By Nicolai Mossing Madsen Show
To assist managers when formulating effective project goals, Doran first presented The SMART Goal Framework in 1981. The framework has since gained substantial support and is considered the golden standard within goal
setting[2]. It is widely utilized and popular as it is an easily applicable, clear, simple, and valuable framework for managing and setting up goals that give a focused
direction[4][5]. The framework facilitates goal setting and enables project managers to clearly define and
understand the project goal, as well as easily communicate the project goal to stakeholders. This allows them to ensure that the goal is the right one and move the project in the right direction. However, the acronym SMART has many different interpretations, which have evoked a rising resistance towards the framework within the field of project
management[6]. This article aims to explain the SMART Goal Framework and its application to project managers and participants, thereby enabling them to apply it to their projects and formulate effective project goals that benefit their projects. The article will give an in-depth explanation of the SMART Goal Framework, in which the framework itself and the idea behind it will be explained. The article will also provide the reader with an explanation of how to use the framework, a step-guide process, and a relating template will be provided. Finally, a critical reflection upon the framework is presented where limitations and benefits are discussed briefly. Contents
Goals and the SMART Goal FrameworkIn this article, the terms goal and objective will be used interchangeably as the article will have a practical viewpoint, and the author of the article shares the SMART Goal Framework's founder's view. In the article "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and
Objectives"[8], the founder Doran does not find it necessary to distinguish between the terms from a practical viewpoint and clarifies that goals and objectives for some organizations are synonyms, for others goals are short-term and objectives are long-term, and for some, the opposite is the case. Doran
still stresses the importance of agreement on the two terms within the organization, especially at the executive level, but further emphasizes that the framework can be utilized on both terms.[8] Goals and Goal SettingGoals are widely used as 95% of all organizations employees set goals[10]. Researchers generally define a goal as: "the desired end-result of an action that is expected to be achieved at some specified time in the future, and toward which all effort and essential resources are committed to achieving"[2]. Goals can be long-term or short-term[8], create a direction for the project management process, and researchers agree that projects without a well-formulated goal lack purpose and accountability.[2] Similarly, proper usage of project goals provides increased motivation and performance[11], whereas poor use badly affects the planning and ultimately leads to frustrations, rework, and waste[12]. Thus, today's managers widely accept goal setting as a means to improve and sustain performance[13]. The setting of goals involves developing an action plan to guide and motivate people towards an
end-result[13]. Goal setting theory has its domain within purposeful and directed actions and focuses on why some people perform better on tasks than
others[14]. Locke derives goal setting theory from Aristotle's form of final causality, in which Aristotle speculated that purpose causes
action[13]. Locke published the first article on the subject in 1968 called "Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and
Incentives"[11], where he emphasizes that specific and challenging goals with proper feedback contribute to better task performance, showcasing that goal setting is linked to task performance.
Altogether the research within goal setting agrees that specific and challenging goals enhance performance, and Locke and Latham state: "So long as a person is committed to the goal, has the requisite ability to attain it, and does not have conflicting goals, there is a positive, linear relationship between goal difficulty and task performance"[16]. Illustrating the key finding that individuals with specific and attainable but challenging goals outperform individuals with nonspecific and easy goals[13]. The SMART Goal FrameworkThe importance of having an effective goal has been illuminated, and all project and projects managers face the problem of formulating appropriate project goals. Consequently, goals and goal setting
are vital for project management because studies have shown that effective project goals will enhance project performance[2]. The SMART Goal Framework seeks to help solve this problem by facilitating goal setting where an effective project goal that is clear and commonly understood is defined. This
ensures that the project goal moves the project in the right direction and secures that the goal is the right one for the project. The SMART Goal Framework builds upon the idea of "Management by Objectives", popularized by Drucker in "The Practice of Management"[18]; it is the idea of defining objectives within an organization to increase performance. The SMART Goal Framework itself is first presented in Doran's article from 1981 called "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives"[8], where Doran specifies that managers are confused by all the verbiage they face when writing goals. Doran presents the SMART acronym as a helping hand for managers when writing goals to ensure they are effective. Thus, the SMART Goal Framework's core purpose is to guide and help managers formulate effective goals. According to Doran, for a goal to be effective, it should be SMART; thus:
Doran clarifies that every goal will not consist of all five criteria. Still, the closer one gets, the smarter will the goal be. Furthermore, Doran emphasizes the need for adjusting the SMART Goal Framework to the project's organization, scope, and purpose since it is the combination of the goal and its action plan that is important. Therefore, should serious management focus on these and not exclusively on the goal. Lastly, Doran extended his view away from solely looking at the goal's mechanism to investigate the goal's behavioral context and acknowledged that people failed to reach the goal because of behavioral elements and not their scope.[8] The SMART Goal Framework has gained substantial support; however, the acronym has been subject to modification. The most common and most used modification is seen below and visualized in Figure 1.
This acronym represents the current state-of-the-art and builds upon the idea of Doran[6]. Using the SMART Goal Framework, managers will formulate effective goals if they remember that these should follow the SMART criteria. Table 1 explains each criterion with descriptions of their characteristics, guidance questions, and an example. It builds on Meyer's description of these in his book "Attitude is everything!: If you want to succeed above and beyond"[19]. Table 1: Explanation of each SMART criteria
Application of the SMART Goal FrameworkThe SMART Goal Framework can be used throughout the project management process and is mostly applied in the planning, performance management, and monitoring phase[7]. Clear and
effective goals are crucial for proper project governance[20], but the framework's applicability is most evident in project management's planning
phase. Project Management Institute, Inc. provides the following introduction to the planning phase in "Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge": "The Planning Process Group consists of those processes that establish the total scope of the effort, define and fine and refine the objectives, and develop the course of action required to attain those
objectives"[21], highlighting that goals final defining are made in the planning phase. Project goals help clarify and concretize the project purpose by assisting in defining a clear project scope and goals is pivotal input into the planning process. Accordingly, the SMART Goal Framework
should be utilized in this phase to ensure effective goal setting. Prerequisites for Using the SMART Goal FrameworkWhen applying the SMART Goal Framework, there are important prerequisites needed to harvest its benefits. The framework must be adjusted to the organization and the project[8], since organizations that rigidly adhere to the traditional approach by not setting goals in relation to the competitive environment and do not adjust it may be driven in the wrong direction[22]. Furthermore, the framework should only be applied in a certain environment since managing SMART goals when technology, demand, and competitors relentlessly shift is complex. Goals are needed in such environments to foster new ideas and experimentations; other goal setting strategies are more suitable here. Moreover, when the organization can shape its environment, the SMART Goal Framework may not be applicable.[22] In such situations, goals should be ambitious, broadly scoped, and externally oriented; the FAST goal framework[10] can be utilized in this regard. Also, is it the author's opinion that the project scope needs to be clearly defined. If the project scope is not clear, the framework's criteria will be tough to follow; for example, will it be challenging to be specific about what the project aims to accomplish and how it can be measured will consecutively be hard to define. Best Practices When Applying the SMART Goal FrameworkFor reaping the framework's benefits fully, one should follow some best practices. First, Doran stresses that goals do not have to possess all five
criteria[8] and that goals must be set with the environment in mind[22]. Second, one needs to keep the bigger
picture in mind; it eases breaking down the goal. Upon breaking down the goal, one can start to be specific and pay attention to details; otherwise, the goal will not be clear. Third, involving the project team and stakeholders is beneficial as multiple perspectives are uncovered and involved. Here, one should ask many questions to gain transparency and a high level of commitment. Fourth, performing regular checkups and get feedback is crucial to ensure effective goal management. Fifth,
following the acronym's order is not required; it is sometimes beneficial to investigate whether it is relevant before exploring and defining how to measure the progress. Nevertheless, a systematic approach is recommendable as the more structured the process is, the easier it will be to progress, track the process, and write document decisions. Multiple templates and worksheets exist to obtain a structured
approach.[23] The author of this article has developed a step-guide process with an accompanying template based on the significantly large amount of literature and templates on applying the SMART Goal Framework, and the best practices presented, each criterion's characteristics, as well as Ogbeiwi's critic. The aim is to gather the best from the literature and combine it into a simple and easily understood step-guide applicable to the reader. For the purpose of easing the use, it has been chosen to add a supporting template. Step-guide and Template for Utilizing the SMART Goal FrameworkThe step-guide proposed is a way for the reader to be conscious of a more structured approach when utilizing the SMART Goal Framework. The template is a working document used throughout the process and works as documentation for all the steps. The two combined will help the intended audience reach an effective goal that is clear and commonly understood. An illustration of the process is below on the left, Figure 2, and the template on the right, Figure 3. Afterwards, a table with each step and a description of the steps is found, Table 2. Figure 2: An illustration of the step-guide process for the SMART Goal Framework. Own creation. Figure 3: A template to accompanying the SMART Goal Framework process to formulate the SMART goal. Own creation. Table 2: Description of each step in the process suggested when applying the SMART Goal Framework
Common Mistakes When Applying the SMART Goal FrameworkIt is essential to be aware of and investigate the most common mistakes when using the SMART Goal Framework to ensure they are not repeated. Daudkhane presents common mistakes as to why SMART goals fail in the article "Why SMART Goals are not 'Smart'
enough?"[13]; these are generally accepted throughout the literature and seen in Table 3.
Benefits and Limitations of the SMART Goal FrameworkLimitationsThe SMART Goal Framework's wide usage has led researchers and practitioners to uncover its theoretical and practical limitations. In 2018 Sull and
Sull[10] emphasized that leaders must move away from using the SMART Goal Framework to fully harness the goals potential and propose a new framework called FAST. They argue that SMART goals undervalue ambition, focus narrowly on individual performance, and ignore the importance of discussing goals throughout
the year. They emphasize that ambitious goals are preferable over achievable goals because employees pursuing ambitious goals are significantly outperforming their colleagues with less challenging.[10] Human resistance and biases are other potential limitations to the framework since it is highly reliant on people; Doran even mentions human resistance as a potential drawback when presenting the SMART Goal Framework[8]. Subsequently, Schweitzer et
al.[25] show that individuals with specific goals are more likely to lie about their performance provoke unethical behavior, and
Sytch[24] explained that goals developed through the SMART Goal Framework might create a stressful environment due to the immense pressure of completing the work within a given time frame. Finally, the SMART Goal Framework's wide usage has led to an "acronym drift" causing mass interpretations of the framework, with some drifted far away from the original idea[6]. Additionally, multiple researchers point towards the framework as not fully applicable to the current state-of-the-art research within goal setting leading to the extension SMARTER[9][26]. Macleod[9] includes E as "Engaging" and R as "Rewarding", whereas Yemm[26] includes E as "Evaluated" and R as "Reviewed". The acronym drift and extensions are potential causes of misunderstanding and misrepresenting of the SMART Goal Framework leading to incorrect usage. However, as Rubin argue, is it not a significant limitation since the framework's value is to focus people on setting effective goals and stimulating discussions[6]. BenefitsThe SMART Goal Framework is a straightforward goal setting framework that is easy to apply, making it applicable for all types of projects and organizations, useful for all project participants, and even with its simplicity, it forces the participants to consider and clearly define the goal[22][4][8]. The SMART Goal Framework provides an opportunity to generate considerable success based on the needed efforts[8] and enable the development of performance indicators, thereby facilitating feedback and learning, keeping the project on track to success[7]. Furthermore, it accommodates the essential practices required to achieve motivation within the team and improve the likelihood of accomplishing the project goal and purpose[6]. Applying the framework significantly increases the success rate as opposed to more vague goal setting techniques, and it generates discipline, focus, and structure within the project team[27]. Lawlor and Hornyak show the SMART Goal Frameworks' benefits in their study "Smart Goals: How the Application of Smart Goals can Contribute to Achievement of Student Learning Outcomes"[5]. They argue that teams utilizing the SMART Goal Framework outperform teams that did not use the framework, showcasing that the framework's usage improved team performance. Altogether, the SMART Goal Framework helps formulate effective project goals that are clear and commonly understood—enabling the project manager to ensure that the goal is the right one and moves the project in the right direction. Annotated bibliographyThis article's literature was found primarily through 1) searching DTU Findit and Web of Science for articles relating to the SMART Goal Framework, 2) snowballing from the reference lists of accessed articles. By doing so, relevant material ranging from scientific articles to webpages were found, resulting in a comprehensive study. A selection of the references will be described in the following. The selected references are the key references for this article and the interested reader. Ogbeiwi, O. (2017). Why written objectives need to be really SMART[2]: Lawlor, K.B. & Hornyak, M.J. (2012). Smart goals: How the application of smart goals can contribute to achievement of student learning outcomes[5]: Doran, G. T. (1981). There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives[8]: Daudkhane, Y. (2017). Why SMART Goals are not ‘Smart’ Enough?[13]: Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. (2002). Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task
Motivation: A 35-Year Odyssey[17]: Meyer, P. J. (2003). Attitude is everything!: If you want to succeed above and
beyond[19]: Bibliography
Which theory of motivation argues that goals determine the work actions of people?According to goal setting theory, there are three variables that determine whether supervisors' goals will affect their employees' work actions. One is goal commitment. What are the other two?
Which is the best summary of goal setting theory?Which is the best summary of Goal-Setting Theory? Specific goals increase performance. Goals make no difference in performance.
What type of motivation occurs when success is recognized and rewarded by other people?In extrinsic motivation, rewards or other incentives — like praise, fame, or money — are used as motivation for specific activities. Unlike intrinsic motivation, external factors drive this form of motivation. Being paid to do a job is an example of extrinsic motivation.
What theory asserts that a person's motivation is based on what he or she considers to be fair when compared to others?J. Stacey Adams' equity theory is a process model of motivation. It says that the level of reward we receive, compared to our own sense of our contribution, affects our motivation. The theory considers the concept of equality and fairness, as well as the importance of comparison to others.
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