Retiring the word: “Understand”
“If you don’t know where you’re going, it’s hard to tell when you get there.”
Measurable objectives > Vague objectives
Most courses fail long before content is written — they fail at the objective(s).
Too often, we see objectives like:
“Learners will understand the process.”
“Employees will know the policy.”
“Students will relate to the material.”
These sound fine… until you try to measure them.
If we can’t observe it or assess it, it’s not an objective.
See the presentation below for a visual version of this blog post. To continue with a text-based learning experience, scroll down to continue.
Why Vague Objectives Don’t Work
Vague verbs create confusion for everyone:
Learners don’t know what success looks like
Instructors can’t measure performance
Assessments drift from the target
What Strong Objectives Have in Common
Good objectives are:
Observable: You can watch a learner perform the action.
Measurable: There’s a clear way to assess success.
Specific: One verb. One skill. No ambiguity.
Aligned: The verb matches the cognitive level (Bloom, 1956) and the assessment. If any part is vague, the objective falls apart.
Examples: Before → After
Here are a few transformations you’ll see in the presentation:
❌ “Learners will interact with the software.”
✅ “Learners will complete all five onboarding tasks and upload a screenshot to verify navigation.”
❌ “Students will relate to the material.”
✅ “Students will write a 200-word reflection connecting a course concept to a personal or workplace experience.”
❌ “Employees will learn customer service techniques.”
✅ “Employees will demonstrate the 4-step model by resolving a simulated customer issue to rubric standards.”
The shift is simple:
Internal states → Observable actions.
A Quick Objective Checklist
Before finalizing an objective, ask:
Can I see the learner do this?
Would two instructors grade it the same way?
Is there an assignment or behavior that proves it happened?
Does the verb match the skill level needed?
If the answer is “no” to any question, revise.
Try the Objective Builder
Want help turning vague verbs into assessable performance?
The presentation includes a link to a quick activity that walks you through rewriting objectives step-by-step.
Join the Review Thread
If you’d like feedback on an objective you’re working on, drop it in the comments on my LinkedIn post. I’ll help you tighten it — and other IDs will add their perspectives too.
Final Thought
Clear objectives provide respect and autonomy for all parties.
For learners. For instructors. For the learning experience.
If we design with clarity and measureability from the start, everything else becomes easier.
