SMART criteria

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Illustration of the meaning of the SMART acronym Smart criteria.svg
Illustration of the meaning of the SMART acronym

S.M.A.R.T. (or SMART) is an acronym used as a mnemonic device to establish criteria for effective goal-setting and objective development. This framework is commonly applied in various fields, including project management, employee performance management, and personal development. The term was first proposed by George T. Doran in the November 1981 issue of Management Review, [1] where he advocated for setting objectives that are specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and time-bound—hence the acronym S.M.A.R.T.

Contents

Since its inception, the SMART framework has evolved, leading to the emergence of different variations of the acronym. Commonly used versions incorporate alternative words, including attainable, relevant, and timely. Additionally, several authors have introduced supplementary letters to the acronym. [2] For instance, some refer to SMARTS goals, which include the element of "self-defined", while others utilize SMARTER goals. [3]

Proponents of SMART objectives argue that these criteria facilitate a clear framework for goal setting and evaluation, applicable across various contexts such as business (between employee and employer) and sports (between athlete and coach). This framework enables the individual setting the goal to have a precise understanding of the expected outcomes, while the evaluator has concrete criteria for assessment. The SMART acronym is linked to Peter Drucker's management by objectives (MBO) concept, illustrating its foundational role in strategic planning and performance management. [4]

History

In the November 1981 issue of Management Review (AMA Forum), George T. Doran's paper titled "There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives" introduces a framework for setting management objectives, emphasizing the importance of clear goals. [1] [5] [6] The S.M.A.R.T. criteria he proposes are as follows:

Doran clarifies that it's not always feasible to quantify objectives at all management levels, particularly for middle-management roles. He argues for the value in balancing quantifiable objectives with more abstract goals to formulate a comprehensive action plan. This emphasizes the integration of objectives with their execution plans as the foundation of effective management.

Common usage

S.M.A.R.T. goals and objectives are key concepts in planning and project management. The acronym, while consistently used, applies differently to goals and objectives. Goals define the broad outcomes intended from a project or assignment, and objectives specify the actionable steps aimed at achieving these outcomes [7] .There is acknowledgment of some variation in the application of the framework, reflecting a range of interpretations in practice.

LetterMost commonAlternative
SSpecific [a] (Strategic and specific) [19]
MMeasurable [a] [19]
AAchievable [b] or attainable [c] Assignable [1] (original definition), Agreed, [10] action-oriented, [9] ambitious, [13] (agreed, attainable and achievable), [18] aggressive [20]
RRelevant [d] Realistic, [e] reasonable, [9] (realistic and resourced), [18] results-based [19]
TTime-bound [f] Time-based, [14] time-oriented, time-limited, [16] time/cost limited, [10] timely, [9] time-sensitive, [15] timeframe [17]

Effectiveness

Research suggests that the effectiveness of the SMART goal-setting framework can vary depending on the context in which it is applied, indicating that its universal application might not always yield effective outcomes. [21]

Career goals

A Michigan State University Extension study highlighted the effectiveness of the SMART goal-setting approach. It showed that individuals who wrote down their goals and outlined action steps had a 76% success rate in achieving them, especially when they shared weekly updates with a friend. This was compared to a 43% success rate for those who didn't document their goals, indicating an advantage to the structured approach of SMART goal-setting. [22]

Physical activity

A review of literature indicates mixed effectiveness of the SMART acronym for increasing physical activity. [23] Criticisms focus on its lack of scientific basis and empirical support, suggesting non-specific, open-ended goals might be more beneficial for some individuals. Research indicates that vague or challenging goals could be more effective than specific ones for increasing physical activity. Swann et al. highlight the original SMART framework's absence of theoretical or empirical foundation, contrasting with broader goal-setting research. [3]

Variations

The SMART framework has been expanded by some authors to include additional criteria, enhancing its versatility and application. Examples of these extensions are:

Alternative acronyms

Other mnemonic acronyms (or contractions) also give criteria to guide in the setting of objectives.

See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

Project management is the process of supervising the work of a team to achieve all project goals within the given constraints. This information is usually described in project documentation, created at the beginning of the development process. The primary constraints are scope, time and budget. The secondary challenge is to optimize the allocation of necessary inputs and apply them to meet predefined objectives.

A project is a type of assignment, typically involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a specific objective.

A performance appraisal, also referred to as a performance review, performance evaluation, (career) development discussion, or employee appraisal, sometimes shortened to "PA", is a periodic and systematic process whereby the job performance of an employee is documented and evaluated. This is done after employees are trained about work and settle into their jobs. Performance appraisals are a part of career development and consist of regular reviews of employee performance within organizations.

Management by objectives (MBO), also known as management by planning (MBP), was first popularized by Peter Drucker in his 1954 book The Practice of Management. Management by objectives is the process of defining specific objectives within an organization that management can convey to organization members, then deciding how to achieve each objective in sequence. This process allows managers to take work that needs to be done one step at a time to allow for a calm, yet productive work environment. In this system of management, individual goals are synchronized with the goals of the organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Business performance management</span> Processes to bring output into alignment with goals

Business performance management (BPM) is a management approach which encompasses a set of processes and analytical tools to ensure that an organization's activities and output are aligned with its goals. BPM is associated with business process management, a larger framework managing organizational processes.

Goal setting involves the development of an action plan designed in order to motivate and guide a person or group toward a goal. Goals are more deliberate than desires and momentary intentions. Therefore, setting goals means that a person has committed thought, emotion, and behavior towards attaining the goal. In doing so, the goal setter has established a desired future state which differs from their current state thus creating a mismatch which in turn spurs future actions. Goal setting can be guided by goal-setting criteria such as SMART criteria. Goal setting is a major component of personal-development and management literature. Studies by Edwin A. Locke and his colleagues, most notably, Gary Latham have shown that more specific and ambitious goals lead to more performance improvement than easy or general goals. Difficult goals should be set ideally at the 90th percentile of performance, assuming that motivation and not ability is limiting attainment of that level of performance. As long as the person accepts the goal, has the ability to attain it, and does not have conflicting goals, there is a positive linear relationship between goal difficulty and task performance.

A business case captures the reasoning for initiating a project or task. Many projects, but not all, are initiated by using a business case. It is often presented in a well-structured written document, but may also come in the form of a short verbal agreement or presentation. The logic of the business case is that, whenever resources such as money or effort are consumed, they should be in support of a specific business need. An example could be that a software upgrade might improve system performance, but the "business case" is that better performance would improve customer satisfaction, require less task processing time, or reduce system maintenance costs. A compelling business case adequately captures both the quantifiable and non-quantifiable characteristics of a proposed project. According to the Project Management Institute, a business case is a "value proposition for a proposed project that may include financial and nonfinancial benefit."

Organizational effectiveness is a concept organizations use to gauge how effective they are at reaching intended outcomes. Organizational effectiveness is both powerful and problematic term. The strength of it is that it may be used to critically evaluate and improve organisational activities. It is problematic since it means various things to different individuals. And there are other alternative methods for measuring organizational performance. Organizational effectiveness embodies the degree to which firms achieve the goals they have decided upon, a question that draws on several different factors. Among those are talent management, leadership development, organization design and structure, design of measurements and scorecards, implementation of change and transformation, deploying smart processes and smart technology to manage the firm's human capital and the formulation of the broader Human Resources agenda.

Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes. Internal auditing might achieve this goal by providing insight and recommendations based on analyses and assessments of data and business processes. With commitment to integrity and accountability, internal auditing provides value to governing bodies and senior management as an objective source of independent advice. Professionals called internal auditors are employed by organizations to perform the internal auditing activity.

Strategic communication can mean either communicating a concept, a process, or data that satisfies a long-term strategic goal of an organization by allowing the facilitation of advanced planning or communicating over long distances, usually using international telecommunications or dedicated global network assets to coordinate actions and activities of operationally significant commercial, non-commercial, and military business or combat and logistic subunits. It can also mean the related function within an organization, which handles internal and external communication processes. Strategic communication can also be used for political warfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Participatory impact pathways analysis</span>

Participatory impact pathways analysis (PIPA) is a project management approach in which the participants in a project, including project staff, key stakeholders, and the ultimate beneficiaries, together co-construct their program theory.

A goal or objective is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan, and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enterprise Architecture Assessment Framework</span>

The Enterprise Architecture Assessment Framework (EAAF) was created by the US Federal government Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to allow federal agencies to assess and report their enterprise architecture activity and maturity, and advance the use of enterprise architecture in the federal government.

Strategy implementation is the activities within a workplace or organisation designed to manage the activities associated with the delivery of a strategic plan.

In business, operational objectives are short-term goals whose achievement brings an organization closer to its long-term goals. It is slightly different from strategic objectives, which are longer term goals of a business, but they are closely related, as a business will only be able to achieve strategic objectives when operational objectives have been met. Operational objectives are usually set by middle managers for the next six to twelve months based on an organisation's aim. They should be attainable and specific so that they can provide a clear guidance for daily functioning of certain operations. This business term is typically used in the context of strategic management and operational planning.

Smart may refer to a high level of intelligence or "street smarts".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theory of Change</span> A theory of how a social policy or program is thought to work

A theory of change (ToC) is an explicit theory of how and why it is thought that a social policy or program activities lead to outcomes and impacts. ToCs are used in the design of programs and program evaluation, across a range of policy areas.

The agreement on objectives is an agreement concerning the goals to be achieved by the employee. It is a motivational technique and standardly used in field service and in project work, but also in other areas. Besides trade and industry, it is also increasingly used in public administration.

Objectives and key results is a goal-setting framework used by individuals, teams, and organizations to define measurable goals and track their outcomes. The development of OKR is generally attributed to Andrew Grove who introduced the approach to Intel in the 1970s and documented the framework in his 1983 book High Output Management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OGSM</span> Goal setting and action plan framework

Objectives, goals, strategies and measures (OGSM) is a goal setting and action plan framework used in strategic planning. It is used by organizations, departments, teams and sometimes program managers to define and track measurable goals and actions to achieve an objective. Documenting your goals, strategies and actions all on one page gives insights that can be missing with other frameworks. It defines the measures that will be followed to ensure that goals are met and helps groups work together toward common objectives, across functions, geographical distance and throughout the organization. OGSM's origins can be traced back to Japan in the 1950s, stemming from the process and strategy work developed during the occupation of Japan in the post-World War II period. It has since been adopted by many Fortune 500 companies. In particular, Procter & Gamble uses the process to align the direction of their multinational corporation around the globe.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Doran, G. T. (1981). "There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives" (PDF). Management Review. 70 (11): 35–36.
  2. ↑ "A Brief History of SMART Goals". Project Smart. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 2022-07-08.
  3. 1 2 Swann, Christian; Hooper, Andrew; Schweickle, Matthew J.; Peoples, Gregory; Mullan, Judy; Hutto, Daniel; Allen, Mark S.; Vella, Stewart A. (2020-03-01). "Comparing the effects of goal types in a walking session with healthy adults: Preliminary evidence for open goals in physical activity". Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 47: 101475. doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.01.003. ISSN   1469-0292. S2CID   149646978.
  4. ↑ Bogue, Robert (25 April 2005). "Use S.M.A.R.T. goals to launch management by objectives plan". TechRepublic. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write managements's goals and objectives" (PDF). temple.edu. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  6. ↑ Why SMART objectives don't work.
  7. ↑ SAMHSA Native Connections. "Setting Goals and Developing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound Objectives" (PDF). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Yemm, Graham (2013). Essential Guide to Leading Your Team: How to Set Goals, Measure Performance and Reward Talent. Pearson Education. pp. 37–39. ISBN   978-0-273-77244-6 . Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Piskurich, George M. (2011). Rapid Instructional Design: Learning ID Fast and Right. John Wiley & Sons. p. 132. ISBN   978-1-118-04692-0 . Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Richman, Larry (2011). Improving Your Project Management Skills. AMACOM Division of American Management Association. p. 65. ISBN   978-0-8144-1729-4 . Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Frey, Bruno S.; Osterloh, Margit (2002). Successful Management by Motivation : Balancing Intrinsic and Extrinsic Incentives. Springer. p. 234. ISBN   978-3-540-42401-7 . Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Lawler, John; Bilson, Andy (2013). Social Work Management and Leadership : Managing Complexity with Creativity. Routledge. pp. 84–85. ISBN   978-1-135-24705-8 . Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Poister, Theodore H. (2008). Measuring Performance in Public and Nonprofit Organizations. John Wiley & Sons. p. 63. ISBN   978-0-470-36517-5 . Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Ryals, Lynette; McDonald, Malcolm (2012). Key Account Plans: The practitioners' guide to profitable planning. Routledge. p. 268. ISBN   978-1-136-39065-4 . Retrieved 2013-07-14.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Shahin, Arash; Mahbod, M. Ali (2004). "Prioritization of key performance indicators: An integration of analytical hierarchy process and goal setting". International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. 56 (3): 226–240. doi:10.1108/17410400710731437.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Siegert, Richard J; Taylor, William J (2004). "Theoretical aspects of goal-setting and motivation in rehabilitation". Disability & Rehabilitation. 26 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1080/09638280410001644932. PMID   14660192. S2CID   23648910.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 Dwyer, Judith; Hopwood, Nicole (2010). Management Strategies and Skills. McGraw-Hill. ISBN   978-0-07-027767-0.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "SMART objectives". Investors in People. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 O'Neil, Jan; Conzemius, Anne (2006). The Power of SMART Goals: Using Goals to Improve Student Learning. Solution Tree Press. p. 33. ISBN   978-1-932127-87-4.
  20. ↑ "Goal Setting For Life" (PDF).
  21. ↑ Bjerke, May Britt; Renger, Ralph (2017) [April 2017]. "Being smart about writing SMART objectives". Evaluation and Program Planning. 61: 125–127. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.12.009. ISSN   1873-7870. PMID   28056403. S2CID   207569599.
  22. ↑ "Achieving your goals: An evidence-based approach". MSU Extension. 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  23. ↑ Swann, Christian; Jackman, Patricia C.; Lawrence, Alex; Hawkins, Rebecca M.; Goddard, Scott G.; Williamson, Ollie; Schweickle, Matthew J.; Vella, Stewart A.; Rosenbaum, Simon; Ekkekakis, Panteleimon (2022-01-31). "The (over)use of SMART goals for physical activity promotion: A narrative review and critique". Health Psychology Review. 17 (2): 211–226. doi: 10.1080/17437199.2021.2023608 . ISSN   1743-7199. PMID   35094640. S2CID   246429452.
  24. ↑ Brian Mac. "Goal Setting". Brian Mac Sports Coach. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  25. ↑ Pinkett, Randal (7 March 2023). Data-Driven DEI: The Tools and Metrics You Need to Measure, Analyze, and Improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. John Wiley & Sons. p. 142. ISBN   978-1-119-85692-4 . Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  26. ↑ Knips, Andrew; Lopez, Sonya; Savoy, Michael; LaParo, Kendall (6 October 2022). Equity in Data: A Framework for What Counts in Schools. ASCD. ISBN   978-1-4166-3141-5 . Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  27. ↑ SMARTA Objectives
  28. ↑ Atkinson, Marilyn; Chois, Rae T. (2012). Step-by-Step Coaching. Exalon Publishing, LTD. ISBN   978-0-9783704-5-9.
  29. ↑ Brown, Quisha (2021). Racial Equity Lens Logic Model & Theory of Change: A Step-by-Step Guide to Help Organizations Become More Confident in Their Ability to Demonstrate Outcomes. Monee, IL: Independently Published. p. 28. ISBN   979-8-5727-2127-0.
  30. ↑ "Forget SMART Goals -- Try CLEAR Goals Instead". 2015-01-03.
  31. 1 2 "Goal Setting - Are Your Goals SMART PURE and CLEAR". February 2012. Archived from the original on 2019-06-02. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  32. ↑ "Successful Delegation: Using the Power of Other People" (PDF). Academic Learning Network NZ. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-02-18. Retrieved 2019-02-17.
  33. ↑ "How to Assign Tasks Using a Simple Tool - CPQQRT". Mining Man. 2010-09-30.
  34. ↑ Chowdhury, Madhuleena Roy (June 15, 2021). "The Science & Psychology of Goal-Setting 101".
  35. ↑ Sull, Donald (2018-06-05). "With Goals, FAST beats SMART". MIT Sloan Management Review.
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