Understanding different termsUnderstanding different terms

• AimAim (eg: to be a safe and prosperous (eg: to be a safe and prosperous community) community)

• GoalGoal (eg: to reduce crime and increase wealth)(eg: to reduce crime and increase wealth)• ObjectiveObjective (eg: to halve the crime rate and increase (eg: to halve the crime rate and increase

average income by 10%) average income by 10%) • TargetTarget (eg: to have the burglary rate in the (eg: to have the burglary rate in the

neighbourhood reduced to 2 a week and neighbourhood reduced to 2 a week and incomes averaging £29,000 by March incomes averaging £29,000 by March

2008)2008)• StandardStandard (eg: having a crime rate of X per thousand (eg: having a crime rate of X per thousand

per week)per week)

What are Targets for?What are Targets for?

Targets exist to:Targets exist to:• provide direction / let people know what is provide direction / let people know what is

expected of them in contributing to the expected of them in contributing to the organisation’s goalsorganisation’s goals

• provide a formal structure for giving and provide a formal structure for giving and receiving feedback on performancereceiving feedback on performance

• help assess and improve an organisation, team or help assess and improve an organisation, team or individual’s performanceindividual’s performance

• help identify learning and development needshelp identify learning and development needs• provide a challengeprovide a challenge• increase motivation and satisfactionincrease motivation and satisfaction• deliver prioritiesdeliver priorities

S.M.A.R.T.E.R. TargetsS.M.A.R.T.E.R. Targets

SSpecific pecific (positively stated)(positively stated)MMeasurable (quality, quantity, time, cost)easurable (quality, quantity, time, cost)AAgreed greed (understood and owned)(understood and owned)RRealistic ealistic (meaningful and achievable)(meaningful and achievable)TTimebound (therefore trackable)imebound (therefore trackable)

EExciting xciting (stretching and motivational)(stretching and motivational)RRewardingewarding (recognised)(recognised)

Setting S.M.A.R.T. TargetsSetting S.M.A.R.T. Targets

• Focus on outcomes - what will be achieved, to Focus on outcomes - what will be achieved, to what standard, in what quantity, with what what standard, in what quantity, with what resources, by whom, by whenresources, by whom, by when

• Use precise and active verbs e.g. to identify, Use precise and active verbs e.g. to identify, measure, produce, write, reduce, meet etc.measure, produce, write, reduce, meet etc.

• Be precise, do not use vague or woolly Be precise, do not use vague or woolly languagelanguage

• Use plain English and avoid jargon Use plain English and avoid jargon • Regularly monitor progress against the target Regularly monitor progress against the target

and revise it if necessaryand revise it if necessary

SpecificSpecificexamples of active verbsexamples of active verbs

• To increaseTo increase• To writeTo write• To produceTo produce• To deliverTo deliver• To completeTo complete• To co-ordinateTo co-ordinate• To have organisedTo have organised• To selectTo select• To createTo create

• To manageTo manage• To measureTo measure• To identifyTo identify• To reduceTo reduce• To developTo develop• To respondTo respond• To provideTo provide• To facilitateTo facilitate• To contributeTo contribute• To carry outTo carry out

MeasurableMeasurable

• Quality Quality • QuantityQuantity• Time Time • CostCost• ResourcesResources

AgreedAgreed

• You can get commitment and ownership You can get commitment and ownership from agreeing rather than imposing targetsfrom agreeing rather than imposing targets

• Ensure proper consultation with the Ensure proper consultation with the community and find the best ways for their community and find the best ways for their views to be heardviews to be heard

• The needs and interests of the organisation, The needs and interests of the organisation, team and individual all need to be team and individual all need to be consideredconsidered

RealisticRealistic

• Targets should neither be too easy nor impossible.

• They should stretch the organisation, team or individual to achieve the best results possible

TimeboundTimebound

• Targets should have an end date so that you can monitor, review and evaluate them.

• For a one year project, monitoring would normally be at least quarterly and review 6-monthly.

• All involved should know what the timeframe is for the project and their individual targets at those dates.