An effective way to develop an action plan is to:
1. Use the GOST model which stands for goals, objective, strategies, and tactics; it’s a critical framework for strategic planning. Table 1 provides an example of GOST in action.
2. Consider all the ways to meet your objective, with strategies that cover vision, places and people as per the healthy workplaces model. If you spread your tactics across these areas you will help to cement them within your workplace, rather than ending up with a program of ad-hoc activities and events. Thorough and wide-reaching programs are more likely to succeed and reach staff at varying stages of change.
3. Identify the resources you may need, how it will be promoted, who is responsible for coordinating people, and how you’ll monitor and evaluate.
4. Make sure you align your content with SMART criteria to give you the best possible chance of success. SMART stands for:
- specific to the workplace
- measurable change over time
- achievable, considering the resources and support you have available
- realistic, sensible and practical
- time frames that are reasonable.
| Table 1: An action plan framework using the GOST model | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Objective | Strategies | Tactics | Timeframe | Person responsible | Resources and support | Measure of success |
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A goal is the big picture ‘what’ or the outcome you want. | Objectives are the steps you take to achieve the goals—they help break down the goal into processes that are achievable and measurable. | Strategies are detailed ways of reaching each of the objectives—these need to be realistic and achievable. You may have one or several strategies for each objective | Tactics are the actions that need to happen for each of the identified strategies. These are all of the day-to-day tasks of the program. | Each activity will also need a timeframe of when a task starts and when it will be completed. | A responsible employee(s), who is able to carry out the activity will need to be identified. | Resources and support will need to be identified for each activity. |
The action plan should include indicators that measure the effectiveness of each strategy and keep the program on track. Identify what information will help you monitor your strategies before the program begins, as it will save time and resources down the track. Refer to the Monitoring and evaluation quick guide (PDF, 120.0 KB). |
Consider your goals, objectives and strategies to meet each identified priority – here’s an example of a simple action plan for physical activity.
| Goal | Objective | Strategy | Tactics |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Reduce sitting time at home and in the office. |
To increase the number of staff that report moving more and sitting less within 6 months. | Develop an environment that supports staff to be physically active. |
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