Introducing SMART objectives

SMART is an acronym referring to a common approach to structuring objectives. The five elements refer to criteria which an objective needs to satisfy

• Specific
• Measureable
• Applicable
• Realistic
• Time-bound

Each of these is explained below

Specific

Specific

Measureable

How will we know when the objective is accomplished? This needs a clear measure or a clear Yes/No. For example, an objective that I have set myself is to reach 30,000 connections on LinkedIn. At the last count I had reached 25,235 connections. So, in quantitative terms, I have not achieved this objective yet. But I can say I am 84% of the way there. 

There is a separate consideration around why the target is 30,000 (in this case it is simply the permitted maximum). There is also big qualitative difference between 30,000 carefully chosen relevant connections and any 30,000 arbitrary connections. So numbers on their own may not always be sufficient. 

A problem with many objectives is that they are not properly measureable. People can come up with an approximate percentage completion. This is often done in project or performance reports, sometimes lending to over optimistic statements. 

So it may come down to avoiding ambiguity in the specification. An objective simply to improve something is not SMART. Any small step forward can portrayed as achieving the objective. 

This is similar to project descriptions in a project, or acceptance criteria in a functional specification. We know when we have achieved something because all the boxes can be ticked. So our ability to determine whether we have achieved an objective depends on the quality of our specification

Applicable

ApplicableYour goal also needs to be realistic and attainable to be successful. In other words, it should stretch your abilities but still remain possible. When you set an achievable goal, you may be able to identify previously overlooked opportunities or resources that can bring you closer to it.

An achievable goal will usually answer questions such as:

How can I accomplish this goal?

How realistic is the goal, based on other constraints, such as financial factors?

Realistic

Realistic

Time-bound

Time-bound

These criteria might seem so obvious that we could assume that we apply them instinctively

References

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm