Objectives & Actions

Objectives and actions are where strategy meets execution. This guide explains how to create and manage them effectively.

Understanding Objectives

Objectives are specific, measurable goals within your strategic plan. They answer the question: “What do we want to achieve?”

Each objective typically has:

• Title - A clear statement of what you want to accomplish
• Description - Additional context and details
• Priority - Low, Medium, or High
• Responsible Person - Who owns this objective
• Linked Orientation - Which strategic direction it supports
• Due Date - When this objective should be achieved
• Completion % - Auto-calculated from linked key results, actions, and indicators
• Status - Auto-derived from the completion percentage
• Actions - Tasks to accomplish the objective
• Key Results - Measurable outcomes (OKRs)
• Indicators - Quantitative metrics tracked over time

Orientations

Before creating objectives, it helps to understand orientations. Orientations are the major strategic directions in your plan — they sit between strategic issues and objectives in the hierarchy.

Each orientation has:

Field	Description
Title	The strategic direction (required)
Description	Context and rationale
Strategic Issue	Which issue this orientation addresses (optional)
Status	Auto-computed from linked objectives
Progress	Auto-computed from linked objectives
Responsible	Aggregated from linked objectives

Objectives can be linked to an orientation to show which strategic direction they support. This relationship is tracked on the Dashboard’s Plan Integrity card.

Creating Objectives

Using the Objective Wizard

The Objective Creation Wizard guides you through a 3-step process:

1. Context

   Select which orientation this objective supports (optional). This helps organize objectives by strategic direction.

2. Details

   Enter the objective title, description, and priority level (High, Medium, or Low).

3. Review

   Confirm all details before creating the objective.

Quick Creation

You can also add objectives directly from the Objectives table:

1. Click “Add” at the top of the table
2. Enter the title and basic details
3. Edit additional fields in the details modal after creation

Tip

Write objectives that are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Understanding Actions

Actions are specific tasks or initiatives that contribute to achieving an objective. They answer: “What do we need to do?”

Each action has:

Field	Description
Title	What needs to be done
Description	Details and context
Status	Pending, In Progress, Completed, Blocked, Cancelled
Priority	Low, Medium, High
Assignee	Who is responsible
Due Date	When it should be completed
Tags	Categories for organization

Creating Actions

Using the Action Wizard

The Action Creation Wizard guides you through a 5-step process:

1. Context

   Select which plan or group the action belongs to.

2. Linking

   Choose which objective this action supports.

3. Details

   Enter the action title, description, and priority.

4. Assignment

   Assign to a team member, set a due date, and add tags.

5. Review

   Confirm all details before creating the action.

Quick Creation

You can also add actions directly from within an objective’s details modal.

Action Statuses

Actions move through these statuses:

Pending

Pending - Not yet started

The action has been created but work hasn’t begun. This is the default status for new actions.

In Progress

In Progress - Currently being worked on

Someone is actively working on this action.

Completed

Completed - Done

The action has been finished successfully.

Blocked

Blocked - Cannot proceed

Something is preventing progress. Add a comment explaining the blocker.

Cancelled

Cancelled - No longer needed

The action is no longer relevant or has been superseded.

Linking Actions to Other Entities

Actions can be linked to multiple things for better tracking:

• Orientations - Connect actions to strategic directions
• Key Results - Link actions that contribute to specific metrics
• Mandates - Associate with committee responsibilities
• Objectives - Link to the objective this action supports

To add a link:

1. Open the action details
2. Find the “Links” section
3. Click “Add Link” and select the type
4. Search and select the entity to link

Using Tags

Tags help organize and filter actions:

1. Adding Tags - Click the tag icon on an action and select or create tags
2. Filtering - Use the filter bar to show only actions with specific tags
3. Managing Tags - Organization admins can create and manage available tags

Note

Tags are organization-wide. The same set of tags is available across all plans and committees.

Bulk Operations

For efficiency, you can perform bulk operations on actions:

• Select Multiple - Check the boxes next to multiple actions
• Change Status - Move all selected actions to a new status
• Assign - Reassign multiple actions at once
• Delete - Remove multiple actions (use with caution)

Tracking Progress

Monitor objective and action progress through:

• Plan Dashboard - See overall completion percentages and breakdowns
• Objective View - Track actions, key results, and indicators within each objective
• My Follow-ups - Personal view of all your assigned actions
• Reports - Generate detailed progress reports

Best Practices

For Objectives

• Keep objectives focused and achievable
• Limit to 3-7 key objectives per plan
• Link each objective to an orientation for plan integrity
• Review progress regularly (monthly or quarterly)

For Actions

• Use action verbs (Create, Review, Implement, Schedule)
• Be specific about deliverables
• Set realistic due dates
• Break large actions into smaller tasks
• Update status promptly when things change

Next Steps

• Indicators - Track quantitative metrics for your objectives
• OKRs - Add measurable key results to objectives
• Reports - Track and report on progress
• Steer - Manage your personal action list