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

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Abstract

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 a project, which highlights that the core purpose of projects is to achieve something and fulfil the desired outcome, a goal: "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]. But how does one formulate a proper project goal? As an answer "Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2"[3] states that all project goals should follow SMART[4].
To enable project managers to do so this article aims at explaining the goal setting framework SMART goals to other project participants - thereby enabling them to apply it to their projects and formulate proper project goals that benefit their projects. The SMART goal framework enables 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[5]. Nonetheless, are SMART goals widely utilized and popular as it has been found to be an easily applicable, clear, simple, and valuable framework for managing and setting up goals, that give a focused direction[6] [7].

The article will firstly give an in-depth explanation of the SMART goal framework and the idea behind; here, goal setting theory will be presented briefly. Following up will be a practical example—thereby showcasing how to utilize the framework. The article ends with a critical reflection if the framework highlighting its limitation. Here, I will provide the reader with the most profound limitations and criticism of the SMART goal framework.

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"[8] 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[8]. Subsequently, he does not find a need to differentiate between the two terms[8]. However, parts of the literature regarding goal setting and the SMART framework distinguish between the two. In "Making SMART goals smarter"[9] 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[9]. L. Macleod emphasizes that an interchangeable usage of the terms leads to unnecessary confusion and is a misnomer[9].

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[10]. E. Lock first put forward goal setting theory in 1968[11] and stated that specific and challenging goals with proper feedback contribute to better task performance, showcasing that goal setting is linked to task performance[11]. Therefore, it is founded upon that conscious human behaviour is purposeful; meaning, the principal of goal-directed actions, is not limited to deliberate actions[10]. In general, goal setting theory highlights that if people have the same abilities and skills, then the difference in performance must be motivational[10], and the literature recognizes the positive relationship between performances and well-defined goals[12]. Zwikael et al.[12] . For instance, Zwikael et al.[12] 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""[13] E. A. Locke and G. P. Latham describes 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.[13]


Goals are widely used as in 95% of all organizations employees set goals[14]. 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"[15]. Goals are either long-term or short-term[8], create a direction for the project management process[15], and researchers agree that projects without a well-formulated goal lack purpose and accountability[15]. Likewise, proper usage of project goals provides increased motivation and performance[11], whereas poor use badly affects the planning sequentially producing frustrations, rework, and waste[16].
Altogether, the importance of having a proper 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 proper project goals will entail enhanced project performance. The SMART goal framework seeks to aid in the solving of this problem, by facilitating goal setting in which a project goal that is clear and commonly understood is defined. Thereby, assuring that the project goal moves the project in the right direction, and securing that the goal is the right one for the project.
According to the "Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2"[3] all project goals should follow SMART[4], and the SMART goal framework is currently the golden standard for goal setting since it offers a clear direction for action planning and implementation[15]. Therefore, the framework can be classed as a valuable goal setting framework[15], 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"[8]. 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[8]. He argues that 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. [8]

G. T. Doran clarifies that every goal will not consist of all five criteria. Still, the closer one gets to all 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.[8]
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.[8]

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[5]:

  • Specific,
  • Measurable,
  • Attainable,
  • Relevant,
  • Time-bound.

This acronym represents the current state-of-the-art and builds upon the idea of G. T. Doran[5], and will be analyzed and explained in the following.

S: Specific

The SMART goal framework. Illustration obtained from Wikimedia Commons, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

The project goal must be well-defined and formulated clearly. Within the project team and the project hierarchy's reaming levels should there exist no doubt about the goal. If the goal is not specific, then the chance of potential misinterpretation is increased, and everyone may not be pursuing the right goal. To ensure this one should answer the five W questions[18];

  • What do I want to accomplish?
  • Why is this goal important?
  • Who is involved?
  • Where is it located?
  • Which resources or limits are 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. Accordingly helping to ease monitoring the project and helping keep the project team focused and motivated. Measurable goals can be developed by addressing the following questions[18]:

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

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 other constraints, such as financial factors?

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]:

  • Does this seem worthwhile?
  • Is this the right time?
  • Does this match our other efforts/needs?
  • Am I the right person to reach this goal?
  • 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 can I do six months from now?
  • What can I do six weeks from now?
  • What can I do today?

Application of The SMART Goals Framework

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The SMART goal framework is utilized in many industries and explored in multiple research areas[19]. It can be used throughout the project management process; nevertheless, is it mostly applied in the planning -, performance management -, and monitoring phase[20]. In the planning phase, it is used after the project scope has defined since it is here a clear and commonly understood goal is needed for doing the planning. However, the SMART goal framework is also applicable in other project phases, such as the project monitoring phase[20]. [FOREGÅENDE ER RYKKET]

When applying the SMART goal framework, there exist some best practices one needs to follow to reap the framework's benefits fully. In utilizing the framework, one needs to think about the bigger picture, by keeping the bigger picture in mind, one can break down the goal. When the overarching goal has been broken down one needs to start being specific and pay attention to detail otherwise the goal will not be clear, but to be specific one has to start with the bigger picture and understand it.[21] Also, one must remember that it is not necessary to run through the framework in the order of the acronym, sometimes it is beneficial to investigate whether it is relevant before you investigate and define how to measure your progress, and it is essential to remember that G. T. Doran underlines that all goal does not have to possess all five criteria[8].
Furthermore, when applying the SMART goal framework, it is important to ask a lot of questions, to your team, stakeholder, and oneself[22]. It offers transparency, gives a high level of commitment, and helps obtain a clear and commonly understood goal that fulfil the criteria as everyone is involved since all perspectives will be uncovered. Further, 1utilization of a systematic approach is recommendable, the more structured you are in the process, the easier it will be to make progress, and document the process write down what you decide[21]. Finally, one must remember to regularly checkup on the goal and get feedback since it is vital for effective goal management[21].

Template for utilizing the SMART goal framework

HOW IS IT UTILSED - MAKE A GUIDE YOU START WITH A GOAL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND MAKE THE GOAL AS OUTCOME


When utilizing the SMART goal framework, multiple templates and worksheets exist to guide, thereby offering the systematic approach. However, in Why written objectives need to be really SMART[15] O. Ogbeiwi found that even though a template can help one formulate a goal, it is not a useful tool for determining whether the formulated goal is SMART. O. Ogbeiwi reveals a potential risk for project relaying to heavily on templates. He reveals that in their goal setting they may lack the components needed for a goal to be SMART, and O. Ogbeiwi concludes that projects designed on incomplete or non-sufficient templates are less likely to attain their goal[15].
With the critic in mind, a template is proposed building upon the best practice and the explanation of each criterion in the SMART goal framework. The template will help one apply the SMART goal framework, thereby identifying a clear and commonly understood goal that fulfils the SMART criteria. When filling out the template, it is important to remember the best practice and the characteristics of each criterion described; otherwise, one will not fully reap the benefits. The template is seen in the figure on the right.

Template for the SMART Goal framework. Created based on[18]

Application Example of The SMART Goals Framework

In the following, the template given in the former section will be utilized on a practical example. The broad given to you as a project manager is: expand the business. This goal will now be used as input into the template, and the output will be a SMART goal.

Specific

One must remember to make the goal clearly and precisely and well-defined. The template is filled out below regarding the Specific criterion.

Specific part of the template filled.

Measurable

One has to give a quantitative way of measuring the project goal; this can function as an indicator of the project progress. The template is filled out below regarding the Measurable criterion.

Measurable part of the template filled.

Attainable

Examination of the project's feasibility, while remembering not making the project goal trivial or unattainable, as both will lower the motivation. The template is filled out below regarding the Attainable criterion.

Attainable part of the template filled.

Relevant

The project goal must be relevant for the organization and oneself; otherwise, one is at risk of losing the commitment to the project. The template is filled out below regarding the Relevant criterion.

Relevant part of the template filled.

Time-bound

The goal must be time-bound for helping the project team stay motivated and counteract procrastination. The template is filled out below regarding the Time-bound criterion.

Time-bound part of the template filled.

Outcome

The outcome is a clear and well-defined project goal that fulfil all criteria of the SMART goal framework, which is seen here:

"The project will open a new store in a new country within six months by utilizing our internal resources, the market opportunity offered in the new country, and launch a big campaign to provide attention to the company. This will allow the company to grow and increase the revenue of the company."

It is obtained from an unclear and not well-defined goal, thereby highlighting the value of the framework. With the project goal, the project manager is ready to lead the project. However, it is important to note, that this project goal is solely a quick illustration of the template utilization and the project goal can therefore easily be improved. More time and effort can be put into the project goal, and stakeholder can be involved.

The fully filled template with the final outcome of the usage of the SMART goal framework.

Benefits & 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[14] accentuated that leaders must move away from using the SMART goal framework to harness the goals potential fully and proposes 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[14]. They emphasize that ambitious goals are preferable instead of achievable goals because employees pursuing ambitious goals are significantly outperforming their colleagues with less challenging[14].
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[9] highlights that the SMART goal framework does not guide in determining whether the goal is wise. M. Sytch[23] 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[23]. 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[8]. Subsequently, Schweitzer et al.[24] 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[23][24].
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[5]. 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[9] [19] [6]. L. Macleod[9] includes E as "Engaging" and R as "Rewarding", whereas G. Yemm[19] 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 proper goals and stimulating discussions[5]; all acronyms ensure this.

Benefits

The SMART goal framework is a straightforward goal setting framework that is easy to use, making it compatible for all project participants[6]. Despite its simplicity, it forces the participants to consider and clearly define the goal[6]. The SMART goal framework provides the opportunity to generate considerable success based on the needed efforts[8]. 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[5]. 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"[7]. 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.[7]

Altogether, the SMART goal framework helps formulating clear and commonly understood project goals, enabling the project manager to ensure that the goal targeted 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. ↑ 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 AXELOS (2017). Managing successful projects with prince2 2017 edition. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 AXELOS (2017). Managing successful projects with prince2 2017 edition. Page 319. Retrieved from ProQuest Ebook Central https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.findit.dtu.dk
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 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
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 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
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 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
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 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.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Macleod, Les. (2013). Making SMART goals smarter. Physician executive. 38. 68-70, 72.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. (1991). A Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance. The Academy of Management Review. 16. 10.2307/258875.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 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
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 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.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 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.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Sull, D. & Sull, C. (2018). With Goals, FAST beats SMART. MIT Sloan Management Review.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 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.
  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 18.7 Mindtools (2016) SMART Goals - How to Make Your Goals Achievable. Retrieved February 7, 2021. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 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.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 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
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Gregory, A. (2018) SMART Goal Setting 101. Retrieved February 7, 2021. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/smart-goal-setting-101-2951829
  22. ↑ Landau, P. (2018) How to Create SMART Goals. Retrieved February 7, 2021. https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/how-to-create-smart-goals
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 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
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 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.
  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
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