Creating and Managing Objectives

Overview

Objectives provide the strategic direction for your organisation and help define the outcomes you are working towards. They ensure that improvement activities are aligned with organisational priorities and provide a structured way of measuring success over time.

Within Assessment Manager, Objectives can be created, edited and updated as organisational priorities evolve. Each objective includes up to three performance measures, a target completion date and a current status, allowing leadership teams to monitor progress and maintain visibility of strategic initiatives.

Objectives should be reviewed regularly to ensure they remain relevant and continue to support your organisation's continuous improvement journey.

What Information Can Be Managed?

Each Objective includes:

• Objective Title

• Up to Three Performance Measures

• Target Completion Date

• Current Status

Objectives can be edited at any time to reflect changes in organisational priorities, strategic plans or improvement initiatives.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open the Objectives Section

From the Improve menu, select Objectives.

The Objectives page displays all strategic objectives that have been created for your organisation. Each objective provides a summary of its current status, with additional details available by expanding the objective.

Step 2: Create a New Objective

To create a new objective, select the Add Objective button.

Enter a clear and meaningful objective that describes the outcome your organisation is aiming to achieve. Objectives should focus on strategic improvements rather than individual operational tasks and should align with your organisation's broader business or improvement plans.

Step 3: Add Performance Measures

Each objective can include up to three performance measures that define how success will be monitored.

Performance measures should be specific, measurable and achievable. They provide a practical way of tracking progress and help leadership teams determine whether the objective is being successfully delivered.

Step 4: Set a Target Completion Date

Assign a target completion date for the objective.

The target date provides a timeframe for achieving the objective and assists with planning, monitoring progress and maintaining accountability across the organisation.

Step 5: Update the Objective Status

Select the current status that best reflects the progress of the objective.

Status updates provide a quick visual indication of how each objective is progressing and help leadership teams identify objectives that are on track, completed or may require additional attention.

Step 6: Edit an Existing Objective

Objectives can be edited at any time by selecting the appropriate edit option.

As organisational priorities change or progress is made, update the objective, performance measures, completion date or status to ensure the information remains accurate and reflects the current position of the organisation.

Step 7: Review Objectives Regularly

Objectives should not be created and forgotten.

Regularly reviewing objectives during leadership meetings or planning sessions helps ensure they remain relevant, progress is monitored and improvement activities continue to support the organisation's strategic direction.

Tips and Best Practice

Write objectives that describe the outcome you want to achieve rather than the activities required to achieve it. A well-written objective provides clear direction while allowing flexibility in how it is delivered.

Keep performance measures simple and meaningful. They should clearly demonstrate whether progress is being made without becoming overly complicated or difficult to measure.

Review objective statuses regularly and update them whenever significant milestones are achieved. Keeping objectives current provides a more accurate picture of organisational progress and supports informed decision-making.

Objectives are most effective when they are supported by Improvement Actions that translate strategic intent into practical operational activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many performance measures can I add to an Objective?

Each Objective can include up to three performance measures that help monitor progress towards achieving the desired outcome.

Can I edit an Objective after it has been created?

Yes. Objectives can be updated at any time, including the objective title, performance measures, target completion date and current status.

Should Objectives be linked to Improvement Actions?

Yes. While Objectives describe the strategic outcome you are trying to achieve, Improvement Actions provide the individual tasks required to deliver those outcomes.

Can I change the target completion date?

Yes. Target completion dates can be updated whenever organisational priorities or project timelines change.

How often should Objectives be reviewed?

Objectives should be reviewed regularly as part of leadership meetings, strategic planning and continuous improvement discussions to ensure they remain aligned with organisational priorities and continue to drive meaningful outcomes.