In the four statements of an objective, which element identifies who will accomplish the objective?

• A. What will be accomplished
• B. By whom
• C. By when
• D. What level of measurement

Answer: (B)

The part that names who will carry out the objective is the actor—the person or group responsible for taking action. In objective statements, you typically set four elements: what will be accomplished (the outcome), who will do it (the actor), by when it should be done (the deadline), and how success will be measured (the criteria or level of measurement). Specifying the actor assigns accountability and clarifies who is responsible for driving the work and resolving any issues. Without this, it’s unclear who owns the task. The other elements identify the result to achieve, the time frame for completion, and the standard used to judge success.