Planning and the Online Health Program Planner (OHPP) 2.0 Nimira Lalani, MSc Health Promotion Field Support Specialist: Policy and Planning February 2012
Learning objectives of the session By the end of the day you will be able to: 1. Identify different steps in the planning process. 2. Know how to use the relevant program planning worksheets to meet your project needs. 3. Understand the value and components of logic models.
What is Planning? Planning is a series of decisions, from general strategic decisions (e.g., identifying priorities) to specific operational details (e.g., program implementation), based on the collection and analysis of a wide range of information. 3
Create an Account
Step 1 Pre-planning and Project Management
Key Factors in Managing the Planning Process 1. Participation 2. Time Consider these up front but re-visit regularly 3. Money/resources 4. Information gathering 5. Decision-making Document these could become Terms of Reference or a Project Charter Resulting Plan usually goes forward for decision (within a Business Case sometimes) 12
Levels of Stakeholders Core - on the planning team Involved - frequently consulted or part of planning process Supportive - providing some form of support Peripheral - needs to be kept informed 13
Levels of Stakeholders 14
Project Management Worksheets 1.1 Understand the Context 1.2 Identify Roles and Responsibilities 1.3 Assess Resources for Planning 1.4 Develop a Workplan for Planning Process
Getting your data out
Step Two: Situational Assessment
Definition of Situational Assessment A situational assessment influences planning in significant ways by examining the legal and political environment, the stakeholders, the health needs of the population, the literature and previous evaluations, and the overall vision of the project. The phrase situational assessment is intentional this terminology is used as a way to avoid the common pitfall of only looking at problems and difficulties and a way to consider the strengths and assets of individuals and communities. In a health promotion context, this also means looking at the socio-environmental conditions and broader determinants of health (THCU Introduction to Health Promotion Planning workbook, http://www.thcu.ca/resource_db/pubs/930522026.pdf) 21
Step Three: Set Objectives
Process Objectives Describe program activity and implementation Sometimes known as program tracking or monitoring Outcome Objectives Describe what success would be for the program Describe effects of the program activities at producing change 23
Elements of a Well-Written Process Objective How much Output (what product) Population of interest (for who) Conditions (when) Well-written process objective 24
Triple the number of Adults with SMI involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of a food preparation program. By the end of 2012 25
Elements of a Well-Written Outcome Objective How much Population of interest (who) Outcome (what) Conditions (when) Well-written outcome objective 26
Triple the number of adults with SMI Prepare food twice a week. By the end of 6 months 27
Characteristics of a Good Outcome Objective Aligned with the overall goal. Describes a change (e.g. uses words like increase, decrease) rather than an action step. Identifies a specific population of interest or target group. Is a SMART objective: Specific Measurable Achievable (or sometimes Action-oriented or Accountable) Realistic Timely/Time-bound 28
Objective builder: Worksheet 3.1 Worksheet 3.1 Choose from a series of menus to create a sentence that is a well-written outcome objective
A series of menus, rather than open text boxes, helps you decide on suitable answer options
Use the help rollover for further clues about how to answer each question
Because the OHPP engine puts the pieces together like a puzzle to form a sentence, the grammar may be a bit awkward. Use the edit option in the action column to make changes.
Or flip over to the Freehand Objective Writer to edit your objective in any way.
Switch back and forth as you wish. But note that you cannot use the Builder to edit an objective written or changed on the Freehand side. The Freehand side is also good for advanced users who already know how to write good objectives. Switch Back to Builder
Step Four: Choose strategies and activities (setting up the structure of your logic model)
Strategies and Activities Strategies The means through which changes will be made. Strategies identify the vehicles for how the program will be provided (Dignan/Carr). Examples: Create supportive environments Build healthy public policy Health Communication Develop personal skills Self-help/mutual support Community mobilization Activities Describe the specific ways that the strategy will be applied (Dignan/Carr) The actions to be taken within a certain time period Examples: Peer screening and training program Campaign Curriculum development and delivery Using a checklist to screen 36
What is a Logic Model? A graphic depiction of the relationship between the key elements of a program or initiative (i.e., goals, objectives, target groups, and activities). A diagrammatic representation of a program that shows the relationships or the If, then logic among: WHAT: what does the program/initiative do? WHO: who are the recipients of the program/initiative? WHY: what outcomes are to be achieved? 37
Sample Logic Model Outline Goal Population(s) of Interest Long-term Outcome Objectives Short-term Outcome Objectives Outputs Activities 38
Terminology Varies THCU Term Alternatives Goal Purpose, Mission Population of Interest Objectives Indicator Strategies Activities Resources Target Group, Priority Group, Audience, Community of Interest Outcomes, Impacts, Effects Benchmarks, Criteria for Success Components, Initiative, Intervention Process Objectives, Implementation Objectives, Outputs Budget, Assets, Inputs 39
Parts of a Logic Model Goal Strategies Activities Population of Interest Process Objectives/Outputs Resources/Inputs Outcome Objective: Short-term Intermediate Long-term Boxes and arrows What does the program do? With/for whom? Using what? What is the expected result for the client/recipient/ audience/target group? Show the link between items 40
Why Use Logic Models? To describe a program or initiative at a glance To build common understanding of an initiative by working on a logic model together To describe the logic behind an initiative: the theory of change : what do we think we need to do (activities) with whom (target group/audience) to get the results we want (outcomes) ideally, the theory of change is evidence-based 41
42
THCU Logic Model 43
What makes a good logic model? Logic! Passing the reasonable person test: would someone understand your program or initiative based on the logic model? Would they believe that you would be likely to get the desired outcome? Leads to evaluation possibilities: evaluation can be considered a test of the logic behind a program. 44
Create process objectives An process objective is a brief statement specifying what you do or produce. Depending on the accepted terms of your organization, these may be called outputs. For each outcome objective, you may have one or more process objectives: Things that you do or produce to help achieve outcomes. 51
Worksheet 4.4, Develop Process Objectives, works in much the same way as the outcome Objective Builder. The only difference is that you identify a series of process objectives for each of your outcome objectives (developed in 3.1). The first question is tailored specifically to you. A menu of your own outcome objectives appears.
How to fill in the pieces of the logic model Component of Logic Model Worksheet to Complete Goals Audiences Outcome Objective (Long, Medium, Short-term) Strategies Activities Process Objectives Resources Worksheet 3.1: Set Goals, Audiences, Outcome Objectives Worksheet 4.1: Choose Strategies and Brainstorm Activities Worksheet 4.2: Assess and Choose Activities (Must do at least the final question in this series #6 Choose activities) Worksheet 4.4: Develop Process Objectives Worksheet 4.3: Assign Resources and Outcome Objectives (to activities)
Step Five: Indicators
Methods and Procedures Matching Objectives and Indicators Objectives established in logic model: what are you aiming to achieve? Indicators are ways of measuring the objectives Sometimes indicators exactly measure the objectives. But often we need to find indirect ways of measuring our objectives. Example: Objective: To increase the number of employees in X workplace eating nutritionally balanced meals by 25% by June 2012. Possible Indicators # of healthy and lower nutritional value choices offered # of healthy and lower nutritional value choices purchased (e.g. pop) Self-reported eating habits before and after the workplace intervention Observation of purchases in cafeteria 56
Indicators
Step Six: Review the plan
What is the OBCC (Online Business Case Creator)? A new set of worksheets, added to OHPP 2.0
OBCC Steps Step One: Assess. Assess your project strengths and limitations. Step Two: Analyze. Analyze potential risks and benefits. Are they likely? Are they significant? Can minimization or maximization strategies help? Step Three: Advise. Examine overall patterns of strengths, limitations, risks and benefits in the context of your strategies. What impacts are you likely to have? 65
Risk Management Strategy OBCC, Step 2A: Analyze Risks Can click button on RHS of webpage: How to do Step 2A: Analyze risks if need help Want to minimize risks (negative impacts) that are significant and likely (can ignore those that aren t or just one) Choice: Can EITHER do Step 1: Assess project and generate possible risks OR go straight into Step 2A: Analyze risks 66
Risk Management Strategy If you are at risk of: Damaged relationship with stakeholders because of confusion, workload, lack of impact Consider these strategies: disclosure, dialogue about conflicts letters of understanding for stakeholders adequate (but reasonable) review opportunities in the work plan 67
Creating a Budget Project Management > Resources and Budget worksheet What resources do you have? (staff, volunteers, partners, funds, in-kind contributions, equipment, space) Budget Development (cost item, type of cost, cost category, amount, etc.) 68
Creating a Work Plan Project Management > Work plan worksheet 8 questions on task, lead, support, time, deadline, money, etc. Same as Step 1 from Program Planning so if done there, then don t need to do again
THCU s Consultation Service Free to those working on Ontario-focused projects. Scope varies, depending on need: training sessions; brief, one-time advice; review your work or product; hands-on assistance working through the steps; links to other sources of information and resources. Consultation request form http://www.thcu.ca/consultation/request_form.cfm 70
Upon-Request Workshops All of our workshops are available upon request for groups as small as 30 and as large as 50. Any coalition or agency can partner with PHO to host a workshop in their community. We provide the facilitators at no cost and will work with you to help tailor, organize and promote the event. Service request form: http://www.thcu.ca/consultation/request_form.cfm 71
Public Health Ontario wishes to acknowledge and thank THCU staff and many partners who contributed to an earlier version of this document. THCU (originally known as the Health Communication Unit, started in 1993 at the University of Toronto) moved to Public Health Ontario s Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Department in 2011.