What are SMART Goals, Objectives and Targets?

Goals, objectives and targets should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). Your indicators help you tell whether your goals, objectives and targets are SMART.

As a reminder:
• Goals are a prioritized list of areas of focus that are key in moving closer to realizing the vision and mission within the timeframe of the strategic plan.
• Objectives or Outcomes are a description of the accumulated desired results over the next 3 to 5 years that will be required in order to achieve your goals.
• Targets or Benchmarks are the desired change expected for each objective, usually expressed as a quantitative measurement.
• Indicators are what you measure to assess progress towards the target and objective. These can be quantitative (number, percentage, ratio) or qualitative (perception, opinion, level of satisfaction).

How do you ensure that your goals, objectives and targets are SMART? Ask these questions:

1. Are they specific? What do you hope to achieve, how are you going to do it and why are you doing it? Have you articulated what you plan to do clearly enough that anyone with a basic knowledge of your organisation can understand what you have set out to achieve?
2. Are they measurable? What tangible evidence will you have that you have accomplished what you set out to do?
3. Are they achievable? Goals, objectives and targets should be challenging but not impossible. They should be within the scope of your organisation’s activities, and your organisation should possess the knowledge, abilities and resources to achieve them.
4. Are they relevant? Are your goals, objectives and targets clearly tied to your organisation’s area of expertise and activity?
5. Are they time-bound? You should define the timeframe within which you expect to achieve your goals, objectives and targets. Your timeframe should create a sense of practical urgency.