Setting SMART tasks: examples

Turning to any modern field of activity, be it the construction industry, the education sector or information technology, one can face the project activity. The project activity allows you to correctly formulate the task, choose a goal and place emphasis on important aspects, directing the overall course of work in the right direction. In the project activity, an important stage is the setting of the goal. One of the popular and effective methods of goal-setting is SMART (SMART) technology .

What is SMART tasking?

This goal-setting technology has appeared for a long time and has already proved itself from the best side. Thanks to this method, it is possible to clearly formulate the task, to generalize the available information, to select terms and quantity of resources. Any self-respecting manager must have the skills of setting tasks for SMART.

SMART is an abbreviation, which stands for:

• Specific - Specific.
• Measurable.
• Achievable - Achievable.
• Realistic - Pragmatic (Real).
• Timed - Defined by time.

We will analyze each component in more detail.

Specific - the task should be specific

In order to increase the probability of successful implementation of a particular project, it is necessary to establish a specific goal. In fact, we need to decide at the initial stage what the result will be. In the specification of the future goal, a number of questions hidden behind the acronym 5W help:

• What? (What?) - What do I need, what purpose do I pursue, what do I want to achieve?
• Why? (Why?) - Why do I need this or my team / company?
• Who? (Who?) - Who will work on this task?
• Where? (Where?) - Where should I pursue this task?
• Which? (What?) - What are the requirements and constraints that you will have to face?

It is important to understand: if the goal is one, then the result follows it one. Any changes in the results plan should entail changes in the number of goals.

Measurable - the task must be measurable

Setting goals and objectives for SMART requires a clear understanding of what constitutes the successful completion of this task. Measuring success can be expressed in a certain monetary gain or increase in web traffic, the number of audience and so on.

In order to more clearly formulate a measurable task, one should turn to yourself with the following questions:

• At what point will the goal be considered solved?
• Which of the selected indicators (the amount of revenue, the number of visits to the web resource) has a greater impact on success and indicates that the task is completed?
• What should be the value of this indicator so that the project or task is considered to be successfully completed?

Achevable - the task should be achievable

Setting the tasks for SMART involves the setting of a realistic task, one that your team or company can achieve. This is an extremely important element of the SMART system, as it has a huge impact on the motivation of the performer. Inaccessible goals are almost never brought to an end. To once again not dream, and adhere to reality, one should rely on the experience of work, the availability of certain resources. It is also necessary to keep in mind the existing limitations.

The following can serve as limitations:

• Temporary resource.
• Availability of investment.
• Number of employees / performers.
• The available knowledge and experience (human capital).
• Access to the necessary information.
• The ability of the leader to fully control the work process.

Realistic - the task should have value

Setting the tasks for SMART is different in its adequacy, it is important not just to prescribe the work process, but also to realize exactly those goals that will be significant for the company. You need to choose goals that will be useful in the long term and will allow the team / company to develop.

Simply put, if the goal being realized does not have any benefit, then this is not a SMART goal, and work on it is wasted.

It is important to note that not only the pragmatic component is important, but also the compatibility of the goal with the realities of the company, the principles of executors, the overall development strategy.

Timed - the task should have a time frame

The SMART task setting system imposes a number of restrictions on the performer, including a limited time resource. In forming such a task, it is necessary to set a deadline (deadline), exceeding which automatically makes the target / project fail.

Such a restriction positively influences the motivational component, and also facilitates the control over the fulfillment of the task.

Naturally, the task itself, calculation of resources, etc. should be formed taking into account time constraints. Simply put, the time required to complete the task must be correlated with the set deadlines.

Setting SMART tasks: Example

Here is one visual sample.

Suppose an employee of the pipe manufacturing company (let's say her Lena) received a large order from one of the customers, having checked the database for the availability of the goods, Lena agrees to deliver it to the client. After some time, the customer calls up with Lena and declares that the quantity of the goods does not correspond to the agreed amount. This happened because another employee had sold pipes to another customer an hour earlier.

Such curiosity could be avoided if Lena worked on the SMART scheme:

• S - Lena clearly forms the order, finds out what the client requires.
• M - Lena specifies the amount of necessary goods that the client should receive.
• A - Lena coordinates the order with the client, as well as with the company's employees. For example, she could call the warehouse and make sure that the right time for the customer will be enough.
• R - The performed actions would help to make sure that the task is feasible and will not create problems for the company.
• T - Based on the information received, it would be possible to specify a realistic time frame.

Thus, setting tasks for SMART would help the employee to implement the conceived deal without undermining the company's credibility.

Technology goal setting SMART in everyday life

Skills for setting tasks on SMART can be useful in everyday life, because the structure of project activities can be applied for any purpose.

Imagine that someone has become fired by the desire to learn a foreign language, because this assumes a promising job as an interpreter.

• S - A person clearly shapes his goal: to learn the language. He knows he will work alone, he knows that this skill will allow him to get a good job. He also knows with what difficulties this process is connected and where to begin.
• M - How to measure knowledge of the language? In this case, the presence of a certificate can serve as a yardstick. A similar certificate can be obtained by passing international examinations.
• A - Is this a reachable goal? Yes. A person has a lot of free time, access to the Internet, the opportunity to go to courses and funds for these courses.
• R - Is there any benefit to this task? Yes. From such a skill as the possession of a foreign language, you can benefit.
• T - In order not to miss classes and not to write, a person can put a specific time frame, say, a year. This time is enough to get the necessary skills.