SMART objective: definition, method and examples

In this article you will discover the underside of the SMART method.

To ensure the growth of a business, it is necessary to put in place relevant action plans to achieve the defined objectives.

But these objectives must themselves be determined carefully to preserve the motivation of the teams and significantly activate the levers of growth.

This is why, today, we decided to introduce you to the SMART goal method.

What is the SMART method?

There SMART method is based on an acronym designating the different attributes of a goal.

In this case, the latter must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

Using the SMART method allows you to implement an effective strategy with relevant and achievable objectives step by step.

SMART objectives allow a company to save time and improve the productivity of its teams.

In addition, these goals must be clear to the members of the project management, management or inbound marketing team responsible for achieving them.

The origins of the SMART method

The SMART method was first introduced by business management theorist Peter F. Drucker in 1945.

It is Georges T. Doran who will present the SMART objectives, in particular by highlighting the fact that it is very difficult to set concrete objectives, even though they are essential for a company.

He thus presents the SMART method as a guideline to follow to define clear objectives and adapt them to different areas of a company.

• S for “Specific” : this is the first criterion of a SMART objective. The latter must be clearly defined in order to be achieved. This will allow you to correctly determine the level of resources to allocate to this project, the number of people who will have to work on it, as well as their action plan.

• M for “Measurable” : this criterion means that your SMART objective must be quantifiable, both in terms of its progress and its results, to be able to describe its success or not. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) allow you to determine, at the end of the project, whether the resources you allocated were sufficient or less than the expected result and the result obtained.

• A for “Achievable” : for an objective to remain relevant for your company and motivating for your teams, it must above all be achievable. It is, in fact, completely useless to aim for an objective that is well beyond your means or your resource capacities. To be sure to define an achievable objective, we recommend that you ask yourself a few questions upstream, when analyzing your target, your competitors and the market:
  • Is it possible to achieve this goal?
  • Do we have enough resources, both financial and human?
  • Do we have the skills necessary to complete this project?
  • Do we have time to put this process in place?

• R for “Relevant” (Relevant, in French): be careful not to confuse this criterion with the previous one! If a goal must be achievable, it must also be relevant to your business and contribute to its growth. For example, a goal may be completely achievable, but not at all profitable for your business. This is where this SMART objective criterion comes into play. Always ensure the relevance of your objective and correctly assess its added value in your strategy before implementing it.

• T for “Temporal” : while defining realistic and clear objectives is a very good initiative to ensure the growth of a business, it is nevertheless essential to define a strict schedule to help things move forward. If your objective does not have a clearly established deadline, it will be difficult to generate profit for your business thanks to it. Setting a deadline also helps motivate your teams and encourage collaborative work to successfully complete this challenge on time. Additionally, the faster a SMART goal is achieved, the more profitable it will be for your business. However, be careful not to put the cart before the horse and keep in mind that quality work still requires a certain amount of time for action.

What are the advantages of the SMART method?

THE SMART goals are very useful in carrying out a project.

Coupled with the use of the AGILE method, they make it possible to define clear and solid foundations for developing a business quickly and efficiently.

Along with this, the SMART method offers other important advantages to be aware of. Among them, there are in particular the benefits for the company:

• better management of employees and their efforts: in particular by giving them a clear and precise objective over a specific period of time;
• better communication between management and employees: the definition of a SMART objective must be carried out in conjunction with management and employees to ensure their success;
• a coherent and solid strategy: it makes it possible to improve decision-making and actions in general if the action plan is solidified by the presence of SMART objectives;
• better management of company resources: thanks to the SMART method, you will be able to allocate the exact level of human or financial resources necessary to achieve your objective;
• an increase in company performance: if SMART objectives are both relevant and achieved on time, they can completely improve the company’s competitiveness and productivity.

And the benefits for employees:

• better knowledge of the actions to be taken: a gain in productivity
• improving collaborative work: employees are more likely to work as a team when it comes to achieving a clearly established objective
• satisfaction with completed work: achieving an objective increases the motivation of a company’s employees before, during and after its achievement.

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SMART Goal Examples

To help you understand the SMART objective method, here are two concrete examples:

Example 1: Respond to customer requests instantly

Let’s say a company decides to set up a telephone number for its customers, with the aim of increasing the number of calls and improving the response rate. It must ensure that it is able to respond quickly and efficiently to guarantee the satisfaction of its customers.

To address this issue, it is essential to define a SMART objective:

Example 2: Improve traffic on a website using a blog

Let’s admit here that a company wants to increase traffic on its website by using an organic lever: the blog.

To address this issue, it is essential to define a SMART objective:

We hope that this article about the SMART goal will allow you to better use this tool. Use it wisely!

Also read: 26 best project management software in 2022