Due: Feb. 14, 1998

Overview. This assignment is to be developed and completed by the groups already established. It is in two parts. In the first part, you are to identify a goal and the specific outcomes you hope will be attained through your proposed idea. In the second part, you are to outline how you plan to make your project a reality by identifying the tasks to be accomplished.

Part I - Objectives of the Project. The objectives should tell who will do what, when it will be done, in what quantity (or to what degree) and how will the result be measured.

The objectives should flow logically from the statement of need and directly address how the problem will be solved.

The objectives should be stated in such a way that they can be evaluated.

Some tips for writing objectives from Miner & Griffith (Chapter 8) include:

• List objectives in expected chronological order of achievement.

• Don't confuse objectives (ends) with your methods (means). A good objective emphasizes what will be done and when it will be done, whereas a method will explain why or how it will be done.

• Use action verbs. There is a nice list of action verbs on pp. 97-98 of Miner & Griffith; Textbooks on instructional design also often include lists of action verbs to use for objectives.

Your objectives should identify significant (i.e., important) outcomes. They should be clear, specific, achievable, and measureable (at least qualitatively if not quantitatively).

One technique of objective writing is provided below and taken from another useful book on grant writing:

Bauer, David G., The "How To" Grants Manual; Successful Grantseeking Techniques for Obtaining Public and Private Grants. 3rd ed. Oryx Press, 1995. [NOTE: Earlier editions probably contain much the same thing]

1. Determine the result area(s). The result area is the place you will look for improvement or change in the client population. Examples used by Bauer include the health of people over 65 in St. Louis, better-educated minority students, and more efficient use of a museum.

2. Determine measure indicators. Measurement indicators are the quantifiable parts. By measuring your performance with these indicators, you will be able to determine how well you are doing. Examples related to results areas above might include number of hospital readmissions of people over 65, scores on standardized tests, and number of people who understand the relationship between museum buildings.

3. Determine performance standard(s). Performance standards answer the question, "How much (or how little) of a change is necessary before considering the project successful?" Using examples above, the following performance standards might be used: a 10% drop in hospital readmissions, scores rising from 80th to 90th percentile on a specified test, a 50% reduction in direction giving by museum staff.

4. Determine the time frame. The time frame is the amount of time to reach the performance standard. For example, you may decide you want to see a 10% drop in hospital readmissions within 6 or 18 months.

5. Determine the cost frame. This is the cost of the methods or activities you have selected to meet your objective.

6. Write the objective. The standard format for an objective is:

   "To [action verb and statement relfecting your measurement indicator] by [performance standard] by [deadline] at a cost of no more than [cost frame]."

   An objective of better-educated minority students might read like this:

   "To increase the reading scores of freshmen in Brown University's Minority Skills Program from the 80th to the 90th percentile on the Flockmann reading scale in 12 months at a cost of $50,000."

7. Evaluate the objective. Review your objective and answer the question, "Does this objective reflect the amount of change I want to see in the result area?" If your answer is yes, you have a workable objective. If your answer is no, perhaps your measurement indicator is wrong or your performance standards are too low. Rethink the objective and try again.

Write your Goal and Objectives. At the beginning of this section, state the goal(s) of your project. Then list the specific, important, measurable outcomes that are your objectives. Your project will probably have one goal, (although it might have two), and three or four objectives (might only be two or possibly as many as give but probably not less or more). Try to follow the technques provided above to write objectives that will be useful to you later when you think about how you will evaluate your project.

Part II - Action Plan. In this section, you are to identify a list of the main tasks to be accomplished. Miner & Griffith in Chapter 9 ("Methods") state that the section describes "the sequence, flow and interrelationships of activities as well as planned staffing ... [and] a clear picture of the client population" (p.99).

The action plan should explain how the project will be conducted. Concern in this section is with sequence and flow, the interrelationships of activities and planned staffing, including the project director. It shows the step-by-step plan in logical and chronological sequence -- from general to detailed, from simple to complex. Thus in this section you should spell out:

• What you plan to do
• Who will do it
• How long it will take
• What materials, equipment and space will be needed [Note: This will be part of the next assignment]

Inclusion of the five elements listed below will provide a description that is both comprehensive and concise.

Overview . The overview provides a lead-in and may contain preliminary information that will assist in understanding the specifics that follow. Some of the elements that might be included include the philosophy, organizational mission/vision, the logic of the method to be used, plus any unique features of the project.

Major Events. This section identifies what must happen to achieve the goal(s) and objective(s) of the project. It includes actions, work, services, tasks and/or activities. Each major event should be specified in order to facilitate both the description and management of the project.

Personnel. Everyone who provides services or performs tasks should be identified and the function(s) he/she will perform described in the implementation plan. This includes the staff, any consultants or contract services, volunteers, and other organizations (if it is a collaborative project).

Job descriptions of the project director as well as other key personnel should be developed and included. If the personnel are on the payroll already or consultants already identified, include brief bios about them in an appendix. Otherwise, provide minimum qualifications and/or background required. Call a placement agency or check out job ads to get an estimate of salary if needed. [NOTE: Job descriptions will be part of next assignment]

Methods. The methods section describes how the events will be carried out. It may include process, means and techniques, as well as supplies, facilities and equipment needed. Example: If a major event is the provision of transportation services, the specifics of how that will occur should be described, e.g., who provides the vehicle, whether this is a contract service or provided by staff.

Time Frames and Milestones. Time frames express periods, dates, or deadlines that are related to the accomplishment of the project events. They are important for the planning and managing of the project. The time frame may include specific dates, schedules, phases and/or sequences. One or more milestones or progress indicators should be included for each event.

You may wish to include a time and task chart or Gantt chart, or another kind of milestone chart to show graphically the schedule of events and times at which accountable, concrete indicators will occur. This is not required in the assignment but could be useful. Some descriptions and examples are included in Miner & Griffith, pp. 101-102. Please go to Time and Task Chart for another example.

Write your Action Plan.. Once you have identified the things that need to be done to make your idea a reality, please write a short summary of your plan -- about 1-2 pages. Append a time/task chart if you wish (not required).

Format. Final copy should be a web document on WebCT, pleasingly formatted. Make sure to include your project title, the section title, the names of all members of your group, and the date of your draft document.

©: Evelyn Daniel, 1998. All rights reserved.
Page revised 2/7/98.