Project Management Framework
Initiation - Objectives (SMART)
Definition
Objectives are concrete statements describing what the project is trying to achieve. Objectives should be written at a low level so that they can be evaluated at the conclusion of a project to determine if they were achieved. While goal statements are designed to be vague, a well-worded objective will be Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART).
Specific: An objective should address a specific target or accomplishment.
Measurable: Establishe a metric that indicates that an objective has been met.
Attainable: If an objective cannot be achieved, then it's probably a goal.
Realistic: Limit objectives to what can realistically be done with available resources.
Time-bound: Achieve objectives within a specified time frame.
Objectives written for a goal statement are nothing more than a deconstruction of the goal statement into a set of necessary and sufficient objective statements. That is, every objective must be accomplished to reach the goal, and no objective is superfluous.
Why is this important?
Objectives are important because they establish a consensus of agreement between the project provider and the project requestor regarding the project outcome. The specific deliverables of an IT project, for instance, may or may not make sense to the project sponsor. However, the objectives should be written so they are understandable by all of the project stakeholders.
Instruction
Before the project starts, define and agree on the project objective and the business goals they define. The deliverables of the project are created based on the objectives - not the other way around. A facilitated meeting between all major stakeholders is a good way to create the objectives and gain a consensus on them at the same time. Use the SMART acronym when developing objectives and at a minimum, make sure each objective contains four parts, as follows:
- An outcome - describe what the project will accomplish
- A time frame - the expected completion date
- A measure - metric(s) that will measure success
- An action - how to meet the objective
How to scale
Generally speaking, the number of objectives comes down to how much business investment is going to be made in pursuing the project's goals. High investment projects generally have many objectives. Low investment projects must be more modest in the objectives they pursue. There is considerable discretion in how granular a project manager may get in defining objectives. High-level objectives generally need a more detailed explanation and often lead to more definition in the project's deliverables to obtain the objective. Lower level, detailed objectives tend to require less descriptive narrative and deconstruct into fewer deliverables to obtain.
Related Links:
Objectives Examples
Checklists