How To Be SMART

Typical Goals

  • Product goals:
    • Make the user interface nicer
    • Clean up the code
  • Team goals:
    • Better meeting attendance
    • Get more done

Those are bad goals

  • They don't say what to do (not actionable)
  • They don't define "done"
  • They may make things worse

How to be SMART

Example: Getting SMART

  • Make the user interface less confusing
  • This is neither specific, measurable, nor timeboxed
  • Specific: reduce number of clicks on "save" when users mean "submit"
  • Measurable and Attainable: no more than 10% of new forms left unsubmitted more than 1 day after completion
  • Timeboxed: 2 days for UI rewrite, 2 weeks tracking uncompleted forms, then re-assess

How to be SMART

  • For every goal
    • Determine the metrics that matter
    • Get the current baseline values
    • Set an attainable target
    • Set a timebox to hit target or try something else
    • Implement a process change
    • Start measuring
    • Repeat while goal not met
    • Stop

Thanks to Hakim El Hattab for RevealJS