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Writing Project Objectives
Thinking about Benefits
The key to writing good project objectives is to focus on the benefits
that the project will yield. Project objectives are nothing more
than a clear description of these positive changes that will accrue.
Further helpful c onsiderations are:
- The target group or area at which these benefits are aimed.
- Ensuring that these benefits align with articulated strategic
organisational directions.
- Answering the 'why' questions:
Why are we considering this project?
What purpose or function will it serve?
What problem does it solve?
What need does it fulfil?
What is Project Success?
The concept of project benefits is central to project success. A
project will be deemed successful if it delivers its promised benefits.
What about on time and on budget? These are different questions,
relating to how well the project is managed. Important as they are,
these are not the focus of a quest to clarify objectives. Besides,
in the end we would rather have a successful project a little late
and over budget than a beautifully managed disaster which fails
to deliver on promises.
The SMARTA criteria
Good project objectives should satisfy the SMARTA criteria. That
is, they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-framed
and Agreed.
Specific simply means we should avoid vagueness, generalities and
fuzzy thinking. If we refer to costs let us identify these costs
precisely.
As stated already, attaching measures to objectives is necessary
if their ultimate realisation is to be verified. The following table
shows some examples of measures in various contexts.
| Benefits |
Possible Measures |
| Cost Reduction |
Dollars |
| Improved Custom Service |
Survey results/complaints |
| Increased efficiency |
Output increases per input expended |
| Greater educational reach |
Number of students graduating |
| Better Quality Product |
Number of breakdowns or faults |
| More streamlined procedures |
Number of people required to contribute |
However, It is not always easy to measure benefits. Projects that
involve design, research, analysis, writing or the development of
software, policy or curricula and similar types of work provide
a greater challenge and are very much more difficult to measure.
Nonetheless we should try.
Achievable simply means at this stage we feel good enough about
the project to continue.
Time-framed refers not to how long the project will take but when
the benefits will be realised.
Agreed implies that the project owner, key stakeholders and other
important figures have provided written support for the project
before it gets off the ground.
The following examples of objectives satisfy the SMARTA criteria.
- To reduce the number of traffic accidents at intersection A
by 75% by June 2005.
- To improve throughput in the dispatch area by 5 deliveries per
day by December 2005.
- To reduce the number of complaint calls received about the company's
billing system by half before the end of the year.
Notice that they use positive change words (increase, improve) emphasising
the benefits they promise.
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