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

Revision as of 13:06, 19 February 2021

This article aims at explaining the goal setting framework SMART goals - thereby enabling the reader to apply it to their projects and formulate effective project goals that benefit their projects.

Goals and objectives are deeply inherent in all projects and project management, showcased by "Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge"^[1] description of projects: "Projects are undertaken to fulfil objectives by producing deliverables. An objective is defined as an outcome toward which work is to be directed, a strategic position to be attained, a purpose to be achieved, a result to be obtained, a product to be produced, or a service to be performed"^[2]. This highlights the core purpose of projects is to achieve something and fulfil the desired outcome, a goal.

The SMART goal framework is the golden standard within goal setting^[3] which seeks to formulate effective project goals. The framework is widely utilized and popular as it is an easily applicable, clear, simple, and valuable framework for managing and setting up goals that give a focused direction^{[4] [5]}, and "Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2"^[6] states that all project goals should follow SMART^[7]. The framework facilitates goal setting and enabling project managers to clearly define and understand the project goal. This allows them to ensure that the goal is the right one and move the project in the right direction. However, The acronym SMART has many different interpretations, which have evoked a rising resistance^[8].

The article will give an in-depth explanation of the SMART goal framework in which the framework itself and the idea behind, such as goal setting theory, will be explained. The article will also provide the reader with an explanation of how to use the framework, a step-guide process, and a relating template will be provided. Finally, critical reflection upon the framework is presented in which the limitations and benefits are discussed briefly.

The SMART Goal Framework

In this article, the terms goal and objective will be used interchangeably as the author shares G. T. Doran's view, who does not distinguish between the terms. In the paper "There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write Management's goals and objectives"^[9], G. T. Doran clarifies that goals and objectives for some organizations are synonyms, for others goals are short-term, and objectives are long-term, and for someone third, the opposite is the case^[9]. Subsequently, he does not find a need to differentiate between the two terms^[9]. However, parts of the literature regarding goal setting and the SMART framework distinguish between the two. In "Making SMART goals smarter"^[10], L. Macleod states that goals are concrete, formulated generally, long-term with a broad scope, and focused on the result. In contrast, he defines objectives as concrete, specifically formulated, short-term with a narrow scope, and concentrated on the required steps towards an end-goal^[10]. L. Macleod emphasizes that an interchangeable usage of the terms leads to unnecessary confusion and is a misnomer^[10].

The SMART goal framework is a part of goal setting theory, which domain is within purposeful and directed actions and focuses on why some people perform better on tasks than others^[11]. E. Lock first put forward goal setting theory in 1968^[12] and stated that specific and challenging goals with proper feedback contribute to better task performance, showcasing that goal setting is linked to task performance^[12]. Therefore, it is founded upon that conscious human behaviour is purposeful; meaning, the principal of goal-directed actions, is not limited to deliberate actions^[11]. In general, goal setting theory highlights that if people have the same abilities and skills, then the difference in performance must be motivational^[11], and the literature recognizes the positive relationship between performances and well-defined goals^[13]. For instance, Zwikael et al.^[13] explains the link between goal and performance through motivational and goal-oriented, effort-directed mechanisms, stating that one can anticipate that setting goals will improve project performance. Besides, in "Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting"^[14], E. A. Locke and G. P. Latham describe four mechanisms that goals affect performance through:

1. Goals serve a directive function,
   
2. Goals have an energizing function,
   
3. Goals affect persistence,
   
4. Goals affect action indirectly by leading to the arousal, discovery, and use of task-relevant knowledge and strategies.^[14]

Goals are widely used as in 95% of all organizations employees set goals^[15]. Researchers generally define a goal as: "the desired end-result of an action that is expected to be achieved at some specified time in the future, and toward which all effort and essential resources are committed to achieving"^[3]. Goals are either long-term or short-term^[9], create a direction for the project management process^[3], and researchers agree that projects without a well-formulated goal lack purpose and accountability^[3]. Likewise, proper usage of project goals provides increased motivation and performance^[12], whereas poor use badly affects the planning and sequentially producing frustrations, rework, and waste^[16].
Altogether, the importance of having an effective goal has been illuminated, and all project and projects managers face the problem of formulating an appropriate project goal. Consequently, goals and goal setting are vital for project management because it can be assumed that effective project goals will enhance project performance. The SMART goal framework seeks to help solve this problem by facilitating goal setting where an effective project goal that is clear and commonly understood is defined. This assures that the project goal moves the project in the right direction and secures that the goal is the right one for the project.
According to the "Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2"^[6], all project goals should follow SMART^[7], and the SMART goal framework is currently the golden standard for goal setting since it offers a clear direction for action planning and implementation^[3]. Therefore, the framework can be classed as a valuable goal setting framework^[3], and organizations use the framework as an unfailing model to steer their goal formulation.

The idea of management by objectives, which the SMART goal framework builds upon, was popularized by P. Drucker in "The Practice of Management"^[17]. It is the idea of defining objectives within an organization to increase performance^[17]. The SMART goal framework itself is presented firstly in G. T. Doran's paper from 1981 called "There's a SMART way to write management goals and objectives"^[9]. G. T. Doran specifies that managers are confused by all the verbiage they face when writing goals and presents the SMART acronym as a helping hand for managers when writing goals to ensure they are effective^[9], highlighting that the core purpose of the SMART goal framework is to help managers formulate effective goals. Ideally, all goals should be:

• S: Specific - target a specific area for importance,
• M: Measurable - quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress,
• A: Assignable - specify who will do it,
• R: Realistic - state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources,
• T: Time-related - specify when the results can be achieved. ^[9]

G. T. Doran clarifies that every goal will not consist of all five criteria. Still, the closer one gets, the smarter will the goal be. Furthermore, G. T. Doran emphasizes the need for adjusting the SMART goal framework to the project's organization, scope, and purpose since it is the combination of the goal and its action plan that is important. Therefore, should serious management focus on these and exclusively the goal.^[9]
Lastly, G. T. Doran extended his view away from solely looking at the goal's mechanism to investigate the goal's behavioural context and acknowledged that people failed to reach the goal because of behavioural elements and not their scope.^[9]

The SMART acronym. Illustration is own creation with inspiration from Wikimedia Commons, which is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International.

The SMART goal framework has gained substantial support; however, the acronym has been subject to modification, and the most common and most used is modification is:

• Specific,
• Measurable,
• Attainable,
• Relevant,
• Time-bound.^[8]

This acronym represents the current state-of-the-art and builds upon the idea of G. T. Doran^[8]. When using the SMART goal framework, managers will be capable of formulating effective goals if they remember that these as far as possible should follow the SMART criteria. Each criterion will be explained, and associated help questions for each criterion will be presented in the following. Hereafter follows the Application section, in which it will be described when to use the SMART goal framework, and a step-guide process to using it will be presented with an accompanying template.

S: Specific

The project goal must be well-defined and formulated clearly; here, it should be specified what the goal seeks to achieve in specific terms. If the goal is not specific, then the chance of potential misinterpretation is increased, and everyone may not be pursuing the right goal. Answering the five W questions can help develop it^[18]:

• What do I want to accomplish?
• Which resources or limits are involved?
• Why is this goal important?
• Where is it located?
• Who is involved?

M: Measurable

The goal must be measurable. It must be stated how project progress can be measured and which metrics are used to measure the project's progress. Therefore, a quantitative measure of the project goal is needed, which offers a tangible measure for tracking the project. It will ease monitoring the project and help keep the project team focused and motivated. Measurable goals can be developed by addressing the following questions^[18]:

• How will I know when it is accomplished?
• How many?
• How much?

A: Attainable

Impossible goals can produce frustrations; therefore, the goal must be realistic and possible. Even though the goal should be attainable, it cannot be trivial; if a goal is trivial, it can negatively affect the team's motivation. To obtain an attainable goal, the project manager can address the following questions, examine the feasibility and available resources, and involve the project team by letting them choose their project contribution based on their capabilities^[18]:

• How can I accomplish this goal?
• How realistic is the goal based on internal and external constraints?

R: Relevant

Relevant goals are relevant for oneself and the organization and aligned with the strategic and organizational goals. A non-relevant goal increases the chance of losing support, whereas a relevant goal gives a more actively involved project team and organization. To define a relevant goal, one needs to know whether the proper resources are in place and capable of answering "yes" to the following questions^[18]:

• Is this the right time?
• Does this seem worthwhile?
• Does this match our other efforts/needs, and am I the right person?
• Is it applicable in the current socio-economic environment?

T: Time-bound

Project goals need to have a deadline as all project is time-bound. Time-bound goals give a sense of urgency, keeps the project team motivated, and counteracts procrastination since it helps the project team prevent that day-to-day tasks take priority over the goal. A time-bound goal helps the project stay on track, and by answering the following questions, it can be developed^[18]:

• What is the deadline?
• What can I do today?
• What can I do in X weeks and Y months?

Application

The SMART goal framework can be used throughout the project management process and is mostly applied in the planning -, performance management -, and monitoring phase^[19]. Although its applicability is most evident in project management's planning phase as goal setting falls naturally here. "Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge"^[1] provides the following introduction to the planning phase: "The Planning Process Group consists of those processes that establish the total scope of the effort, define and fine and refine the objectives, and develop the course of action required to attain those objectives"^[20], highlighting that goals final defining is made in the planning phase. Moreover, goals are a pivotal input into the planning. Project goals help clarify and concretize the project purpose by assisting in defining a clear project scope, which is necessary to define the project purpose. Accordingly, the SMART goal framework should be utilized in this phase to ensure effective goal setting.

For reaping the framework's benefits fully, one should follow some best practices. Firstly, it is essential to recall that G. T. Doran underlines that goals do not have to possess all five criteria^[9] and to make regular checkups and get feedback on the goal is crucial for effective goal management^[21]. Secondly, one needs to keep the bigger picture in mind; it eases breaking down the goal. Upon breaking down the goal, one can start to be specific and pay attention to details; otherwise, the goal will not be clear^[21]. Thirdly, involving the project team and stakeholders is beneficial as multiple perspectives are uncovered and involved^[21]. Further, one should ask many questions - thereby, transparency and a high level of commitment are gained^[21]. Fourthly, following the acronym's order is not required; it is sometimes beneficial to investigate whether it is relevant before investigating and defining how to measure your progress^[21]. However, a systematic approach is recommendable^[21]. The more structured you are in the process, the easier it will be to progress, document the process, and write down the decisions^[21]. Multiple templates and worksheets exist to obtain a structured approach, but in "Why written objectives need to be really SMART"^[3], O. Ogbeiwi founds that although templates can help formulate goals, they are not a useful tool for determining whether the goal is SMART. He reveals a potential risk for projects relaying to heavily on templates as their goal setting may lack the components needed for a goal to be SMART. O. Ogbeiwi concludes that projects designed on incomplete or non-sufficient templates are less likely to attain their goal^[3].

A step-guide process and a template for applying the SMART framework is proposed in the next section. It builds upon the best practices presented, each criterion's characteristics, and O. Ogbeiwi's critic.

Step-guide and Template

The step-guide proposed is a way for the reader to obtain a structured approach when utilizing the SMART goal framework. The template is a working document used throughout the process and works as documentation for all the steps. The two combined will help one reach an effective goal that is clear and commonly understood. An illustration of the process is below on the right and the template on the left.

The process for the SMART goal framework.

A template for the SMART goal framework.

Step 1 - Understanding

Before starting the goal setting, one must understand why goals are important and understand the project's idea and basis; here, a business case can assist. Thus, the bigger picture is obtained. At the top of the template, the understanding should be written to facilitate a common and clear understanding throughout the project team that can be utilized further.

Step 2 – Identify the SMART elements

Hereafter is the common understanding used to identify the SMART elements of it; remembering the characteristics of each criterion described is important. In the template, each SMART criterion is written, and the question one should answer is incorporated to aid. There is room for documenting the answers and identifying each criterion's elements to the questions' right. This sections functions as documentation and should be used further in the process. Involving stakeholders and the project team is highly recommended.

Step 3 – Formulate the goal

Based on step 2, the goal should now be formulated in which all the elements are incorporated. A structure could be: "I want to achieve X, within Y by utilizing Z. This will allow W." Where X is "specific" and "measurable", Y is "time-bound", Z is "attainable", and W is "relevant". The project team should agree on the formulation.
At the bottom, there is room for writing the goal, which acts as documentation for the final formulated goal.

Step 4 – Feedback

When the goal has been formulated, it is essential to get feedback on the goal and identified elements. Here stakeholders, project owner and other in the project management hierarchy can be used. If the feedback calls for a reassessment of the goal iterating back to step 2 is needed; otherwise, one can move on to step 5.

Step 5 – Evaluate and Review

When the goal is formulated, it is important to evaluate and review the goal until it is fulfilled regularly. In doing so, one can identify areas that need action and helps the project to stay on track. By reviewing and evaluating the goal continuously, one may find a need for alterations of the goal, leading to an iteration back to step 2. The template can be used in the review session to recap the goal and the SMART elements.

Template Example

An example of a filled-in template filled-in, highlighting its easy use.

The step guide and template is now explained, and a filled-in template showcasing how it will look at the end of the process is shown on the right. It illuminates that firstly is the understanding gained and documented. This is used as input into identifying the SMART elements; here, the questions are another tool to do so. The answers to the questions are documented, which is utilized when the goal is formulated at the bottom. The template is then filled-in, and one should go out and obtain feedback on the goal and SMART elements. Upon approval, the project is initiated, and one regularly evaluates and review the goal. It is essential to note it is just a quick example showcased for showing the ease of use the template offers. Therefore, should one put more time and effort into filling-in the template than done here, and one must involve other stakeholders.

Benefits and Limitations

Limitations

The SMART goal frameworks wide usage has led researchers and practitioners to uncover theoretically and practical limitations. In 2018 D. Sull and C. Sull^[15] accentuated that leaders must move away from using the SMART goal framework to harness the goals potential fully and proposed a new framework called FAST. They argue that SMART goals undervalue ambition, focus narrowly on individual performance, and ignore the importance of discussing goals throughout the year^[15]. They emphasize that ambitious goals are preferable instead of achievable goals because employees pursuing ambitious goals are significantly outperforming their colleagues with less challenging^[15].
The SMART goal framework is also criticized for not being well-suited for long-term goals. Its non-flexible nature makes it inadequate of helping if circumstance changes and L. Macleod^[10] highlights that the SMART goal framework does not guide in determining whether the goal is wise. M. Sytch^[22] supports this and points to the framework's tactical nature to not give the necessary insights to whether the goals developed are aligned or misaligned with the organization's overall strategy and vision^[22]. It is important to note that the "Relevant" criteria attempt to solve this issue.

Human resistance and biases are other potential limitations to the framework since it is highly reliant on people, and G. T. Doran mentions human resistance as a potential drawback when presenting the SMART goal framework^[9]. Subsequently, Schweitzer et al.^[23] show that individuals with specific goals are more likely to lie about their performance. Hence, a goal developed through the SMART goal framework can provoke unethical behaviour by the project participants and create a stressful environment due to the immense pressure of completing the work within a given time frame^[22][23].
Finally, the SMART goal framework's wide usage has led to an acronym drift causing mass interpretations of the framework with some drifted far away from the original idea^[8]. Multiple researchers point towards the SMART goal framework as not fully applicable to the current state-of-the-art research within goal setting leading to an extension called SMARTER^{[10] [24] [4]}. L. Macleod^[10] includes E as "Engaging" and R as "Rewarding", whereas G. Yemm^[24] includes E as "Evaluated" and R as "Reviewed".

The acronym drift and extensions are potential causes of misunderstanding and misrepresenting of the SMART goal framework leading to incorrect usage. However, as R. Rubin argue, is it not a significant limitation since the framework's value is to focus people on setting effective goals and stimulating discussions^[8]; all acronyms ensure this.

Benefits

The SMART goal framework is a straightforward goal setting framework that is easy to use, making it usable for all project participants^[4]. Despite its simplicity, it forces the participants to consider and clearly define the goal^[4]. The SMART goal framework provides the opportunity to generate considerable success based on the needed efforts^[9]. Furthermore, does it embody the essential practices required to achieve motivation within the team and improve the likelihood of accomplishing the project goal and purpose^[8]. It has a higher success rate than more vague goal setting techniques, and it generates discipline, focus, and structure within the project team^[25]. Another considerable benefit of the SMART goal framework is its applicability to all types of projects and organizations^[18]. Additionally, it enables the development of performance indicators, thereby facilitating feedback and learning, keeping the project on track to success^[18].

K. B. Lawlor shows the SMART goal frameworks' benefits in his study "Smart Goals: How the Application of Smart Goals can Contribute to Achievement of Student Learning Outcomes"^[5]. He finds that teams utilizing the SMART goal framework outperform teams that did not use the framework, stressing that the SMART goal framework's usage improved team performance^[5].

Altogether, the SMART goal framework helps formulate effective project goals that are clear and commonly understood—enabling the project manager to ensure that the goal is the right one and moves the project in the right direction.

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} 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
2. ↑ 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). Page 4. Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXQ4C/guide-project-management/initiating-process-group
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} 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.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} 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
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} 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
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} AXELOS (2017). Managing successful projects with prince2 2017 edition. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} AXELOS (2017). Managing successful projects with prince2 2017 edition. Page 319. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5} 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
9. ↑ ^{9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11} 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.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5} Macleod, Les. (2013). Making SMART goals smarter. Physician executive. 38. 68-70, 72.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2} Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. (1991). A Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance. The Academy of Management Review. 16. 10.2307/258875.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} 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
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} 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.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} 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.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3} Sull, D. & Sull, C. (2018). With Goals, FAST beats SMART. MIT Sloan Management Review.
16. ↑ AXELOS. (2017). Managing successful projects with prince2 2017 edition. Page 94. Requested from ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Drucker, P. F. (1954). The practice of management. New York: Harper & Row.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6} Mindtools (2016) SMART Goals - How to Make Your Goals Achievable. Retrieved February 7, 2021. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm
19. ↑ Berry, S. & Thomas, R. (2008) Use SMART Objectives to Focus Goals, Plans and Performance. Retrieved February 7, 2021. https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pdf/use-smart-objectives-to-focus-goals-plans-and-performance.pdf
20. ↑ 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). Page 565. Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt011DXQ4C/guide-project-management/initiating-process-group
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6} Gregory, A. (2018) SMART Goal Setting 101. Retrieved February 7, 2021. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/smart-goal-setting-101-2951829
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1 22.2} 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
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1} 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.
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1} Yemm, G. (2013). Essential Guide to Leading Your Team: How to Set Goals, Measure Performance and Reward Talent. Page 37-39. Pearson Education. ISBN 978-0273772446.
25. ↑ Lamachenka, A. (2016) 10 SMART Goal Setting Best Practices For Project Planning. Retrieved February 7, 2021. https://blog.capterra.com/10-smart-goal-setting-best-practices-for-project-planning