TOOL KIT - STRATEGIES FOR PROGRAM DESIGN

Toolkit

Strategies for Program  Design
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 INTRODUCTION

The strategic planning process is the foundation for developing successful program strategies. Stakeholders involved with a collaborative or organization must first clearly establish their purpose—their vision, mission, and goals. Next, information is gathered through a needs assessment where community strengths, needs and challenges are documented. Once these steps take place the discussion can move to what strategies and resources are available and most appropriate to achieve the goals set by the group.

Just like when building something tangible, it is important to have a clear understanding of all the different parts and how they fit together. Taking a ‘systems’ approach to program development involves defining the:

1.      Conditions—program environment, demographics, political context

2.      Inputs—items and resources used in the system to achieve the goal (people, money, facilities, supplies etc)

3.      Activities—methods and strategies conducted by the program or agency

4.      Outputs—tangible results produced by the agency or program (i.e. how many people participated in a program)

5.      Outcome—impacts on the clients served by a program (changed knowledge, attitudes, behaviors)

Having a clear understanding of these parts from the very beginning will provide a basic framework of the program and a roadmap for program evaluation

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