MetroFuture uses a specific set of terms to refer to its components.  To provide clarity, here is the taxonomy developed to guide the drafting of the plan.

VISIONS, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, and INDICATORS

Visions: Visions are inspirational, aspirational, and complex statements about the future that often encompass many goals. MetroFuture has defined 52 vision themes that rely on language directly from process participants. For example:

• “Cities and towns are distinct from one another and each has a special community spirit.”
• “The region embraces diversity and integration, and provides people of every race and culture with opportunities to succeed.”

Goals: A goals is a specific statement of a discrete outcome that MetroFuture seeks to attain.  For example: 

• “All public schools will provide a high-quality education for all students.”

Objectives: Objectives are a specific targets or milestones that define what constitutes an accomplishment of a goal. Objectives are narrow, precise, and can be validated. Objectives typically include a quantity and may include a timeframe.  For example:

• “High school graduation rates for Blacks and Hispanics are within 10% of those for Whites and Asians.”

Indicators: Indicators are quantifiable measurements that reflect a particular condition or trend, often used to access progress towards a particular objective. The definition of individual indicators includes the data source, collection agency and schedule of update.  For example:

• “High school graduation rates by race and town from the Massachusetts Department of Education, updated annually.”

STRATEGIES, RECOMMENDATIONS, and ACTION ITEMS

Strategies: Strategies are methods to achieve goal(s) or objective(s). Strategies are action oriented and often begin with an imperative verb. In the case of MetroFuture, strategies are cross-cutting: one strategy can serve multiple goals and multiple strategies can serve one goal.  For example:

• “Improve Quality of Life in the Region’s Urban Neighborhoods.”
• “Support the Region’s Families: Provide……..”

Recommendations: Recommendations stipulate the specific policies, programs, legislation or other steps that need to be taken as part of a broader strategy. Recommendations are also in the imperative verb form.  For example:

• “Reduce student teacher ratio.”
• “Expand state Universal Pre-kindergarten pilot program to cover all 3- and 4-year olds in the Commonwealth.”

Implementation Steps: Specific steps needed to make progress on a recommendation that include an actor and timeframe and a discrete action.  For example:

• “The Legislature should enact H.3776, to expand the Universal Pre-kindergarten pilot program”
• “Constituents: Contact your legislator and encourage them to vote in favor of H.3776”