Community Assessment

Action Planning Guidelines: Writing Specific Objective Statements for Effective Planning

Why be specific? Global statements such as "Develop high-speed rail transportation" and "Develop affordable health care for all" work as overall goal statements but can focus attention on national legislation or policies needed rather than on local actions that can be accomplished. Of course there are local actions associated with the two global statements above, such as "Write your legislator."

Global statements require many smaller objectives to get the job done so staying specific can help. Consider: "Provide educational programs for older adults that include: health care consumerism, healthy lifestyles, medication use, technology use, etc". Is this something you can do locally? Can you pick out a part that can be done?

A specific objective tells the reader who, what, how, and when.

WHO: Older adults.
WHAT: Will increase knowledge and skills in health care consumerism related to healthy lifestyles, technology use, and medications.
HOW: Through participating in a one-day seminar at Howdy Senior Center.
WHEN: In the fall of 2004.

You can even be more specific by identifying WHAT aspects of healthy lifestyles, medications, and technology use are critical: improved nutrition and physical activity; medication review by health provider and pharmacist; and using the computer to search out reliable, useful health information on the Internet. A Specific Objective will be easier to determine the impacts or outcomes you expect for success.

Consider this instead: "Provide hospice services in as many communities as possible." Make this more specific: "Increase the number of hospice services in Texas (or in a specific region where hospice services have not been developed) though an educational awareness campaign to communities next spring." You can determine success by deciding the increase you want.

Consider this instead: "Control taxes for seniors on fixed incomes" Can you write a specific objective? "Six counties in Longhorn AAA Region will pass initiatives to limit county taxes on seniors with incomes under $___ during 2005."

Sample action plans

Updated: November 2, 2007