for the scope of the assignment.
summa summarum: better to have one motivated co-worker in the hand than two consultants in the bushes
Both letters of agreement and performance plans are a written consensus between an employee (or freelancer) and an employer (or customer). They detail what services or skills will be provided in return for what compensation. There are expectations on both sides that must be met in order for the project to succeed or the objectives to be met.
ReplyDeletePerhaps one of the differences is that the compensation is explicit with a letter of agreement whereas it may be implicit with a performance plan. A LOA explicitly outlines that the contractor will receive a specific rate of pay for performing the listed tasks. A performance plan often implies that meeting the objectives will result in increased pay, recognition or promotion.
A LOA and performance plan seem similar in that they both spell out the steps to success for a specific project or task. Both documents spell out terms of agreement, statement of purpose, deliverables, schedule, etc. There seems to be interaction between the two documents. A performance plan ought to reflect the LOA, or be informed by it. In this sense, a difference might be that the performance plan may consider a narrower perspective than the LOA.
ReplyDeleteI'm approaching this mindful of my background working with a consulting company. My employer signs LOAs and contracts; developing performance plans and hiring people is done in context with what is detailed in the contractual agreement.
A performance plan and LOA share similarities in that they state the specific terms of an agreement and ensure that both parties know what is expected an in what time periods. The performance plan differs by setting objectives or goals that are directly related to the job description and serves as a management tool to give feedback and assess performance.
ReplyDeleteBasically, both the LOA and the Performance Plan describe what to expect from each other; responsibilities, deliverables, etc.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the LOA can mention extra fees and compensation, while in the Performance Plan you do not need to mention that. Generally my impression is that the LOA mentions more details.
The purpose of the two documents also differ; one is a plan while the other is an agreement.
With any work-for-hire or collaborative project, it is essential that all parties have the same understanding of the objectives, schedule, and cost (in dollars or other metric) of the outcome. Letters of agreement (LOAs) and performance plans both attempt to fulfill these goals, albeit in slightly different ways. LOAs are likely to be more rigid, with less room for mid-period revision and greater consequences, perhaps legal, if the terms are not fulfilled. Performance plans host a more qualitative character with more opportunities for changing the terms of the goal completion. Both LOAs and performance plans are useful instruments in defining expectations and providing criteria by which their successful completion can be judged.
ReplyDeleteNot much to add on top of what others have already said. Since we're strictly discussing similarities between the two documents, my short answer is this: both documents outline expectations and requirements between two parties (in measureable terms) and require a certain level of collaboration and agreement.
ReplyDeleteI've never worked as a contractor, and my company has a standard document for hiring contractors, so the term LOA is new to me.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Performance Plan is new to me, and when I think about what it could mean, I think "Job Description" coupled with "Performance Evaluation/Smart Goals", potentially coupled with a "Documentation Plan".
With that in mind, the LOA would have similarities to the Documentation Plan in that they both outline what you're going to do for the project (scope), when you're going to deliver it, the size of the deliverables, the delivery method, who you're going to work with, etc.
However, I think a Performance Plan would be more for a full-time/part-time employee because it appears like something that would develop a writer. It would outline the expectations of the employee, including the amount of work they should handle, their velocity, the procedures for working on a project, expectations, etc. It would include measurable goals.
So, I guess I see an LOA as a document that's specific to a particular project. It's for contractors, and talks specifically about what's needed or expected from a writer and from the company to complete a project.
A performance plan is a long-term agreement between a company and an employee that outlines the company's expectations of the employee's performance and targets areas of growth for the employee.
A performance plan is a tool that a manager uses to provide measurable goals (objectives) for an associate. The associate can use this document to track how he/she is meeting (or not meeting) those goals and to advance within his/her career track. In some ways the performance plan is similar to a Letter of Agreement.
ReplyDeleteAn LOA is a document which defines specific measurable deliverables for a project. The LOA is between the customer and the person or group delivering the agreed to items. Like the performance plan there are measurable objectives. The customer should sign and agree to these expected objectives.
Unlike the performance plan, which consists of individual personal goals, the LOA is similar to a contract with the customer and might contain communication plans, a schedule, and customer expectations.
An LOA and a performance plan share the common elements of mutually established milestones and tasks to complete a specific project as well as a means to measure the execution of the project and manage risks. Where they differ is in compensation and legal implications. An LOA is binding while a performance plan may or may not directly impact compensation.
ReplyDeleteA performance plan is like a letter of agreement in that both are written documents that specify expectations for work. Both documents describe expected results and responsibilities; both may identify key deliverables.
ReplyDeleteThey are different in that a performance plan is an agreement between manager and employee, whereas an LOA is an agreement between an organization and a contractor.
Both a performance plan and a contract/LOA are an agreement between two parties (Manager and Employee) that spell out the responsibilities and expectations of each as well as projects or documents the employee will be working on.
ReplyDeleteThey differ in that the contract/LOA are usually for a short-term or fixed-length project, whereas the performance plan would be an ongoing, living document that changes as the work situation changes.
LOAs and Performance Plans are similar in that they are both agreements between two parties: either between Company/Consultant or between Manager (Company)/Employee. Both documents define the scope of expectations with an emphasis on specific, measureable objectives/outputs.
ReplyDeleteOne major difference between the two is that Performance Plans are typically broader in scope and include objectives other than written deliverables, such as expectations for teamwork/collaboration, increased technical knowledge or skill, and so on.
Both detail work expectations against a schedule; however, the LOA is restricted to a single project and defines payment usually based on project milestones, while the performance plan involves multiple expectations, perhaps three or four, without defining pay, which is a condition of employment.
ReplyDeleteHi! Looking for week 2 strings. ~Paula
ReplyDelete