engineering-management

SMART Objectives

SMART is a mnemonic/acronym, giving criteria to guide in the setting of objectives, for example in project management, performance monitoring, and personal development.

Smart

• Specific: target one area clearly and precisely.
• Measurable: quantify progress toward success by using metrics.
• Actionable: ready to start and possible to accomplish.
• Relevant: connected to what else is being done, considered, and resourced.
• Timely: occurring at a favourable or useful time and opportune.

The principal advantage of SMART objectives is that they are easier to understand and to know when they have been done.

These criteria don’t say that all objectives must be quantified on all levels of management. In certain situations it is not realistic to attempt quantification, particularly in staff middle-management positions. Practicing managers and corporations can lose the benefit of a more abstract objective in order to gain quantification. It is the combination of the objective and its action plan that is really important. Therefore serious management should focus on these twins and not just the objective.

SMART criteria are commonly associated with Peter Drucker’s management by objectives concept.

Often the term SMART Goals and SMART Objectives will surface:

• SMART Goals are the distinct purpose that is to be anticipated from the assignment or project.
• SMART Objectives are the determined steps that will direct full completion of the project goals.

Alternative acronum words:

• S: Specific, Strategic
• M: Measurable, Motivating
• A: Actionable, Achievable, Assignable, Attainable, Agreed, Ambitious, Aligned
• R: Relevant, Realistic, Resourced, Reasonable, Results-based
• T: Timely, Timeframe, Time-boxed, Trackable, Testable

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