SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound)

Revision as of 13:38, 14 February 2021

Abstract

Goals and objectives are deeply inherent in project -, program -, and portfolio management. They are found ranging from overarching business - and strategic goals of companies and organizations, which the project, program, and portfolios must fulfil and be aligned with, to the specific goals of a single project. Consequently, are a goal setting framework, like SMART goals essential and extremely relevant. The SMART goal framework enables the managers to clearly define and understand the purpose and goals of the project, program, or portfolio. This helps the managers to ensure that the goals they are pursuing are the right one and that the goals will move the project, program, or portfolio in the right direction. Thus, is the SMART goals framework highly applicable in the initiation phase of a project, program, and portfolio, when its goal and purpose needs to be defined.
This article's main focus will be on SMART goals in project management and how it can be utilized for defining the goals and purpose of the project in the initiation phase of a project. However, it is also highly applicable for program managers and portfolio managers and can be utilized in other project life cycle phases since it is highly applicable whenever a goal needs to be defined. Therefore, it can be used during the project's execution to help drive the project forward and help project participants set personal goals and stay motivated.

The applicability of SMART goals in the initiation phase is well-documented, and within research, there is an agreement that projects without a well-formulated goal lack purpose and accountability^[1]. Furthermore, does Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2^[2] define the purpose of the initiation phase as: "to establish solid foundations for the project, enabling the organization to understand the work that needs to be done to deliver the project's products before committing to a significant spend". It further states the context of the initiation phase of a project as: "Initiating a project is aimed at laying down the foundations in order to achieve a successful project. Specifically, all parties must be clear on what the project is intended to achieve, why it is needed, how the outcome is to be achieved and what their responsibilities are, so that there can be genuine commitment to it"^[2]. Hence, a clear and commonly understood and agreed upon project goal must be defined during the initiating phase. Moreover, does Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge^[3] provide the following statement regarding the initiating phase of a project: "The Initiating Process Group consists of those processes performed to define a new project …. The purpose of the Initiating Process Group is to align the stakeholders' expectations and the project purpose, …. Within the Initiating processes, the initial scope is defined". This further highlight the importance of formulating a clear and commonly understood and agreed upon project goal and purpose.

However, The acronym SMART has many different interpretations, which have evoked a rising resistance^[4]. Nonetheless, are SMART goals widely utilized and popular as businesses have found it to be a clear, simple, and valuable framework for managing and setting up goals, that are easily applicable and give a clear, focused direction ^{[5] [6]}.
Parts of the literature on SMART goals distinguish between goals and objectives with objectives referring to: "a sub-goal that expresses the desired outcome: a short-term effect or change expected to result from the outputs of activities performed"^[1]. Some authors state that such a definition is needed when studying SMART goals as interchangeable usage of the terms leads to unnecessary confusion and is a misnomer ^[7]. Nonetheless, the terms will be used interchangeably in this paper, since SMART goals apply to both, and it is of the authors' opinion that a strict division will not benefit the intended reader.

This paper aims to explain SMART goals to other project participants, thereby enabling them to apply it to their projects, enhancing these. Therefore, is the paper initiated by a brief explanation of goal setting theory as it is the foundation on which SMART goals build upon. Thereafter, follows an in-depth explanation of the SMART goals, where I will describe SMART goals and its purpose. Hereafter will a guide on how to use the framework be presented. It will be utilized on a practical example—thereby showcasing how to utilize the outlined approach, the applicability of SMART goals, and the benefits of its usage. The paper ends with a critical reflection and investigation on SMART goals and its limitation. Here, I will provide the reader with the most profound limitations and criticism of SMART goals, to enable the reader to know both pros and cons of the framework.

Goal Setting Theory

E. Lock firstly put forward goal setting theory in 1968 in "Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives ^[8]. Here, he states that specific and challenging goals with proper feedback contribute to better task performance, thereby noting that goal setting is linked to task performance^[8].

Goal setting theory's domain lay within purposefully and directed actions and focuses on why some people perform better on tasks than others^[9]. Goal setting theory highlights that if they have the same abilities and skills, then the difference in performance must be motivational. Furthermore, goal setting theory is founded upon that conscious human behaviour is purposeful; hence, is the principal of goal-directed actions not limited to deliberate actions^[9].

In general, the literature regarding goal setting has recognized the positive relationship between performances and well-defined goals^[10]. Zwikael et al.^[10] explain that link between goal and performance through motivational and goal-oriented, effort-directed mechanisms; thus, stating that one can anticipate that setting goals will improve project performance. Moreover, in Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting^[11] does E. A. Locke and G. P. Latham, based on 35 years of empirical research, describe four mechanisms that goals affect performance through:

1. Goals serve a directive function; they direct attention and effort toward goal-relevant activities and away from goal-relevant activities,

   Goals have an energizing function. High goals lead to greater effort than low goals,

   Foals affect persistence. When participants are allowed to control the time they spend on a task, hard goals prolong effort,

   Goals affect action indirectly by leading to the arousal, discovery, and use of task-relevant knowledge and strategies.

Altogether goal setting theory shows the importance of having a good goal and shows what characterizes a good goal need to have before it positively affects performance. It can be assumed, that if the goal and purpose of one project consist of these characteristics, then the performance of the project would be enhanced, and one would be more successful in one's project management. Therefore, the SMART goal framework will be explained in depth next, as it can help the project manager obtain the characteristics for the project's goal and purpose.

The SMART Goal Framework

What is the purpose of SMART?

• What kind of problem the article addresses (and solves)?

Explanation of the Accronym

XXX

S: Specific

XXX

M: Measurable

XXX

A: Attainable

XXX

R: Relevant

XXX

T: Time-bound

XXX

Benefits of SMART Goals

XXX

Application of SMART Goals

What characterises the process How is it utilized? What is the good practice within it?

Step-guide to usage

Provide a step guide on how to use it

Application Example of SMART Goals

A concrete example in which you utilise SMART Goals.

• Have a goal you are starting with
  
• Utilise the outlined application process of SMART Goals to make the goal SMART <be>

Outcome

• Highlight why it is SMART and what it does for the goal
  

Limitations

SMART goals wide usage has led researchers and practitioners to uncover theoretically and practical limitations and drawbacks relating to the framework.
In 2018 D. Sull and C. Sull ^[12] points out that leaders must move away from their usage of SMART goals and their entrenched practices to harness the full potential of the goals fully. D. Sull and C. Sull stats that SMART goals undervalue ambition, focus narrowly on individual performance, and ignore the importance of discussing goals throughout the year^[12]. They point out that recent articles have argued against stretch goals and recommended incremental targets instead, thereby claiming that goals should be stated ambitiously and not an achievable as it gives a temptation to play it safe when setting goals. This is not desirable as employees pursuing ambitious goals are significantly outperforming their colleagues with less challenging objectives. As a consequence, D. Sull and C. Sull propose a new goal setting framework called FAST to improve goal setting.^[12]

Human resistance and biases are a potential limitation to the effective usage of SMART goals, as for all other framework and tools that are as highly reliant on people as the SMART goal framework. When proposing the SMART framework, G. T. Doran mentions the potential drawback of human resistance^[13]. Subsequently, Schweitzer et al.^[14] show that individuals who have specific goals are more likely to lie about their performance. Hence, a goal developed through the SMART goal framework is likely to provoke unethical behaviour by the project participant, and further, create a stressful environment due to the immense pressure of completing the work within a given time frame ^[15]

Also, the SMART goal framework is criticized for not being well-suited for long-term goals due to its non-flexible nature, as the lack of flexibility makes in inadequate of helping if circumstance change. Moreover, L. Macleod^[7] highlights that the SMART goal framework itself provided no guidance in determining whether the goal is wise. Maxin Sytch^[15] supports this and points at the SMART goal framework as tactical and therefore not necessarily give the insights to whether the SMART goals developed is aligned or misaligned with the overall strategy and vision of the organization. Thus, the SMART goal framework does not itself ensure that the goal is aligned with the organization, which is of utmost importance as goals can drive strategy execution but only when they are aligned with strategic priorities^[15].

Furthermore, has the wide usage of the SMART goal framework has led to an acronym drift, entailing a lot of mass interoperations of the frameworks, where some drifted far away from the original idea and research it is based upon ^[4]. Additionally, multiple researchers point towards the SMART goal framework as not fully applicable to the current state-of-the-art research within goal setting. This has led to the SMART framework's extensions called SMARTER ^{[7] [5]}. L. Macleod^[7] states the E in SMARTER is "Engaging", and the R is "Rewarding" and G. Yemm^[16] states the E is "Evaluated" and the R is "Reviewed". Thereby, for the SMARTER framework, an acronym drift can be identified as well. The acronym drift and extensions are a potential cause of misunderstanding and misleading of newcomers to the SMART goal framework, which can entail that they do not adequately utilize it. Nevertheless, Rubin points toward it not being the most significant limitation, as the value of SMART is to focus people on the act of setting goals and stimulate discussion of these with other project participants ^[4]. No matter what acronym one uses, the SMART framework will ensure this happens.

Annotated bibliography

Short intro

1. Ref 1: Text explaining the reference
2. Ref 2: Text explaining the reference
3. Ref 3: Text explaining the reference

Bibliography

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Ogbeiwi, Osahon. (2017). Why written objectives need to be really SMART. British Journal of Healthcare Management. 23. 324-336. 10.12968/bjhc.2017.23.7.324.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} AXELOS (2017). Managing successful projects with prince2 2017 edition. ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk
3. ↑ Project Management Institute, Inc.. (2017). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition) - 2. Initiating Process Group. Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI). Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXQ4C/guide-project-management/initiating-process-group
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Rubin, Robert. (2002). Will the real SMART goals please stand up?. 39. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Will-the-Real-SMART-Goals-Please-Stand-Up-Rubin/420c9bf14b34d26b2e0e047b0da0a30e5d06f153
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Haughey, Duncan. (2014) A BRIEF HISTORY OF SMART GOALS. Project Smart ~ Exploring trends and developments in project management today. Retrieved February 7, 2021. https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/brief-history-of-smart-goals.php
6. ↑ Lawlor, K.B. & Hornyak, M.J.. (2012). Smart goals: How the application of smart goals can contribute to achievement of student learning outcomes. Dev Bus Sim Exp Learn. 39. 259-267.. https://journals.tdl.org/absel/index.php/absel/article/view/90
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} Macleod, Les. (2013). Making SMART goals smarter. Physician executive. 38. 68-70, 72.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Locke, E. A. (1968). Toward a theory of task motivation and incentives, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, Volume 3, Issue 2, Pages 157-189, ISSN 0030-5073, https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(68)90004-4
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. (1991). A Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance. The Academy of Management Review. 16. 10.2307/258875.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Zwikael, O. & C., Ying-Yi & Meredith, J. (2018). Project benefit management: Setting effective target benefits. International Journal of Project Management. 36. 650-658. 10.1016/j.ijproman.2018.01.002.
11. ↑ Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. (2002). Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation: A 35Year Odyssey. American Psychologist - AMER PSYCHOL. 57. 705-717. 10.1037/0003-066X.57.9.705.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} Sull, D. & Sull, C. (2018). With Goals, FAST beats SMART. MIT Sloan Management Review.
13. ↑ Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives. Management Review, 70, 35-36.
14. ↑ Schweitzer, Maurice & Ordóñez, Lisa & Douma, Bambi. (2004). Goal Setting as a Motivator of Unethical Behavior. Academy of Management Journal. 47. 422-432. 10.2307/20159591.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Sytch, M. (2015). Limitations of Smart Goals – by Maxim Sytch [Video]. Retrieved 08. February 2021. https://www.coursera.org/lecture/motivate-people-teams/02-04-limitations-of-smart-goals-2g69s?utm_source=link&utm_medium=page_share&utm_content=vlp&utm_campaign=top_button
16. ↑ Yemm, G. (2013). Essential Guide to Leading Your Team: How to Set Goals, Measure Performance and Reward Talent. Pearson Education. ISBN 978-0273772446.