Planning stage part 2

Stage 1 — Planning 

Project brief Learners must produce evidence of planning for a 12-week practical case study which will include: 

• Introduction : This should be a brief overview of the project, providing correct interpretation and understanding of the practical case study. This includes the requirements of the project and the need to acquire negotiated access to a client while ensuring client confidentiality. 

TIP : interpreting involves analyzing and making sense of the information provided in the description from your client. It involves drawing conclusions, making connections, and offering insights into the meaning or significance of the information.

• Client selection : The learner should provide information concerning client selection (how and why they were selected). Information concerning client/ learner negotiated access should be identified, and the client’s background information should be summarised from the meeting/health screening session (documented via health, nutritional and lifestyle evaluation toolsets). 

• Overall aim :  This will be a general statement of the overall aims (maximum of two) of the practical case study. This overall aim is based on the agreed actions discussed between the learner and the client.

• Objectives : Learners should identify a minimum of three objectives. The objectives should be task focused and allow completion of the overall research aim. The objectives identified should be SMART and allow the learner to plan for the completion of the whole project. 

• Research approaches : There are a variety of research methods that learners may use. However, these fall into two main categories: 

1.  qualitative research (eg interpreting client’s goals at interview/ screening session) 
2. quantitative research (using numerical information including recorded anthropometrical and fitness statistics) 

• Ethical and legal considerations : Identified a minimum of three potential ethical and/or legal considerations involved in the project. This should be justified with inclusion as to why these issues may impact upon the project. These fall into two main categories: [1] research involving the treatment and welfare of humans [2] legal matters pertaining to the use of gathered information.
  

• Overview of an action plan :

1. This provides an overview of the proposed action plan to allow the objectives to be achieved. This should include a clear plan of action with effective timescales of each stage and inclusion of daily and weekly scheduling for the full project. 
2. Learners will also have to identify a minimum of five resources and/or information sources required to complete the project. This should be predicted for the whole project with the inclusion of human (eg assessor, client, peers), physical (eg fitness testing equipment and exercise equipment) and desktop sources (eg e-books, e-journals, books). 
3. Identification of any foreseeable and potential barriers to completing the practical case study with identification of contingency plans or measures that could be put into operation.

• Conclusion: Learners should identify areas for personal development (minimum of three) that may be improved because of undertaking the practical case study (eg developing interpersonal skills, developing time management skills). 

• References/bibliography : References and bibliography section should be appropriately referenced in a style that reflects the academic level of this case study. While a minimum amount of seven references is specified, the references should be at the amount that would enable learners to plan for the development stage and effective intervention methods.