What is an objective?
They are a set of outcomes (ideally) that the organisation promises to achieve. It is accountable for managing for these outcomes. In a more global theory of change, there may be a whole set of intermediate outcomes, and only a few will be chosen as objectives for that given program/ strategy.
But in practice objectives tend to be located at varying places in a theory of change model. Sometimes they are activities, sometimes they are foundational activities, sometimes milestones, sometimes intermediate outcomes and sometimes high level outcomes! Objectives are not defined by their position in a hierarchy of change, they are defined more by the fact that they are a promise to deliver. So it all depends where the program is sitting to where the objectives will sit. They are a relative term, not an absolute term.
I’d love to hear what you think of my take on this
Some dictionary definitions that relate to organsational use of the term (selected from wickipedia):
- Objective (military), the achievement of a final set of actions within a given military operation …
- Objective - aim: the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable); “the sole object of her trip was to see her children”
- goal or objective is a projected state of affairs that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve-a personal or organizational desired …
- The Objective is a 2008 science fiction horror film directed by award-winning filmmaker Daniel Myrick, who also directed The Blair Witch Project. It stars Jonas Ball, Matt Anderson, and Michael C. Williams. …
- A military objective is a clearly defined desired result in a given campaign, major operation, battle, or engagement set by the senior command for their formations and units to achieve. …
are the broadest statements of what the organization chooses to accomplish. (300.02.1) - In a proposal, the objectives are statements of anticipated outcomes. Objectives are stated in measurable terms and tell the grantor who will do what, when, how much, and how it will be measured. …
- objective - A statement of intention or description of a goal. As with any objective, it should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound …
- objective - A concrete statement describing what the project is trying to achieve. The objective should be written at a low level, so that it can be evaluated at the conclusion of a project to see whether it was achieved or not.
nic notarpietro , March 26th, 2010 at 10:01 am
I find the following distinction useful in practice and in helping others get their head around this(found in an M&E document somwhere in the dim past): (i) objective/s as the intended effect an intervention can plausibly achieve in the timeframe envisaged and (ii) outcomes as the achievement of objectives.- ie objective is effect desired and outcome effect that actually occurs.
This defn is in line with your thinking above about objectives as promises to deliver - the trick as you say is working out where to pitch the objective in the hierarchy of foundational, intermediate and high level outcomes in the TOC. Thinking about what’s achievable within the $$ and time constraints iwe are working with is important in this respect.
Andi Sebastian , August 20th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Hi Jess, the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent has evolving definitions. In 2002: Major changes or results that need to be achieved to make an impact on the problem. These are often changes in conditions / behaviour / practices or household resources. Often conceptualised as “stepping stones to achieve the goal”.
( IFRC – Monitoring and Evaluation in a Nutshell 2002)
In 2007: Objective: describes the challenge that the project/programme will resolve, stated in terms of results to be achieved. Outcomes: the likely or achieved short term and medium term effects of an intervention’s outputs. The outcomes are the results of objectives.
In 2010, An objective is an intended result that an intervention sets out to achieve. They also describe an Objectives Hierachy which is the collective name for a pyramid incorporating -
Goal The long term result to which the intervention seeks to achieve, may be contributed to by factors outside the intervention
Outcomes The primary result (s) you are trying to achieve through your intervention
Outputs The tangible services, products, and other immediate changes that lead to the achievement of outcomes
Activities The collection of tasks to be carried out
Inputs Resources needed to implement activities (financial, materials, human).
This would support your notion of a promise to deliver at any stage of the plan
Carmela ARiza , August 25th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Can we also say that an objective or objectives are the changes you want to see, to happen, to observe after some time? Is it also correct to view objectives as changes you desire…?