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Aims

Aims are statements of the intended outcome or purpose toward which efforts are directed. They describe what a person, group, project, or organization seeks to achieve, without prescribing the exact steps required to reach that state. In practice, aims are often contrasted with more specific elements such as goals, objectives, and methods: aims tend to be broad and long-term, while objectives are concrete and measurable, targets are quantifiable milestones, and methods are the means used to reach them.

Aims appear across many domains. In education, they define the intended learning outcomes or competencies that

Development and evaluation of aims involve clarity, realism, and alignment with stakeholders’ needs. Aims are frequently

Because aims guide planning and evaluation, they should be revisited as circumstances change. Clear, well-aligned aims

a
course
or
program
seeks
to
develop.
In
research,
aim
statements
articulate
the
purpose
and
scope
of
a
study.
In
business
and
public
policy,
aims
express
strategic
directions
and
the
intended
impact
of
programs
or
initiatives.
formulated
to
be
SMART—Specific,
Measurable,
Achievable,
Relevant,
and
Time-bound—to
support
later
assessment
and
accountability.
For
example,
an
aim
of
a
training
program
might
be
to
improve
participants’
data-literacy
skills
and
enable
them
to
analyze
a
dataset
by
the
end
of
the
session.
help
ensure
coordinated
actions
and
coherent
assessment
of
success.