6. Action Cycle

The Action Cycle links three activities—Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. Each of these activities builds upon the others in a continuous and interactive manner. While the Action Cycle is the final phase of MAPP, it is by no means the "end" of the process. During this phase, the efforts of the previous phases begin to produce results, as the local public health system develops and implements an action plan for addressing priority goals and objectives. This is also one of the most challenging phases, as it may be difficult to sustain the process and continue implementation over time.

Phase 6 Highlights

Recommended Participants

MAPP Committee — oversees the Action Cycle.

Subcommittees (and specific organizations where relevant) — oversee specific strategies and elements of the Action Cycle.

Broad community involvement — community residents and organizations not already involved should be recruited to participate in planning, implementation, and evaluation activities. The broader the participation, the more likely the process will be sustained.

Overview of the Steps for the Action Cycle Phase:

Planning

Organize for action by convening the necessary participants, establishing an oversight committee for implementation activities, and preparing for implementation.
Develop realistic and measurable objectives related to each strategic goal and establish accountability by identifying responsible parties.
Develop action plans aimed at achieving the outcome objectives and addressing the selected strategies.

Implementation

Review action plans looking for opportunities to coordinate and combine resources for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
Implement and monitor the progress of the action plans.

Evaluation

Prepare for evaluation by engaging stakeholders and describing the activities to be evaluated.
Focus the evaluation design by selecting evaluation questions, the process for answering these questions, the methodology and plan for carrying out the evaluation, and a strategy for reporting results.
Gather credible evidence that answers the evaluation questions. Justify the conclusions.
Ensure that the results of the evaluation are used and shared with others. Celebrate the successes of the process.

Action Cycle Overview
Find an overview of the steps necessary for this phase.

In-depth Guidance
Download full text of this phase as a PDF