Page 283 - DLIS402_INFORMATION_ANALYSIS_AND_REPACKAGING

Information Analysis and Repackaging

Notes The work plan should have a logical progression from the introduction and background to the
goals and objectives. Where the background explains the selection of the problems to be solved, the
goals define the solutions to those problems, while the objectives are more precise, finite and verifiable
derivations of the goals.
The Goals for your work plan, as solutions to the problems raised in your background section, must
be stated here, then used to generate the specific objectives.
The Objectives should be chosen from among the objectives of the project document (or relevant
equivalent, as mentioned earlier), or they should be derived from new problems arising and identified
in the previous progress report and described in the background section of your work plan. Objectives
are derived from each goal. They should be written down here, and their completion date be identified
as some specific time within the period covered by the work plan.
Do not necessarily include all the objectives listed in the project document or equivalent. Choose
only those objectives which are appropriate for the time period covered by the work plan, and
justified in the background (identification of problems) section described above.
The selected objectives of the work plan (or outputs, if they are more specific than the objectives
from which they are derived) are the central elements of the work plan. They provide the justifications
for the actions to be taken and the costs incurred. They are the core of the work plan. They indicate
where you want to get to by the end of the period covered by the work plan.

Resources and Constraints
As with the introduction and background, resources and constraints can be one chapter or two,
depending upon how long your whole work plan may be.
The Constraints section should identify any restrictions or hindrances that must be overcome in
order to reach the objectives. Include also a short description of how you plan to overcome them.
The Resources section should indicate what (potential) inputs can be identified that will contribute
to reaching the identified and selected objectives. Do not dwell too much on financial resources, but
instead direct the reader to the appendix that contains the budget. Include resources that are not
necessarily liquid cash at this time; including staff and other personnel (eg volunteers), partners
(organizations and individuals), consultants, land, capital, supplies, equipment, other inventory
that can be used, sold or traded, and anything at all that is available to be mobilized and used in
reaching the identified objectives.

Strategy and Actions

As with other paired sections above, the strategy and actions sections can be put into one chapter or
two. Together, they explain how you intend to go about converting inputs into outputs.
The Strategy section of your work plan should indicate how you intend to convert your resources,
overcome the constraints, using those identified inputs (resources) to reach the objectives or attain
the outputs specified in the previous unit.
In the best of work plans, several alternate strategies are listed, one is then chosen, and the reason
for the choice is given. Your work plan may not be long, and the provision of alternatives may be
left out. Decide if you should include alternatives or not.
Strictly speaking, Actions belong to inputs rather than outputs. Actions primarily belong to strategy
because they are the activities that convert inputs into outputs. Where the goals and objectives are
among the outputs of (what comes out of) the project, the resources are among the inputs of (what
goes into) the project.

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