What it does
A goal framework is a structured set of goals your organization, institution, or program measures itself against — an accreditation standard set, a strategic plan, or a custom quality framework. Build it once as a hierarchy of categories, goals, outcomes, and evidence requirements. Attach the questions each goal is answered with, then reuse the framework across review cycles.
Who it's for
Organization and institution administrators who maintain shared standards, and program directors or administrators who manage frameworks scoped to their own program. Each portal — organization, institution, program — has its own frameworks workspace.
How it works
The framework list. Frameworks are grouped by your relationship to them: Created here, Shared with us, Applied downstream, In use, and Archived. Some are shared as metadata only — you see the name and summary, and the full structure appears only once a review cycle or a full-visibility application grants access.
Framework details. A framework records a name, an optional code and version, and a description. It has an owning scope — organization, institution, or program — and a purpose: annual program evaluation, annual report, accreditation, strategic plan, quality review, or custom. It also has a source, such as a named accreditor or your own custom standard. Status moves forward only: draft, then active, then archived. Active cannot go back to draft.
Building the structure. The Structure tab shows the hierarchy. Each node is a category, goal, outcome, or evidence requirement. A node carries a code, name, description, and display order. It also has a measurement type (narrative, rating, checklist, KPI, evidence, or mixed), a weight, a required flag, and an evidence count. Categories can have a color for quick scanning. Nodes nest: a category holds goals, a goal holds outcomes, an outcome holds evidence requirements. The structure view flags any node still needing a question, a KPI, or an evidence requirement.
Question library. Each goal node can hold reusable questions: prompt text, optional help text, a question type (text, rating, number, date, and others), a default-required flag, and a recommended-for-packets flag. These become the starting point when a packet is prepared from the framework.
Other tabs. The framework detail also has an Accreditation tab for accreditation-purpose frameworks (with a Lock template action once authoring is finished — programs already using it keep that version), KPIs (metric definitions), and Applies to (where the framework is applied).
Before you start
You need management access on the framework's owning scope (organization, institution, or program) to create it or edit its structure. Read-only access shows the structure without edit controls.
Decide the scope before creating the framework — organization, institution, or program. This sets who can see and apply it later.
Plan the hierarchy first: categories group goals, goals hold outcomes, outcomes hold evidence requirements. Knowing the levels in advance avoids restructuring later.
Do this
Open the frameworks workspace (
/organization/goals/frameworks, or the institution or program equivalent) → you should see the framework list grouped by Created here, Shared with us, and similar sections.Select New in the selector card → the Create goal set sheet opens with Name, Period mode, Visibility, Code, Description, Scope, and Purpose fields.
Enter a Name, set the Scope and Purpose, then select Save → you return to the workspace on the new framework's Structure tab, empty and ready for nodes.
Select Add category on the Structure tab → the node sheet opens on Add category. Enter a Category name and optional Description, then select Save category → the category appears in the structure.
Open a category panel and select Add goal → enter a Goal statement, then select Save goal → the goal nests under the category.
Open a goal panel and select Add outcome → enter an Outcome statement, choose How success is assessed, then select Save outcome → the outcome nests under the goal.
If the outcome needs proof, open its panel and select Add evidence → enter the evidence requirement and Expected evidence items, then select Save evidence requirement → the requirement appears under the outcome and the readiness flag for that node clears.
You're done when
The new framework shows on the frameworks list under Created here.
The Structure tab shows your categories, goals, outcomes, and evidence requirements nested correctly.
No node you meant to finish still shows a readiness flag for a missing question, KPI, or evidence requirement.
Boundaries and limits
Creating and editing a framework, its nodes, and its questions needs management access on the owning scope. Read-access users see the structure but cannot change it.
Status only moves forward: draft to active to archived. Archived is final. Archiving is how frameworks are retired — nothing here is ever hard-deleted.
A summary-visibility framework shows name and metadata only. Structure, questions, metrics, applications, and edit actions stay hidden until a review cycle starts or a full-visibility application is added.
Node types are fixed to the four built-in types. There is no in-place conversion: archive the node and add a new one at the correct level.
Locking an accreditation-purpose framework (Lock template) freezes it for programs already using it. Create a new version for the next edition instead of editing the locked one.
Common questions
Q: Can we base a framework on an accreditor's published standards? A: Yes. Pick its source when creating it: a recognized accrediting body, or your own custom standard. You can also record a version and effective dates.
Q: Can a program see frameworks the organization created? A: Yes, when the organization shares or applies them, appearing under Shared with us or In use with full or summary-only visibility depending on how they were shared.
Q: Can I edit a framework after it is active? A: Yes, with management access on its owning scope. Review packets already issued from it keep the questions they were prepared with.
Q: How do I delete a framework we no longer use? A: Archive it. That removes it from active lists while preserving history; frameworks cannot be permanently deleted.
Q: I need to reorganize a goal under a different category. Can I move it? A: There is no direct move action. Add the goal under the correct category and archive the old one; archived nodes stay in history rather than disappearing.
GME programs
Applies to: gme. Differences from the base article only.
How it works
For GME residencies and fellowships, the framework is typically the program's Annual Program Evaluation (APE) structure. When creating it, choose ACGME as the framework source and Annual program evaluation as the purpose — both are built-in options — and record the ACGME document version the framework reflects. Categories usually mirror ACGME program requirement areas, with goals and outcomes under each.
Review cycles run from an APE framework use the built-in annual program evaluation cycle type, matching the once-a-year cadence programs report on (see the goal review packets article).
Common questions
Q: Does the platform ship the ACGME requirements pre-loaded? A: No. You build or import your framework's structure yourself; the ACGME source label records where it came from and which version you based it on.
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