Which step comes next after needs assessment in the basic steps of program planning?

Which step comes next after needs assessment in the basic steps of program planning?

• A. Intervention selection
• B. Goal setting
• C. Implementation
• D. Evaluation

Answer: (B)

After identifying what the community or program lacks, the next essential step is setting clear, measurable goals. These goals take the gaps found in the needs assessment and translate them into concrete aims the program intends to achieve. They provide direction for which actions to take, guide the selection of interventions, and establish criteria for success that will be used in later evaluation. In practice, goals should be SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—so everyone knows what success looks like and by when. Once goals are in place, you can choose interventions that are designed to achieve those specific aims, move on to implementing the plan, and eventually evaluate whether the goals were met.

After identifying what the community or program lacks, the next essential step is setting clear, measurable goals. These goals take the gaps found in the needs assessment and translate them into concrete aims the program intends to achieve. They provide direction for which actions to take, guide the selection of interventions, and establish criteria for success that will be used in later evaluation. In practice, goals should be SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—so everyone knows what success looks like and by when.

Once goals are in place, you can choose interventions that are designed to achieve those specific aims, move on to implementing the plan, and eventually evaluate whether the goals were met.