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After the plan is developed use the conditional sentence to 5. Reexamine the plan to determine that the composite attain- ment of each item, beginning with the terminal items, will build back to accomplish the primary objective. Step 5 insures that no necessary element has been omitted from the plan. By the same method determine that no elements are included which are not necessary to attainment of superior objectives and, therefore, the primary objective: 6. Reexamine the plan to determine that each item is necessary to the accomplishment of the primary objective. Terminal items whose paths to solution are not immediately evident from existing knowledge or technology are candidates for solution by research through literature review, consultations, and experimentation. The inductive thought process is recommended whereby the question is explicitly stated at each step, all of the alternatives are listed, alternative hypotheses are devised, and crucial experiments are conducted to try and disprove some. Graphic and typed formats for step-down planning are given. The former is recommended for most plan development and display. Deductive logic is a method of thinking that requires discipline to main- tain in plan development. Our experience indicates that special caution must be exercised to prevent the pattern of thought from shifting prematurely from a problem orientation to processes and methods orientation. If this occurs before terminal items are reached, the plan will not be valid. Since management activities and much research are aimed at attaining tactical objectives, rules are given whereby such objectives may be phrased. To be meaningful and useful, an objective must (1) state fully what the worker intends to accomplish; (2) exclude fully what is not the intent; and (3) specify a recognizable end point so progress or attainment can be determined. It is helpful if an objective can be worded in performance terms. Use of the step-down method of action plan development will aim efforts at precise problem solution. It will speed attainment of management goals and allow research workers to concentrate on those areas of basic and applied research which are needed. Plan development is from the top down, from the complex to the less complex. Execution of the plan is from the bottom up, from terminal items to the primary objective. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The idea of step-down planning and the six procedural steps are the prod- uct of Ray H. Hess, Federal Aid Division, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Albuquerque, New Mexico. He presented the idea in a talk to Bureau personnel in Washington, D.C., September 1968, and it was from these ideas that we developed the concept presented in this paper. John G. Appelget edited the paper and Arthur B. Eustis contributed valuable suggestions. l5