What Are SMART Goals in Project Management?
In project management, SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives that guide project planning and execution. They ensure that teams are aligned and working toward achieving specific project outcomes within a set timeframe.
Sometimes called SMART objectives, SMART goals are used by project managers and leaders to create and communicate clear and measurable desired outcomes for people and projects.
These are the criteria for a SMART goal:
- Specific: The specifications are clear and exact.
- Measurable: The outcome can be quantified or measured.
- Achievable: The goal is realistic to achieve.
- Relevant: The goal relates to the goals of a particular project or the larger goals within an organization.
- Time-Bound: The goal includes a deadline or date by which success or failure will be determined.
SMART goals originated in the early 1980s to help individuals and organizations set clear and effective objectives. The term SMART is credited to George T. Doran, who published an article in Management Review in 1981 outlining the creation of goals that are specific, clear, measurable, relevant, and time-bound. Project managers adopted the concept to improve project planning and execution by creating clear and measurable objectives.
More recently, the concept of SMART goals has expanded with the development of OKRs (objectives and key results), which take the SMART framework and add a layer of specificity and focus on outcomes.
How Do SMART Goals Help Leaders Manage a Project?
SMART goals help teams manage a project by providing clear and measurable targets to work toward. This allows teams to align their efforts, track progress, and adjust course as needed to achieve their objectives within a given timeframe.
SMART goals can give project managers specific metrics to measure the success of their projects and teams at each phase and milestone. Keeping track of your goals over time can also help quantify improvements in processes across similar projects.
“SMART goals are a framework for defining, tracking, and achieving project goals. They help project managers ensure that the team is making progress toward their overall project objectives,” says Omer Usanmaz, CEO and Co-Founder of Qooper.
Why Are SMART Goals Important to Project Management?
SMART goals are important to project management because they provide clarity, focus, accountability, measurability, alignment, and time management. Most importantly, they increase the likelihood of project success.
“SMART goals are a great tool to help project teams stay focused and provide a clear roadmap for project success. SMART goals clearly communicate project expectations to stakeholders, which helps to align their efforts and ensure that everyone is working toward the same goal,” says Usanmaz.
These are some key reasons that SMART goals are important in project management:
- Clarity: SMART goals can help teams understand goals and how they are measured, making them easier to work toward.
- Scope Management:
- Focused goals help teams manage expanding requirements. “Scope creep can be dramatically reduced by comparing change requests to the SMART goals established at the outset and judging whether or not it meets goal criteria. If they do not, then change requests can be removed or deferred accordingly,” explains David OBrien, a project manager with more than 25 years in the industry.
- Focus: SMART goals can help prioritize or highlight the factors that are most important to project success.
- Accountability: Effective goal setting can establish accountability for specific tasks and objectives.
- Measurability: SMART goals allow teams to track progress and use real numbers, enabling them to report estimated future needs.
- Expectations Setting: SMART goals outline project expectations from the outset, making ongoing communication with stakeholders easier. “The project manager can communicate in a common language with the stakeholders with the full knowledge of the stakeholder's priorities,” says OBrien.
- Alignment: SMART goals align the efforts of the entire project team.
- Time Management: SMART goals aid in time management by setting clear end dates for measuring goal success.
- Increased Likelihood of Success: SMART goals help increase the likelihood of project success by providing a clear target for teams to work toward.
Project Management Smart Goals Examples
You can use SMART goals to help improve each stage of the project management lifecycle. Set goals to improve at every stage, from more thoughtful project planning to more effective project monitoring and forward-looking project closure.
We’ll expand on some SMART goals for each stage of the project management lifecycle in the sections below.
Example SMART Goal for the Project Initiation Phase
SMART goals for the project initiation phase should relate to organizing and collecting the information you’ll need to get your project started, and making that process simpler for future projects.
As an example, you might set a SMART goal for the initiation phase of improving the likelihood of early sponsor approval by submitting a comprehensive project charter within two weeks of every new project inception. You can achieve this by creating or using a project charter template that includes all the necessary information and by establishing a system of documenting this information for each project you begin.
- Specific: The goal is to increase the occurrence of stakeholder approval for new projects by using a comprehensive project charter template.
- Measurable: This goal is measurable because it will require fewer back-and-forth conversations and documents to satisfy the sponsor and get their approval.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable with the creation or use of a comprehensive project charter template.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because it will reduce the time spent in the project initiation phase and decrease the total timeline of the project overall.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time-bound, with two weeks to put together a charter for each new project.
Example SMART Goal for the Project Planning Phase
SMART goals for project planning should include comprehensive documentation of the expectations for a project, including timelines, budgets, project scope, and risk management. They should focus on effective planning strategies and build on successful projects from the past.
An example of a SMART goal for the planning phase is to create a project plan template that can be used in future projects to more accurately anticipate budget needs and timelines, outline project scopes, and identify potential risks.
- Specific: The goal is to create a customized project plan template that can be used to more accurately plan future projects.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable because we will be able to see how it functions over time as it is used on future projects.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable because many of these functions are already in place; it’s simply a matter of combining them into a single, shareable document.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because accurate project planning is important for project prioritization, company-wide budgeting, and overall project success.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time-bound as the customized project plan template must be completed and ready for use by the start of the next project.
Example SMART Goal for the Project Execution Phase
SMART goals for project execution should include processes that make it easier for the team to complete their project tasks. This might include creating more detailed project schedules or holding frequent check-ins with the team to discover blockers.
An example of a SMART goal for the project execution phase is to boost visibility by creating a Gantt project schedule that lists every project task, who it is assigned to, and which tasks are dependent.
- Specific: The goal is to create a project schedule that lists project tasks, dependencies, and assignees and that allows stakeholders to see a project’s status at a glance.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable because the goal is complete once the schedule has been created.
- Achievable: This goal is easily achievable with access to project management software or the use of a Gantt template.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because it will increase overall project visibility for team members and stakeholders.
- Time-Bound: The schedule must be completed before the tasks are assigned and the project begins.
Example SMART Goal for the Project Monitoring Phase
SMART goals for the project monitoring phase should focus on effective tracking of project progress. This might include regular updates, proactive changes to procedures, and unforeseen risk management strategies.
An example of a SMART goal for the monitoring phase is to establish a weekly project tracking process to check the accuracy of the project’s timeline and budget and update project documents to reflect the current reality.
- Specific: The goal is to make weekly checks of a project’s status and update the budget and timeline documents to reflect the current reality.
- Measurable: This goal is measurable because there will be a weekly record of updates to project documents when required.
- Achievable: This goal is easily achievable if the project manager makes time in their schedule to check the status and update project documents every week.
- Relevant: The project will allow stakeholders to check a project’s status at any time by referencing updated documents, freeing the project manager to complete other tasks.
- Time-Bound: This goal should be implemented when the project monitoring phase begins.
Example SMART Goal for the Project Closure Phase
SMART goals for project closure should center around the evaluation of success or failure, to document the lessons learned and ensure that project data is organized and accessible for future reference.
An example of a SMART goal for project closure is to hold a lessons learned meeting after the end of each project and to document those lessons so that they can be referenced by future teams on similar projects.
- Specific: The goal is to hold a lessons learned meeting after each project and ensure that those lessons are documented and stored for easy retrieval.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable because it is achieved when the meeting is concluded and the notes from the meeting are documented and stored.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable because the project manager can make time to learn how to hold a lessons learned meeting and how to document those lessons for future projects.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because it ensures that the knowledge gained through projects can be passed to teams on future projects, increasing their chance of success.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time-bound because a lessons learned meeting should be held within two weeks of the official end of a project.
SMART Goals for Project Management Cheat Sheet
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Use this SMART goals for project management cheat sheet to reference examples of SMART goals for each phase of project management lifecycle. Copy and paste to use these examples as is, or edit them directly in the template to customize them to your needs. This cheat sheet also includes a reminder of factors to consider when creating your own SMART goals for each phase of the project management lifecycle.
SMART Goals Template for Project Management
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Use this SMART goals template to outline your goals and ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This colorful template features plenty of space to write notes and includes helpful prompts for each SMART element to get you started thinking about your project goals. This template is fully customizable and can be used for project goals in all industries.
Download SMART Goals for Project Management Slide Template
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Use this SMART goals for project management slide template to easily present your SMART goals to the team. This colorful template includes space to describe all the elements of your SMART goal in one place, with a professional look and feel. This template is completely editable and customizable and can be used by project managers from any company.
How to Set SMART Goals as a Project Manager
To set SMART goals as a project manager, first identify your goal’s specific outcome. Ensure your goals are measurable, achievable, and relevant to your overall objectives. Finally, set a deadline to achieve them.
These are the steps that project managers can follow to set SMART goals for their team:
- Identify the Goal: State clearly what you would like to achieve with your goal. What is the desired outcome?
- Define Measurable Criteria: Determine the metrics you will use to measure the success or failure of your goal and track progress.
- Make Sure Your Goal Is Achievable: Review the resources you have available, and determine if your goal is achievable. If the resources are not available, see if there are other ways to achieve the goal in a satisfactory way.
- Ensure the Goal is Relevant to the Project's Overall Mission: Your goals should be related to current or completed projects, or be aligned with the overall goals of the organization.
- Set a Deadline to Meet the Goal: Choose when you will determine whether or not you have achieved the goal and measure its success.
- Adjust as Needed: Often, project managers can improve SMART goals and use them for similar projects down the line. “Don't be afraid to seek feedback from others,” suggests Usanmaz. “Stakeholders might have valuable insights that can help you choose more effective SMART goals.”
To learn more, read this all-inclusive guide to writing SMART goals.
Examples of SMART Goals for Project Managers
SMART goals for project managers should focus on process improvements, team building and management, and ensuring successful project completion. We’ll break down 16 different SMART goals for project managers below.
1. Increase Production Output: Our writing team will increase published article output by 10 percent this year by reducing the time spent in meetings and streamlining existing processes.
- Specific: The goal is to increase the number of articles published by 10 percent over the previous year by reducing meeting time and making processes more efficient.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable because the total output of each year is measurable.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable as long as we can redirect the team’s time from meetings and inefficient processes.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant as a 10 percent increase in output translates directly to increased profits for the company
- Time-Bound: This goal will be measured at the end of the year.
2. Improve the Reporting Process: The project manager will improve the project status reporting process by creating real-time dashboards that are accessible to stakeholders. This new process will be implemented during the planning phase of the next project.
- Specific: The goal is to improve the status reporting process by creating dashboards for each new project.
- Measurable: This goal’s progress can be measured by the time saved in responding to update requests and drafting status reports.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable using project management software or dashboard templates.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because it will save the project manager and stakeholders time that would otherwise be spent asking for and drafting status updates.
- Time-Bound: This goal will be completed during the planning phase of each successive project.
3. Develop the Skills of Team Members: The project manager will dedicate time to developing the skills of the people on the team. Senior employees will mentor a less experienced team member on a project at least once a year to improve the skills of newer employees.
- Specific: The goal is for senior employees to mentor newer team members to develop their skills and pass down legacy information.
- Measurable: This goal is measurable because the output of new employees performing specific processes can be tracked and compared to their starting point.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable by limiting the mentor relationships to one per year so as not to overwhelm more experienced team members.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because institutional knowledge will be lost without encouraging new employees to learn from existing ones.
- Time-Bound: This goal is time bound because each senior employee will mentor one new employee per year.
4. Try New Project Management Tools: Once per quarter, the project manager will try out a new time-saving technology tool or template. If the tool is successful in saving significant time, they will implement it into their processes going forward.
- Specific: The goal is to try out new technology or templates and see if they are worth implementing at scale.
- Measurable: This goal is measurable by trying one new tool or template per quarter.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable using free trials of new software and free project management templates from around the web.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because it helps the project manager stay up-to-date on the latest technology and practices, which can improve overall efficiency and productivity in project management.
- Time-Bound: This goal is time bound because the project manager has one quarter to try each new template or technology.
5. Perform a Process Audit: The project manager will perform an audit of all project process workflows once per year to ensure that they are efficient and remain necessary.
- Specific: The goal is to perform a process audit once per year.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable because the number of documented processes is known and can be checked off a list as they are completed.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable with help from a small team.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant to ensure that project teams are operating as efficiently as possible.
- Time-Bound: The audit occurs once per year.
6. Plan Regular Team-Building Events: The project manager will schedule quarterly events to aid in team building and cohesion.
- Specific: The goal is to plan and execute a team-building event once per quarter.
- Measurable: The goal is accomplished as each event occurs.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable with time and budget allotments for the event planner.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because more cohesive teams perform better on projects.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time bound and occurs once per quarter.
7. Find New Vendors or Business Partners: The project manager will identify and evaluate a new third-party vendor or agency to support the operations of their team by the end of the following quarter.
- Specific: The goal is to identify and evaluate a new vendor or agency to support the team in their operations.
- Measurable: It is measurable because the project manager will track the evaluation period against their requirements.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable because there are likely to be many vendors to choose from, and evaluating them is reasonable in the given time frame.
- Relevant: It is relevant because the team is currently overtaxed and can use an agency to free up time for more important tasks.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time bound to the end of the next quarter.
8. Increase Customer Satisfaction by Decreasing Business Response Time: Within the next quarter, the project manager will lead the customer service team in decreasing the response time to customer inquiries by 20% compared to the current average response time.
- Specific: The goal is to decrease the time between customer inquiry and employee response by at least 20 percent.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable by comparing the old and new average response times after changes have been implemented.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable using automated responses and by forwarding inquiries directly to support inboxes.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because current negative feedback from customers commonly touches on the length of time spent waiting for a response.
- Time-Bound: These new approaches will be implemented within the next quarter.
9. Reduce the Time the Team Spends in Meetings: The project manager will reduce the time each team member spends in meetings by 10 hours a month by the end of the month.
- Specific: The goal is to reduce the time the team spends in meetings by 10 hours per month.
- Measurable: The goal is easily measured by comparing the time spent in meetings at the beginning of the month to the time spent in meetings after changes have been implemented.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable by making more efficient use of existing meeting time to reduce the number of meetings needed.
- Relevant: It is relevant because the team is currently concerned with the amount of time each week they are spending in meetings rather than executing tasks.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time bound to the end of the month.
10. Improve the Efficiency of Team Meetings: The project manager will make weekly team meetings more efficient using a meeting agenda populated by the team with the most important topics. This change will go into effect starting with the next team meeting.
- Specific: The goal is to make the time spent in weekly team meetings more productive by using a meeting agenda that is built by the team for each meeting.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable because teams can compare the time spent deciding what to cover in each meeting before and after the agenda is implemented.
- Achievable: This goal is easily achievable by creating a shared document for team members to add agenda items to before each scheduled meeting.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because the team currently spends the first 10 minutes of each meeting fielding suggestions for what to cover in the meeting.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time bound because it will begin with the next scheduled team meeting.
11. Improve Team Communication and Collaboration: The project manager will increase the effectiveness of team communication by encouraging the use of an asynchronous communication tool and setting up regular individual check-ins by the end of the month.
- Specific: The goal is to increase the effectiveness of team communication.
- Measurable: This goal is measurable by tracking the number of team members actively using the new tool and attending check-ins.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable because there are many proven asynchronous tools to choose from, and it is easy to set up a regular check-in cadence based on the schedules of the team.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because it will improve collaboration among team members and decrease duplicated messaging across multiple platforms.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time bound because it needs to be completed by the end of the month.
12. Improve Team Productivity and Performance: The project manager will utilize the company’s new project management software to create a new task management system and improve the team’s productivity and performance on the next project.
- Specific: The goal is to increase the team’s productivity and performance on the next project by using a new project management tool.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable by comparing the amount of time spent on similar project phases and tasks before and after the implementation of the new tool.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable using new software already approved by the company to create automated task assignments and reminders.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because the company purchased this software to be used by project teams to increase their efficiency.
- Time-Bound: The new task management system must be set up before the start of the next project.
13. Achieve Project Goals Within Constraints: Within the next month, the project manager will create a risk management plan template that can be used to achieve project goals within constraints.
- Specific: The goal is to create a risk management plan template that can help the team achieve project goals within certain constraints.
- Measurable: This goal is measurable by comparing actual project needs to the constraints they are meant to stay within.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable using risk management plan templates and customizing them to meet the needs of the project.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because staying within constraints allows the company to more accurately forecast budget and scheduling needs.
- Time-Bound: The goal will be completed within the next month.
14. Stay Proactive to Mitigate Risks: The project manager will use a risk management plan and perform regular risk assessments during each project phase to anticipate and mitigate risks.
- Specific: The goal is to use risk assessments and a risk management plan to respond proactively to project risks.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable because the team can track the number of risks identified, the severity of each risk, and the effectiveness of the risk mitigation strategies implemented.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable because risk assessments and risk management plans are proven to help address risks early.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because mitigating risks saves time and money for the company in the long term.
- Time-Bound: The risk management plan must be completed at the beginning of each project, and risk assessments should occur at each new project phase.
15. Align Project Goals With Company Goals: The project manager will ensure that project goals are in line with leadership’s goals for the company by clearly outlining project goals with a project plan at the outset of each project.
- Specific: The goal is to create a project plan that outlines project goals and compares them to the company’s overall goals to ensure alignment.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable because the project manager will create an outline for each of the organization’s stated goals.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable if there is a firm understanding of organizational goals and a project plan that includes a clear goal statement.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because projects that align with company goals are more likely to have the support of leadership and are, therefore, more likely to succeed.
- Time-Bound: The project manager will create a goal statement and align it to company goals at the outset of each project.
16. Manage Stakeholder Expectations: The project manager will create a project communication plan during the planning phase of each project to establish the frequency and detail of communication with each project stakeholder.
- Specific: The goal is to create a project communication plan to help manage stakeholder expectations throughout each project phase.
- Measurable: The goal is measured by comparing feedback from stakeholders on previous projects to their feedback once the change is implemented.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable using a communication plan template and customizing it to the needs of the project.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because managing stakeholders’ expectations from the outset helps save time spent asking and answering questions related to a project’s status.
- Time-Bound: The project team creates the communication plan during the planning phase of each project.
SMART Goals for Project Managers Cheat Sheet
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This cheat sheet includes each of the 16 examples of SMART goals for project managers outlined in this article. Easily copy and paste these goals into your own documents for use in your work, and customize them to fit the needs of your project. This cheat sheet is completely editable, so you can use the examples as written or change them to reflect your own individual situation.
Examples of Professional Goals for Project Management
Many different kinds of professional goals can benefit those interested in expanding a career in project management. These include upgrading skills, executing high-impact projects, attending workshops, and more.
We’ll break down seven SMART goals to aid in professional advancement in the field of project management below:
1. Certify Your Project Management Skills: The project manager will complete one training class and become certified in a new project management software or skill by the end of the year.
- Specific: The goal is to complete a project management course and receive a certification.
- Measurable: The goal is measured by the completion of the skills course and passing the final certification exam.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable because numerous organizations offer project management training and certifications that are relevant to the organization.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because certifications serve as proof of expertise, which increases the trust of project teams and the likelihood of project success.
- Time-Bound: The goal needs to be completed by the end of the calendar year.
2. Work on Soft Skills and Improve Feedback From the Team: The project manager will raise their average employee feedback score by 20 percent on the next annual employee survey by improving their soft skills.
- Specific: The goal is to increase the project manager’s feedback score from team members by 20 percent on the next annual employee survey.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable by comparing last year’s score to this year’s and tracking the difference.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable by practicing soft skills such as proactive listening and building positive relationships with the team.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because teams that feel good about their project manager are more cohesive and communicate more effectively.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time bound to the next annual employee feedback survey.
3. Balance Employee Needs With Company Needs: During the planning phase, the project manager will create a shared calendar for the team that overlays each employee’s time away on the project schedule to help identify gaps and balance the team’s needs with the project’s needs.
- Specific: The goal is to create a shared calendar that overlays employee time away on the project schedule to identify when help might be needed to cover gaps.
- Measurable: The goal is measured by the creation of a shared calendar and project schedule.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable by using shared online calendars and project scheduling tools.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because creating this calendar system will help avoid situations when critical project tasks are required during an employee’s scheduled time away.
- Time-Bound: The schedule will be created during the project planning phase.
4. Execute High-Impact Projects: Before the next project kickoff, the project manager will identify and prioritize high-impact projects that align with the organization's strategic goals and have the most significant impact on the business as a whole.
- Specific: The project manager will identify and prioritize the projects with the highest impact on the business.
- Measurable: This goal is measurable using prioritization matrices to compare the priority of projects and their potential impact on the business.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable because project prioritization helps you rank potential projects in the order of whatever criteria you choose, including business impact.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because the project manager can ensure that resources are allocated to the projects that will have the most significant impact on the business as a whole.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time bound because it needs to be executed before the next project kickoff.
5. Deliver the Greatest Possible Value to the Business Within Your Role: Before the next annual employee review, the project manager will identify areas for improvement, set clear objectives, and implement best practices in their work to deliver the greatest possible value to the business.
- Specific: The goal is for the project manager to identify opportunities for improvement in their work and implement best practices to improve.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable by comparing metrics such as budget and schedule adherence, team feedback, and stakeholder satisfaction over time.
- Achievable: The goal is achievable by using a SWOT analysis to analyze the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in their role as a project manager and by working with leaders to improve in the areas identified.
- Relevant: This goal is relevant because proactively identifying areas of weakness and working toward improving them shows leadership that you are a valuable employee worth considering for advancement opportunities.
- Time-Bound: The project manager will complete this initiative before their next annual review.
6. Stay Up to Date on Industry News: The project manager will read five newsletters or articles each week about industry news to stay up to date on trends and best practices.
- Specific: The goal is to read newsletters and articles relating to industry news and best practices.
- Measurable: The goal is measurable by keeping track of the number of articles and newsletters read per week.
- Achievable: This goal is easily achievable by setting aside 15 minutes per day to find and read articles and newsletters around the web.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because keeping up to date on current industry news and best practices helps project managers stay informed and operate efficiently.
- Time-Bound: The goal is time bound to five articles weekly, repeating each week.
7. Attend Industry Workshops and Trade Shows: To ensure the project manager has an understanding of the newest industry software, skills, and best practices, they will attend a trade show each year and participate in two workshops while there.
- Specific: The goal is to attend an industry trade show and participate in skill classes or informational workshops.
- Measurable: The goal is measured by keeping track of trade shows and workshops attended each year.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable because there are numerous trade shows and workshops to choose from, many of which offer virtual attendance as well.
- Relevant: The goal is relevant because trade shows and workshops are some of the best places to discover cutting-edge technology and new processes related to your industry.
- Time-Bound: The goal will be achieved each year before the end of the calendar year.
SMART Goals vs. SMART Objectives in Project Management
SMART goals and SMART objectives are often used interchangeably, but objectives are more specific and related to specific project deliverables, while goals are broader and relate to overall project success.
An example of a SMART goal might be to reduce the time required for overall planning of the next marketing campaign by one week. An example of a SMART objective might be to reduce the time required to write a marketing campaign project plan to five days.
Project Management SMART Goals Tips and Best Practices
There are several best practices for creating SMART goals in project management that are proven to be effective. For example, keep goals focused, communicate goals to the team, and review ongoing goals.
Here are some best practices and proven tips on setting SMART goals for project managers, from experts:
- Keep Goals Focused: Use the SMART framework as a guide when writing your goals. Keep them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound to ensure that they are as focused as possible. “Focus on one part of the SMART acronym at a time. I like to focus on 'time' first. Once the project becomes time bound, then we can get more specific with the requirements and make them measurable. Do not be too rigid in your approach,” advises OBrien.
- Communicate Your Goals: Part of creating goals is sharing them with the team. Sharing goals with others will help keep you and your team accountable.
- Review Ongoing Goals: Some SMART goals are ongoing, meaning they should be achieved regularly, month after month or year after year. Andrew Lokenauth, Founder of Fluent in Finance, encourages project managers to review their ongoing goals and make sure they still align with the overall goals of the company. “Ensure each goal is aligned with the overall project vision and is relevant to the organization's needs. Use data and previous experiences to inform decision-making, and constantly evaluate and adjust goals as necessary,” he says.
- Adjust as Needed: Sometimes, you might discover that a goal was unrealistic or your time frame was too long or too short. Don’t be afraid to revise your goals as needed so that they are achievable within the set parameters. “For example, if the time frame does not allow for the scope, do not be afraid to ask what the stakeholders priorities are: time or scope. One may have to adjust to meet the other. In the end, the project must be realistic in order to be attainable,” explains OBrien.
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