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 organised and run a continuous test programmer throughout the project.
The acronym SMART has several slightly different variations, which can be used to provide a more comprehensive definition of 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, time-bound, timely, tangible, traceable
This broader definition 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.
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
- Find out when you have achieved your goal
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
Download free SMARTER Goals template