Do you get overwhelmed at the beginning of a project?
Do you struggle to boost
team productivity?
The secret to alleviating common project challenges is to set specific goals.
S.M.A.R.T. goals are designed to provide structure and guidance throughout a
project, and better identify what you want to accomplish. This method is especially
effective in helping employees set goals that align with company.
What Are S.M.A.R.T.
Goals?
S.M.A.R.T. goals are a relatively new idea. In 1981, George T. Doran, a
consultant and former director of corporate planning for Washington Water Power
Company, published a paper called, “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write
Management’s Goals and Objectives.” In the document, he introduces S.M.A.R.T.
goals as a tool to create criteria to help improve the chances of succeeding in
accomplishing a goal.
The acronym stands for:
S – Specific
When setting a goal, be specific about what you want to accomplish. Think about
this as the mission statement for your goal. This isn’t a detailed list of how you’re
going to meet a goal, but it should include an answer to the popular ‘w’ questions:
Who – Consider who needs to be involved to achieve the goal (this is especially
important when you’re working on a group project).
What – Think about exactly what you are trying to accomplish and don’t be afraid
to get very detailed.
When – You’ll get more specific about this question under the “time-bound” section
of defining S.M.A.R.T. goals, but you should at least set a time frame.
Where – This question may not always apply, especially if you’re setting personal
goals, but if there’s a location or relevant event, identify it here.
Which – Determine any related obstacles or requirements. This question can be
beneficial in deciding if your goal is realistic. For example, if the goal is to open a
baking business, but you’ve never baked anything before, that might be an issue. As a
result, you may refine the specifics of the goal to be “Learn how to bake in order to
open a baking business."
Why – What is the reason for the goal? When it comes to using this method for
employees, the answer will likely be along the lines of company advancement or
career development.
M – Measurable
What metrics are you going to use to determine if you meet the goal? This makes
a goal more tangible because it provides a way to measure progress. If it’s a
project that’s going to take a few months to complete, then set some milestones
by considering specific tasks to accomplish.
A – Achievable
This focuses on how important a goal is to you and what you can do to make it
attainable and may require developing new skills and changing attitudes. The goal
is meant to inspire motivation, not discouragement. Think about how to
accomplish the goal and if you have the tools/skills needed. If you don’t currently
possess those tools/skills, consider what it would take to attain them.
R – Relevant
Relevance refers focusing on something that makes sense with the broader
business goals. For example, if the goal is to launch a new product, it should be
something that’s in alignment with the overall business objectives. Your team may
be able to launch a new consumer product, but if your company is a B2B that is
not expanding into the consumer market, then the goal wouldn’t be relevant.
T – Time-Bound
Anyone can set goals, but if it lacks realistic timing, chances are you’re not going
to succeed. Providing a target date for deliverables is imperative. Ask specific
questions about the goal deadline and what can be accomplished within that time
period. If the goal will take three months to complete, it’s useful to define what
should be achieved half-way through the process. Providing time constraints also
creates a sense of urgency.
The Easiest Way to Write
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
When it comes to writing S.M.A.R.T. goals, be prepared to ask yourself and other
team members a lot of questions. The answers will help fine-tune your strategy,
ensuring the goals are something that’s actually attainable. While you should be
as realistic as possible, it’s important to approach writing S.M.A.R.T. goals with a
positive attitude. After all, this is something that you want to achieve.
This doesn’t have to be a daunting experience; in fact, it should be quite
illuminating. Below we demonstrate how to write S.M.A.R.T. goals for two typical
business scenarios: completing a project and improving personal performance.
We’ve also created an easy-to-use S.M.A.R.T. goals template and worksheet to
help you get started.
Download the S.M.A.R.T. Goals Template
Get started with S.M.A.R.T. Goals Worksheet in Smartsheet
Here are two examples of initial goals we'll use to walk through this process:
1. I want to complete a project
2. I want to improve my performance
This is a typical approach to creating goals, but both of these are very vague. With
the current wording, the goals probably aren’t going to be attainable. The
statements lack specifics, timelines, motivation, and a reality check.
Now, let’s use the S.M.A.R.T. goals formula to clarify both and create new and
improved goals.
Goal: I want to complete a project
Specific: Many people are accessing our current site from their mobile devices.
Since it’s not a responsive site, it provides a poor experience for customers. I want to
launch a mobile app for my company website by the end of Q2, which requires
involvement from software development, design, and marketing.
Measurable: Creating a mobile app for our company site will require a lot of
resources. To make it worthwhile, I’d like to have 50,000 installs of the site within six
months of launch. I’d also like to show a 5% conversion rate from customers using the
mobile site.
Achievable: The departments that will be involved have signed-off on creating a
mobile app. I’ll need to manage the project and set milestones to keep everyone
motivated and on target.
Relevant: Improving the customer experience on mobile devices is a core
initiative for my company this year.
Time-Bound: In order to achieve 50,000 mobile app installs and a 5% conversion
rate by the end of the fiscal year, the app will need to be launched by Q2 with a robust
marketing campaign that should continue through the end of the year.
Goal: I want to improve my performance
Specific: I received low marks on my ability to use PowerPoint at my last
performance review. Improving my skills requires that I learn how to use PowerPoint
efficiently and practice using it by creating various presentations. I’d like to be more
proficient using PowerPoint in time for my next review in six months.
Measurable: By the time of my next review, I should be able to create
presentations that incorporate graphs, images, and other media in a couple of hours. I
should also be able to efficiently use and create templates in PowerPoint that my
coworkers can also use.
Achievable: Improving my PowerPoint skills is instrumental in moving forward
in my career and receiving a better performance review. I can set time aside every
week to watch PowerPoint tutorials and even enroll in an online class that can teach
me new skills. I can also ask coworkers and my manager for PowerPoint tips.
Relevant: Working with PowerPoint is currently 25% of my job. As I move up in
the company, I’ll need to spend 50% of my time creating PowerPoint presentations. I
enjoy my career and want to continue to grow within this company.
Time-Bound: In six months, I should be proficient in PowerPoint ensuring it only
occupies 25% of my workload instead of the nearly 40% of the time it occupies now.
Once you go through and write your goals according to each S.M.A.R.T.
characteristic, you can then combine and consolidate all the work you’ve done into
one S.M.A.R.T. goal.
