An action plan refers to a well-detailed plan that outlines the actions an organization needs to take to achieve a goal or multiple goals. Formative research is essential in the development of an action plan. An action plan guides the allocation of resources. Formative research helps researchers understand and identify a unique feature of a target population, such as needs, behaviors, and interests. Formative research is essential in the development of action plans as well as in improving the existing action plans (Henry et al., 3013). Formative research complements behavioral and epidemiological existing data to facilitate the design of action plans. Organizations need to design action plans that offer meaningful social benefits. Formative research is critical in ensuring that the outcomes of an action plan are well-stated before implementation (Mahoney et al., 2014). Formative research applies a blend of longitudinal, existing administration datasets, and progression analytical models to evaluate a plan's outcomes. The deployment of this research strategy minimizes the costs.
Several stakeholders execute an action plan. The planning of the action plan is a critical process that requires consideration of technical expertise, manpower, and cultural competence (DeJoy et al., 2013). Formative evaluation of an action plan should possess two main attributes of relevance and timeliness. An extremely low-pace evaluation does not serve the intended purpose ( Howard & Jenson, 1999). The evaluation should confine the action plan stakeholders in a stated time frame. A conceptual framework provides stakeholders with insights into where to emphasize the implementation of an action plan. Formative research evaluations play an essential role in the development of action plans in the healthcare sector ( Uhrig et al., 2010). Many diseases have become a major cause of concern in the United States, triggering the need to develop action plans to combat a wide range of healthcare issues. Smoking has been a major cause of concern in the United States. The development of an action plan to communicate health issues related to smoking to the potential populations at risk would help mitigate tobacco use impacts. Another application of action plans in healthcare is in the prevention of diabetes. Obesity is a major health challenge in the United States.
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Reference
Henry, G. T., Smith, A. A., Kershaw, D. C., & Zulli, R. A. (2013). Formative evaluation: Estimating preliminary outcomes and testing rival explanations. American Journal of Evaluation, 34 (4), 465-485.
Mahoney, M. C., Erwin, D. O., Widman, C., Masucci Twarozek, A., Saad-Harfouche, F. G., Underwood III, W., & Fox, C. H. (2014). Formative evaluation of a practice-based smoking cessation program for diverse populations. Health Education & Behavior, 41 (2), 186-196.
DeJoy, D. M., Padilla, H. M., Wilson, M. G., Vandenberg, R. J., & Davis, M. A. (2013). Worksite translation of the Diabetes Prevention Program: formative research and pilot study results from FUEL Your Life. Health promotion practice, 14 (4), 506-513.
Uhrig, J., Eroğlu, D., Bann, C., Wasserman, J. L., & Guenther-Grey, C. (2010). Systematic formative research to develop HIV prevention messages for people living with HIV. Social Marketing Quarterly, 16 (3), 23-59.
Howard, M. O., & Jenson, J. M. (1999). Barriers to development, utilization, and evaluation of social work practice guidelines: Toward an action plan for social work. Research on Social Work Practice, 9 (3), 347-364.
CHAPTER 5 Helping Stakeholders Clarify a Program Plan Action Plan.
CHAPTER 6 Constructive Process Evaluation Tailored for the Initial Implementation.
