The absolute first and most critical step in developing any skill acquisition plan is the careful selection of a meaningful and socially valid target behavior This step is foundational because all subsequent elements of the plan including goal setting measurement strategies baseline data collection intervention design and determination of success hinge upon a clearly defined and appropriate target A meaningful behavior is one that will significantly improve the clients quality of life increase their independence or enhance their interaction with their environment A socially valid behavior is one that is acceptable to the client and their stakeholders eg parents teachers employers and is relevant to their natural environment Without this initial selection there would be no clear objective for intervention Conducting a functional analysis is primarily for challenging behaviors not the initial step for skill acquisition plans Establishing generalization and maintenance goals and collecting baseline data are crucial steps but they cannot occur until a specific target behavior has been identified and defined