3️⃣Defining the scope

Defining the scope of your action

Citizen Observatories can trigger a variety of positive changes. Their impacts can range from changes in public awareness and understanding to changes in people's individual behaviour, or directly improving and taking care of the environment. All these are of great importance, and while many Citizen Observatories aim for one or more of these changes, each type may require divergent, deliberate action to be achievable (check this WeObserve Cookbook resource for further information). Before embarking on the implementation of our citizen-led action, we should collectively define and agree on its scope or, in other words, what are the objectives of the citizen-led action, its desired outcomes (the desired changes that should result from the project, which are related to the overall challenge being addressed), the scale (local, regional, national…), the duration and its outputs (the things that are done or created in the course of the work, which may be physical or practical (such as a workshop).This involves a collective reflection process by the CO, linking them with the identified environmental problems or needs that require attention, and aligning them with the impacts sought by your Citizen Observatory.

Why this matters

Before you rush into action, step back and take a moment to plan. Defining the scope of your community-led initiative is not just a planning step — it’s the backbone of long-term impact. Whether your Citizen Observatory (CO) aims to shift awareness, spark behavioural change, or directly address an environmental issue, clarity on your objectives, outcomes, and scale will ensure your energy is well-placed and your progress is measurable.

What does “scope” really mean?

Defining the scope means agreeing on:

• Objectives: What are we trying to achieve?

• Desired outcomes: What changes should this action trigger?

• Outputs: What will we produce or do (e.g. workshops, media, campaigns)?

• Scale: Is it local, regional, national?

• Duration: How long will it take?

This collective reflection links your CO’s intentions with real-world environmental issues — and with the kind of change you actually want to see. Different goals demand different strategies, resources, skills, and tactics. So yes, it’s worth the time to get this right.

How do we frame it?

Start with these key questions, using these prompts to lead your group into a productive conversation:

• What are we seeking to achieve?

• What are the of our project?

• What outcomes do we want —

• What will we ?

• What’s the best scale and timeline for this?

If your action is more ambitious, check out the section on Impact measurement to plan for broader outcomes.

As a guidance, some of these questions will help understanding the scope of the project and help us defining next steps. For example, for citizen-led actions that are larger in scale or outcomes, might want to visit the impact measurement section too. Below we include some tools that can help navigate this process:

Tools to help you define the scope of your action

SMART+C Objectives Guide

An upgraded version of the SMART framework — with a twist. The “C” stands for Challenging, ensuring your goals are ambitious enough to be inspiring, not just achievable. This tool helps teams stay focused, realistic, and driven.

• Use when you need to move from vague goals to clear, trackable objectives.

Developing a Strategic Plan

From the Community Tool Box, this is a practical step-by-step for shaping your community-led project with long-term vision and real-world traction.

• Ideal for groups that want to align values, resources, and priorities for the long haul.

Identifying a Shared Issue (WeObserve Cookbook)

If your group is still figuring out what problem to address, this resource helps surface shared concerns and turn them into action-ready objectives.

• Best for early-stage initiatives or communities just starting to come together.

Mapping the Issue

A tool that breaks down big challenges into sub-issues and underlying causes, helping you design actions that address root problems, not just symptoms. From States of Change – Tool Compendium (page 17).

• Use this when your issue feels complex or layered, and you need clarity on where to focus.

Additional resources

WeObserve Cookbook resource

Essential reading on how COs can drive different types of change — public awareness, behaviour shifts, environmental impact — and how to structure actions for each.

Co-Evaluation Tool - University of Dundee

Originally built for evaluating community knowledge, this tool is also a great guide for shaping and categorizing your objectives upfront.

You may also be interested in…

• Our section on how to choose an idea to put into action

• Our section on impact monitoring of the actions