SMART Goals

Once you have planned your project, turn your attention to developing several goals that will enable you to be successful. Goals should be SMART — specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic and time-based. A goal might be to hold a weekly project meeting with the key members of your team or to organize and run a continuous test program throughout the project.

By Duncan Haughey, PMP

The acronym SMART has a number of slightly different variations, which can be used to provide a more comprehensive definition for goal setting: S - specific, significant, stretching M - measurable, meaningful, motivational A - agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented R - realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented T - time-based, timely, tangible, traceable This provides a broader definition that will help you to be successful in both your business and personal life. When you next run a project take a moment to consider whether your goals are SMART goals.

SMART Goals

Specific

  • Well defined
  • Clear to anyone that has a basic knowledge of the project

Measurable

  • Know if the goal is obtainable and how far away completion is
  • Know when it has been achieved

Agreed Upon

  • Agreement with all the stakeholders what the goals should be

Realistic

  • Within the availability of resources, knowledge and time

Time Based

  • Enough time to achieve the goal
  • Not too much time, which can affect project performance

©Project Smart 2000-2010. All rights reserved.

Project Smart is the project management resource that helps managers at all levels to improve their performance. Project Smart provides an important knowledge base for those involved in managing projects of all kinds. http://www.projectsmart.co.uk

Everyone benefits when the goals you set are SMART goals, SMART is an acronym to help you remember that goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. ConceptDraw MINDMAP is a great tool to build, identify and manage these goals.

Learn How To Manage SMART Goals With ConceptDraw MINDMAP

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August, 2010


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