Creating High-quality Goals and Objectives

Written by: Julius Kirya, Global Health Corps Fellow 2014-2015

Many projects’ successes are measured based on the degree to which the different deliverables meet the set goals and objectives. Exaggerating while setting organization/ project goals is irrational because it results in setting ambiguous targets which in turn leads to a perceived failure of programs/projects. Orrin and I have spent the past one and a half months focusing and brainstorming how to revise Uganda Village Project (UVP)’s goals and objectives for the next 5 years, as we measure their impact of programs that have been under implementation since 2009.

Communication is key when designing program objectives. We needed to involve many stakeholders before and during the entire process of setting objectives. These include funders, program coordinators, supervisors, implementers, politicians, partners, and beneficiaries. Without their immense support, many programs are bound to fail. We’ve worked extremely hard over the past month and half, moving to the district headquarters for inquiries, writing to funders, getting taskforce feedback, meeting with program supervisors, getting verbal consultations from program coordinators and reading beneficiary reports to craft our objectives.

In any monitoring and evaluation effort (see Orrin’s post for more information about monitoring and evaluation) an M&E plan needs to be drafted prior to implementation. The most effective tool in m & e is the logical framework, commonly known as the “log frame”. This matrix displays by row the major stages in the projects life, emanating from resources, activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts all in pursuit to measure the program, goals and objectives; the column addresses objectively verifiable indicators, means of verification, assumptions/risks for the row entries.

This framework is key in assessing loopholes in the set objectives and goals, because it displays the entire project at a glance on a page. We use it to make sure that all objectives can be objectively measured and verified. For a couple of weeks now, Orrin and I have tirelessly been working on the log frames for UVP’s various programs. We thank the Uganda Village Project staff and Board members for their continued support to ensure that we successfully play our role.