How to Write SMART Goals?

What are SMART goals?

SMART goals are a framework widely used for setting goals.

SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. As an engineering manager, it is incumbent to draft out detailed goals that align with your organization’s strategy. For this reason, SMART goals offer a unique and effective way to craft goals that pave the path for your organization’s success. 

Let’s learn more about how to write SMART goals.

Master Goal Setting: The SMART Approach

Specific

Specificity is key in crafting goals for your dev team. The software development process is riddled with technicalities and complexities — one wrong step and you end up in a mess of code blockers. The goals need to be precise, as they act like signposts addressing all the major angles of the project at hand. From what and why to who is involved, all of the questions need to be addressed in this first step. By understanding how to write SMART goals, you will be able to specify the necessary details that require attention.

Measurable

Once you’ve defined your goals, it’s time to set criteria for measuring success. In the engineering world, KPIs (key performance indicators) are the metrics against which performance is judged. These metrics for success allow engineering managers to determine whether the dev team was able to meet the target.

Achievable

The next step is to make sure that the goals are not only achievable but also feasible for the team. There are several factors to take into account, like the current skill set of your team members, the attitude of the dev team toward the new goals, along with the availability of resources and necessary training.

Relevant

Next up on the checklist for SMART goals is relevancy. Goals are an anchor for motivation. The goals need to resonate with your team’s values and inspirations just as much as they need to align with organizational objectives. When goals are relevant for members of your dev team, they will actively want to engage in achieving the goal.

Time-bound

SMART goals have set deadlines. There is always a start and end date for a goal. The deadline should neither be too short that the dev team gets burnt out or too long that they lose interest in its completion. Keep in consideration the dev team’s velocity, project requirements, and any potential external dependencies when defining deadlines for projects.

Scenario-based Example:

(S) As an engineering manager, you want to promote continuous learning within your dev team. After understanding how to write SMART goals, you can examine the skill set of each team member, view their progress reports from previous months, identify gaps in knowledge, and then list out suitable courses and upskill paths for your developers.

(M) Determine the metric of success for the goal of continuous learning. It can be when the developers complete the specific courses or upskill the path at a designated time.

(A) Establish an open communication channel with your dev team and share your recommendations about the goals. Discuss your expectations and also address their concerns and queries regarding the goals you’ve set.

(R) The selected courses and upskill paths need to be relevant to each developer’s skillset, the dev team’s goals, and the overall objectives of the organisation.

(T) The time set for the goal of continuous learning should be within a set limit.

Challenges

The SMART goals framework comes with a handful of challenges. It’s only through learning how to handle these challenges that we can truly harness the power of SMART goals.

Unrealistic Deadlines

As an engineering manager, you may be dedicated to setting tight deadlines for optimal dev performance. However, it is crucial to strike a balance. Try to avoid setting unrealistic deadlines, as there is always the looming threat of burnout. It’s important that the developers are not bombarded with too many projects on top of one another.

Lack of Flexibility

Goals serve as a roadmap for any project. And just like any journey, there are bound to be external variables that may potentially impact the achievement of your goals. Rigidity only causes more chaos and confusion within the team. For this reason, there should always be space for flexibility when writing SMART goals.

Ineffective Feedback

Working in a team demands a constant flow of communication. Managers not only need to provide feedback but also actively solicit and welcome feedback for optimizing productivity and the successful resolution of the SMART goals. Feedback should be provided at every stage of the project, as it ensures effective and smooth collaboration among the team members.

Final Word

SMART goals are an effective tool to transform organizational objectives into workable goals. By adhering to the principles of Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, engineering managers can drive their dev teams to meet deadlines in a timely and stress-free manner. It is through adopting the SMART goals framework that organizations can ensure they are headed on the path to prosperity.