Steps in Developing Observation ScheduletChecklist:

i)  The first step is to select the aspect of behaviour to be observed. We cannot notice everything that happens and we can't record everything we notice, so to carry out systematic observation, we must select certain aspects of categories of behaviour to be observed e.g. a researcher in her doctoral thesis isolated behaviours based on model of professional nurse behaviour related to tracheobronchial toilet and breathing exercises for the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She has selected 8 activity areas under two main attributes and listed 43 behaviours to describe these activity areas. In order to clarify the aspects of behaviour to be observed, she listed these 42 behaviours in terms of observable phenomenon. 

ii) The investigator lists the  categories of behaviours  that mayor may not be manifested by  the subjects. The observer watches foi- the behaviours given on the list and put  a check off beside  the appropriate behaviour when  it occurs. The observer does not  classify all the behaviours or  characteristics of the individuals being observed but  rather identifies the  occurrence and frequency of particular behaviour. The patient centered nursing care-time study conducted by College of Nursing  and TNAI  (1966) used  16 broad nursing care activities which were coded  1  to  16. The examples of behaviour under  each nursing  tasks were given in the guide.. The observer did a  continuous observation of  the nursing activities giving  the  time  of starting and time of finishing. The observer identified not only the occurrence and frequency of behaviour but  also the time  taken  for the behaviour.  to occur. 

iii)  The most common method used  in  structured observation is construction of category system to which observed behaviours  or characteristics can be assigned. In  category system an  attempt is made to designate in  a systematic or quantitative fashion the qualitative behaviour and events transpiring within  the observation setting.