SMART criteria for goals, objectives, plans, tasks, etc.:
- Specific: target one area clearly and precisely.
- Measurable: quantify progress toward success by using metrics.
- Achievable: able to start, able to continue, and able to accomplish.
- Relevant: closely connected to what's happening and being considered.
- Timely: occurring at a favorable or useful time and opportune.
Wikipedia: SMART critera
SMARTER criteria adds two letters:
- Evaluate: examine the work in progress and after, to adjust as needed.
- Reward: Recognize success, acknowledge achievements.
Related FAST criteria:
- Frequently discussed: shape the key discussions for getting work done.
- Ambitious: intended to satisfy high aspirations and challenging to achieve.
- Specific: target one area clearly and precisely.
- Transparent: open, clear, and shared with the team and organization.
Target one area clearly and precisely.
Questions that may help:
- Scope: What is in scope versus out of scope?
- Functionality: What are the inputs, processes, and outputs?
- Understanding: What is the terminology, ubiquitous language, etc.?
- Results: What are any objectives, outcomes, impacts?
- Phrasing: Can you use positive phrases and action verbs?
Alternatives:
- Strategic: relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them.
Quantify progress toward success by using metrics.
Questions that may help:
- What metrics are being used and why?
- How do measurements help manage the work and improve it?
- What are the key performance indicators?
- What are any leading indicators and lagging indicators?
- How do various stakeholders access the metrics?
Alternatives:
- Motivating: stimulate interest in, or enthusiasm for, doing something.
Able to start, able to continue, and able to accomplish.
Questions that may help:
- Who is working on this? List any roles, responsibilities, participants, etc.
- What resources are needed? List any inputs, dependencies, materials, etc.
- How are the challenges? List any risks, assumptions, constraints, etc.
Alternatives:
- Actionable: ready to start and possible to accomplish.
- Accomplishable, Attainable: can be successfully completed.
- Assignable: can be given to a person or team who are responsible.
- Agreed: discussed or negotiated and then accepted by all parties.
- Action-oriented: willing or likely to take practical action to deal with a problem or situation.
- Ambitious: intended to satisfy high aspirations and challenging to achieve.
- Aligned: coming together in agreement or alliance.
Closely connected to what's happening and being considered.
Questions that may help:
- Can you summarize the purpose, rationale, etc.?
- Can you summarize the context, connections, etc.?
- How does this relate to the participants, their roles, and goals?
- How does this interconnect with other work, such as positively or negatively?
Alternatives:
- Relatable: able to be shown or established to have a causal or logical connection to something.
- Realistic: having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected.
- Resourced: provided with materials, money, staff, and other assets necessary for effective operation.
- Reasonable: sensible, appropriate, and fair.
- Results-based: focused on valuable outcomes.
Occurring at a favorable or useful time and opportune.
Questions that may help:
- When is this happening?
- Why is the timing important?
- Where can participants see a timeline, or calendar, or schedule, etc.?
- Is there anything important that happens before this or after this?
Alternatives:
- Trackable: can be tracked, or monitored, or analyzed.
- Time-based, time-bound, time-boxed, time-limited: for a specified amount time.
- Time-sensitive: has to be done by a particular time, or in a particular period.
- Timeframe: a period of time, especially a specified period in which something happens.
- Testable: able to be tested or tried.
- Transparent: open, clear, and shared with the team and organization.
Examine the work progress, the participants' performance, and changes over time, and adjust as needed.
Questions that may help:
- What are lessons learned, both during the work and after it?
- What changes are possible, or recommended, during the work and after it?
- How do the participants update their SMART criteria during work in progress?
Alternatives:
- Examine: look at something carefully in order to make judgments.
- Edit: make changes to something in order to improve it.
Recognize success, acknowledge achievements.
Questions that may help:
- When milestones are reached, what kinds of rewards will be given?
- Do participants have any ideas for rewards, or preferred rewards?
- What are comparable rewards for similar work at other organizations?
Alternatives:
- Reviewed: examined, or inspected, or approved.
- Retrospective: able to be looked back on, such as for lessons learned, or continuous improvement, etc.
