Objectives, Outputs, and Outcomes
Read this short article, which succinctly differentiates between objectives, outputs, and outcomes.
I have submitted three grants over the past two weeks. When it came to the goals and objectives section, all three of them had me doing my Wizard of Oz dance. What is that?
Objectives and outputs, and outcomes....oh my!
Just like "lions and tigers and bears," objectives, outputs, and outcomes can be scary, especially when you are unclear on their differences. Here is some help:
Objectives are your performance targets.
- Implementation objectives measure your level of implementation (number of clients served, processes put in place, etc.). Outcome objectives measure the results of your project (improved achievement, healthier clients, etc.).
- Outputs and outcomes are very similar to these two different types of objectives.
Outputs measure what you will be doing (services provided, processes developed, and deliverables). Outputs are similar to implementation objectives, and outcomes are similar to outcome objectives.
Outcomes measure the results of what you do.
Goals are broad statements of purpose and intention. Objectives, outputs, and outcomes are specific, but goals are broad.
Source: Veronica Robbins, http://grantgoddess.blogspot.com/search/label/objectives
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