SMART OBJECTIVES

By Marius GAITAN - EUROPROIECT ESTATE

Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at less than 60 % of their
potential.

What are SMART objectives?

We always need to have objectives both in our private and business life and in project too. However,
to be effective these objectives need to have a chance to succeed – they need to be SMART objectives.
To demonstrate the development of SMART objectives, I have invented a list of possible objectives, which we
are going to evaluate.

1. To increase output as much as possible

2. To reduce accidents
3. To increase output by 60%
4. To improve performance by sacking anyone who shows a bad attitude
5. To reduce accidents by 10% over the next 6 months
6. To increase output by 1% over the next year
7. To reduce costs by 50% over the next 6 months

There are numerous methods to evaluate objectives. We need to identify the real objectives and
discard those that are merely statements. A perfect objective is rare but it should perform well
against the requirements of the SMART test. SMART OBJECTIVES ARE . .

S PECIFIC If an objective is precise then there is only one way in

which it can be interpreted.
M EASURABLE In other words, can the success or otherwise of achieving
the objective be measured as we proceed?
This is not always easy to achieve as sometimes we have
to wait to the end to be able to measure.
A CCEPTABLE This means acceptable to the organization, the people that
have to do it or society in general.
Of course, this would include illegal acts or anything that
is morally or ethically unacceptable.
R EALISTIC In other words is it possible to do it. Of course, you need
to know the subject and the problems well to make this
judgment and this is why so many senior management
T IME 5, 6 and 7 have times allocated. The rest no.

You will be amazed how effective this type of evaluation can be. Try it yourself.