Being smart about writing SMART objectives

•The SMART method is a mainstream method for developing program objectives.•When baseline data is missing users cannot apply all SMART criteria simultaneously.•Future SMART objective guidance should delineate between different contexts. This article challenges the conventional wisdom in mainstream e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Evaluation and program planning Vol. 61; pp. 125 - 127
Main Authors: Bjerke, May Britt, Renger, Ralph
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2017
Elsevier Science Ltd
Subjects:
Appreciation
Awareness
Capacity Building
Capacity building approach
Criteria
Evaluation
Evaluation guidance
Goals
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Promotion - organization & administration
Humans
Integration
Leadership
Learning
Mainstreaming
Objective development
Objectives
Organizational Case Studies
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest - diagnosis
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest - therapy
Planning
Program Development - methods
Program Development - standards
Program Evaluation - methods
Program Evaluation - standards
Project evaluation
Project management
SMART objectives
Wisdom
Objective development
SMART objectives
Mainstreaming
Evaluation guidance
ISSN:0149-7189, 1873-7870, 1873-7870
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:•The SMART method is a mainstream method for developing program objectives.•When baseline data is missing users cannot apply all SMART criteria simultaneously.•Future SMART objective guidance should delineate between different contexts. This article challenges the conventional wisdom in mainstream evaluation regarding the process for developing specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives. The article notes several advantages of mainstreaming the SMART method including program capacity building and being able to independently monitor progress toward process and outcome objectives. It is argued the one size fits all approach for writing SMART objectives is misleading. The context in which the evaluation is conducted is a key deciding factor in how and when the SMART criteria should be applied. Without an appreciation of the evaluation context, mainstream users may be developing objectives that are far from smart. A case example is presented demonstrating a situation where a stepwise, rather than simultaneous application of the SMART criteria was necessary. Learning from this case, recommendations are forwarded for adjusting how SMART criteria should be presented in mainstream evaluation manuals/guides.
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ISSN:0149-7189
1873-7870
1873-7870
DOI:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.12.009