What aspect does planning primarily address within agency operations?

Planning primarily addresses the goals and objectives of an agency, as it involves the process of defining the future direction and desired outcomes of the agency's activities. Effective planning ensures that there is a clear understanding of where the agency aims to go and what it hopes to achieve. This focus on goals and objectives helps to align resources, efforts, and strategies toward the intended results, facilitating coordinated action across different programs and operations.

Setting performance standards, although important, is a component of measuring how well the agency is doing in achieving its goals rather than defining the goals themselves. Similarly, while managing human resources and considering the costs of running programs are crucial aspects of agency operations, these activities fall under the implementation and management stages that support the accomplishment of the goals and objectives established during the planning phase. Thus, the essence of planning lies in articulating the agency's vision and the specific aims that guide its mission.