© 2006 Thomson-Wadsworth Chapter 14 Program Planning for Success.

© 2006 Thomson-Wadsworth

Chapter 14

Program Planning for Success


Learning Objectives

• Describe six factors that can trigger program planning.

• Describe seven steps in designing, implementing, and evaluating nutrition programs.

• Discuss three reasons for conducting evaluations of programs.

• Discuss three major principles to consider when preparing an evaluation report.


Introduction

• Program planning is the process of designing a program to meet a nutritional need or fill a gap in services.

• The process of program evaluation is described, including why evaluation is important, who conducts the evaluation, how the findings are used, and how to prepare an evaluation report.


Factors that Trigger Program Planning

• The decision to develop a nutrition program or modify an existing one is usually made in response to some background event.




• Factors that trigger program planning include:– Results of the community needs assessment– Mandate from an organization’s national

office or from a federal agency– Research findings– Community leader or coalition– Availability of funding for new programs– Government policy



• Regardless of the impetus, the nutritionist considers developing a program when there is a nutritional or health problem in the community that has not been resolved adequately.


Steps in Program Planning

• The nutritionist should review his or her organization’s mission statement before developing or modifying a program.

• A mission statement is a broad declaration of the organization’s purpose and a guideline for future decisions.

• If the match between the organization’s mission and the program concept is good, then senior management will support the program.



Steps in Program Planning

• The program planning process consists of several steps:– Review the results of the community needs

assessment– Define the program goals and objectives– Develop a program plan– Develop a management system– Identify funding resource– Implement the program– Evaluate program elements and effectiveness


Step 1: Review the Results of the Community Needs Assessment

• The needs assessment provides information about the target population’s nutritional problem or need and it is the impetus for program planning.

• When the assessment identifies a gap in services, a new program may be developed to fill the gap.





Step 2: Define the Program Goals and Objectives

• Goals - broad statements of desired changes or outcomes.– Goals provide a general direction for

the program.

• Objectives - specific, measurable actions to be completed within a specified time frame.



• Objectives have four components:– The action or activity to be

undertaken– The target population– An indication of how success will be

measured or evaluated– The time frame in which the objective

will be met



• There are three types of objectives:– Outcome objectives - measurable

changes in a health or nutritional outcome, such as a decrease in blood cholesterol or a change in functional status.



• Types of objectives (continued):– Process objectives

• are measurable activities carried out by the nutritionist and other team members in implementing the program.

• specify the manner in which the outcome objectives will be achieved.



• Types of objectives (continued):– Structure objectives - measurable

activities surrounding the budget, staffing patterns, management systems, use of the organization’s resources, and coordination of program activities.



• The program goals and outcome objectives are the basis for determining whether the program was effective.

• Example - Case Study 1: Women and CHD Risk


Step 3: Develop a Program Plan

• The program plan consists of:– A description of the proposed

intervention– The nutrition education component– The marketing plan


Step 3: Develop a Program Plan

• The program plan is usually developed after reviewing existing programs and talking to colleagues and other professionals who have worked with similar programs or with the target population.– Listservs - types of Internet mailing lists to

which people subscribe. • Provide an easy way to network with colleagues

and stay informed about new programs and services.


Step 4: Develop a Management System

• Management refers to two types of structures needed to implement the program:– Personnel structure - the employees

responsible for overseeing the program and determining whether it meets its objectives.

– Structure of the data management system - the manner in which data about clients, their use of the program, and the outcome measures are recorded and analyzed.


Step 4: Develop a Management System

• An important part of program planning is calculating the management costs of the program including direct and indirect costs.– Direct costs - the salaries and wages of

program personnel, materials needed, travel expenses, and equipment.

– Indirect costs - office space rental, utilities, and janitorial services.


Step 5: Identify Funding Sources

• Nutritionists in nonprofit organizations and government agencies face many challenges in securing funding for all aspects of a program.

• The nutritionist may review the program elements and consider whether outside funding in the form of cash grants or in-kind contributions from partners can be found.


Step 5: Identify Funding Sources

• The nutritionist identifies the area where financial support is needed, reviews possible funding sources, and prepares and submits a grant application for funding.


Step 6: Implement the Program

• The action phase of the program planning process is called implementation.

• Implementing a program is challenging and glitches in program delivery are inevitable.

• The key to successful implementation is to observe all aspects of program delivery and consider ways in which delivery can be improved.


Step 7: Evaluate Program Elements and Effectiveness

• Evaluation - the use of scientific methods to judge and improve the planning, monitoring, effectiveness, and efficiency of programs.

• Purpose = to gather information for making decisions about redistributing resources, changing program delivery, or continuing a program.


Why Evaluation Is Necessary

• Evaluation is necessary to inform the community at large about a program’s success or failure.



• Evaluation can be used for different purposes:– To determine whether progress is being

made towards meeting goals and if the goals are still appropriate.

– To determine whether some elements of a program should be changed.

– To identify ways in which interventions can be improved.

– To pinpoint weaknesses in program content.



• Purpose of evaluation (continued):– To meet certain accountability requirements

of a funding agency or senior management.– To ensure that program resources are being

used properly.– To assess cost-benefit factors.– To determine whether objectives have been

met or whether priorities need to be changed.


How Evaluation Findings Are Used

• May be used to influence an executive or politician who has the authority to distribute resources and shape public policy.

• May alert managers and policy makers to the need for expanding or refining programs.


How Evaluation Findings Are Used

• May be applied to an immediate problem, and used by managers who are focused on the problem...

• ...or they may be used to shape policies and services beyond the scope of the original problem.


Who Conducts the Evaluation?

• Evaluations may be conducted by program staff or outside consultants.

• The evaluator is responsible for all aspects of the evaluation from negotiating the evaluation focus to collecting data and preparing the final report.

• The evaluator must remain objective about the evaluation and its findings.


The Program Evaluation Process

• The purpose and scope of an evaluation depend on the questions being asked about the program.

• It may focus on one specific program element or it may be comprehensive and examine the design of the program, how it is delivered, and whether it is being used properly.



• Evaluation occurs across all areas of program planning, from design to implementation.



• The evaluation tools of the community needs assessment are:– The health risk appraisal– Focus group discussions– Screenings– Interviews– Direct assessments of nutritional

status


Evaluation as a Planning Tool

• During program planning, evaluation occurs at each step.

• Types of evaluation:– Formative– Process– Impact– Outcome– Structure– Fiscal


Formative Evaluation

• Managers develop program goals and objectives to determine its impact and effectiveness.

• They conduct formative evaluation to achieve a good fit between the program and the target population’s needs, to develop appropriate nutrition messages, and to design a marketing plan.


Formative Evaluation

• Formative evaluation - the process of testing and assessing certain elements of a program before it is implemented fully.


Process Evaluation

• Process evaluation - a measure of program activities or efforts--that is, how a program is implemented.

• Helps managers decide what services to provide, how to provide them, and for whom.


Process Evaluation

• In process evaluation, the evaluator examines the target population to determine how they were attracted to the program and to what extent they participated.


Impact Evaluation

• Impact evaluation - the process of determining whether the program’s methods and activities resulted in the desired immediate changes in the client.


Impact Evaluation

• Might include variables such as: – Beliefs– Attitudes– Knowledge– Decision-making skills– Self-efficacy


Outcome Evaluation

• Outcome evaluation - the process of measuring a program’s effectiveness in changing one or more aspects of nutritional or health status.


Outcome Evaluation

• Variables might include: – Health status– Food intake– Morbidity– Mortality

• Challenging because of the difficulty of determining whether a particular effect was caused by the intervention and was not due to some extraneous factor.


Outcome Evaluation

• Confounding factors might include unexpected events, such as a natural catastrophe, or certain characteristics of clients.

• Designed to account for a program’s accomplishments and long-term effectiveness in terms of a health change in the target population.


Outcome Evaluation

• Outcome evaluation measures can include: – % body fat– Calcium intake– Stroke prevalence– Blood pressure– Use of home food services


Structure Evaluation

• Structure evaluation – evaluation of personnel and environmental factors related to program delivery, such as training of personnel or adequacy of the facility.


Fiscal or Efficiency Evaluation

• Fiscal/efficiency evaluation - the process of determining a program’s benefits relative to its cost.



• There are two types of efficiency evaluation:– Cost-benefit analysis - estimates

both the tangible and intangible benefits of a program and the direct and indirect costs of implementing the program and everything is translated into a common measure, usually a monetary unit.




• Two types (continued):– Cost-effectiveness analysis -

relates the effectiveness of reaching the program’s goals to the monetary value of the resources going into the program.• Can be used to determine which of two

methods of intervention produces a desired outcome for less cost.


Communicating Evaluation Findings

• Evaluation findings should be compiled into a final report which tends to have a particular organization:– Front cover– Summary - a brief overview of the

evaluation.– Background information - places the

program in context and describes what the program was designed to do and how it began.



• Final report organization (continued):– Description of the evaluation -

states the purpose of the evaluation, including why it was conducted and what it was intended to accomplish.

– Results of the outcome or process evaluation.



• Final report organization (continued):– Discussion of results - interprets the

results and explores the reasons why a certain outcome was reached and how the program compares to similar programs.

– Conclusions, recommendations, and options.

• Once the report is written, you must decide how to best distribute it.


Feast with the Beasts™

• Exemplifies a win–win partnership between an institutional setting (a zoo) and area schools

• Provides underserved and disadvantaged children with nutrition education and healthful lunches

• Children receive classroom lessons in nutrition and conservation and then visit the zoo on a field trip



• Goals and Objectives– Generate increased awareness of the

natural world– Encourage scientific inquiry– Promote understanding of the relationship

of humankind with the natural world– Develop sensitivity and a responsible

attitude toward animals and their habitats



• Goals and Objectives (continued)– Help students:

• Identify basic principles of nutrition• Acquire skills for choosing a nutritious

diet• Eat healthfully for life• Care about animals and their habitats



• Methodology– Teachers qualify for the free program if

more than half the students in their school participate in the government-subsidized lunch program

– During the 5 days before the zoo field trip: • Pre-test• Lessons and activities related to animal and

human nutrition



• Methodology (continued)– On the day of the field trip:

• Teachers take their students to see the 5 species of animals they have studied in class

• Meeting with the zoo dietitian and her assistant • Free lunch and hands-on activities

– After the zoo visit: • 2 days of activities • Post-test• Students bring home a completed activity book to

share with their families• Teachers complete a survey and document student

scores on the pre- and post-tests



• Results– On a scale of 1 to 5, teachers rated

Feast with the Beasts: – 4.9 on content and relevance– 4.7 on format– 4.8 on organization, ease of use, and

reception by students– 4.8 on pre-visit materials



• Results (continued)– 4.6 on in-zoo and post-visit

components – > 70% of teachers have repeated the

program every year since 1995– Student post-test scores were

significantly higher than pretest scores (83% compared to 59%)



• Lessons Learned– Unique aspect = link between human

nutrition and animal nutrition– Program was able to capture the students’

undivided attention through this link– Supports the Healthy People 2010 goal of

eliminating health disparities by providing a fun atmosphere for comparison of animal and human nutrition to learn the importance of healthful eating habits


The Challenge of Multicultural Evaluation

• Multiculturalism poses some unique and difficult problems for program evaluation.

• The evaluator must strive to remain neutral in the face of competing minority interests.


The Challenge of Multicultural Evaluation

• The evaluator must search out and define the views and interests of the minority groups to ensure that their needs are being met.

• The evaluator must be sensitive to the cultural differences that make implementing the evaluation difficult.


Spreading the Word about the Program’s Success

• A good, effective nutrition program is not achieved by accident.

• It results from planning today to meet the needs of tomorrow.


Entrepreneurship in Program Planning

• Program planning requires a steady mix of creative juices.

• It offers opportunities to learn new skills and to work with people in public relations, marketing, design, and communication.

• The possibilities for being an entrepreneur in the area of program planning are boundless.


Leading for Success

• Leading is not the same as managing.

• While managers control and direct, leaders motivate others to achieve a common goal.


Leading for Success

• Essential qualities of leaders– Integrity - adhering to a high standard

of honesty– Accountability - doing what you say

you are going to do– Forward thinking - seeing the big

picture, having a vision about where they are going and where they want their teams to go


Leading for Success

• Principles of leadership outlined by General H.Norman Schwarzkopf:– You must have clear goals.– Give yourself a clear agenda. – Let people know where they stand.– What’s broken, fix now. – Make sure that all the work your

people are doing is essential to the organization.


Leading for Success

• Principles of leadership (continued):– Set high standards. – Lead and then get out of the way. – People come to work to succeed. – Never lie.– When in charge, take command. – Do what’s right.

© 2006 Thomson-Wadsworth Chapter 14 Program Planning for Success.

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