doelkader

Doelkader is a Dutch term used in policy, project management and public administration to describe a structured framework for defining and organizing the goals or outcomes that a program or project aims to achieve. The word combines doel (goal) with kader (frame or framework). In practice, a doelkader sets out the intended results, the indicators used to measure progress, the targets to be reached, the time frame, and the governance and resources allocated to deliver the results.

It serves as planning and monitoring backbone, linking activities to expected outcomes and supporting evaluation and accountability. In development and governance contexts, the doelkader is closely related to concepts such as the results framework or logframe and is often used together with performance indicators and monitoring and evaluation plans.

Typical components include: the objectives or desired changes; indicators or metrics; targets or milestones; activities and inputs; the schedule; assumptions and risks; and data collection and reporting arrangements. The process typically involves identifying strategic priorities, translating them into measurable objectives, selecting indicators, setting targets, and agreeing on data collection and reporting routines with stakeholders. For example, a local education program might aim to increase the literacy rate among 7–12-year-olds by 15 percent within three years, with quarterly reading assessments as indicators and training for teachers as an activity.

Criticism and limitations: as with other results-focused planning tools, the doelkader can become overly prescriptive, encouraging focus on easily measurable outcomes at the expense of broader quality and context, and may create incentives to game metrics if targets are poorly set.

See also: logframe, results-based management, theory of change.