Setting Preliminary SMART Objectives

Setting Preliminary SMART Objectives



By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

• Describe the characteristics of a SMART Objective.

• Demonstrate Rare’s standard format for writing a SMART objective.

• Create preliminary SMART Objectives for each intermediate result in your campaign’s Results Chain(s).

• Explain how preliminary SMART Objectives are converted into final SMART Objectives.


"To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there."

Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations


Where are We Now?


Converting Intermediate Results into SMART Objectives


SMART Objectives• Specific – clearly defined so that

everyone has the same understanding

• Measurable – defined relative to a scale

• Action-oriented – objective is specifically linked to your conservation action

• Realistic – practical and appropriate• Time-limited – achievable within a

specific period of time


The "S" in SMART• Specific – clearly defined so that

everyone has the same understanding

• Example: Fishermen (target audience),will increase their knowledge that rats spread disease (variable) from 10% to 30% (amount of change).


The "M" in SMART• Measurable – defined relative to a

scale

• For many objectives, especially knowledge, attitude, interpersonal communication, and behavior change, you will use the pre- and post-campaign questionnaire surveys to measure them


The "A" in SMART• Action-Oriented – indicates an

outcome that you expect to happen as a result of your campaign. Is it getting your audience to the next result in your results chain?

• Has a direct impact on how you phrase your survey questions.


The "R" in SMART• Realistic – there is a real

chance your campaign will be able to achieve the desired impact.

• Can you realistically achieve the objective with the resources you have and within the given timeframe?


The "T" in SMART• Time-limited – the specific

time by which the objective will be achieved.

• Typically by the end of the campaign, but you could add objectives for several years after the campaign ends (TR and CR).


Is it Action Oriented?

“To hold two sessions with fishermen to determine if they have checked their boats for rodents, produce 2,000 posters, and to hold six meeting with the community members to talk about rodent eradication.”


No...

Why?• Outputs, not Outcomes

Revised: There is an Xpp increase in number of community members who have talked to one another about setting rat traps in their boats (from X%, to Y%) by Aug 2014.


Is It Measurable?

“Reduce incidents of rodents on boats and therefore the potential for re-invasion.”


No...

Why?• Baseline and target levels should be embedded

in the objective (e.g. from X to Y)• You will actually be gathering the data.

Revised: Reduce the number of reported rodent sightings on Serena Island by fishers and visitors from X% to Y% by 2014.


Is it Realistic and Time-Limited?

“By December 2008, reduce incidents of rodents on boats by having 100% of fishermen check their boats for rats and set traps for them.”


No...

Why?• Realistic means that there is a real chance the

campaign will be able to achieve that much impact. 100% behavior change is nearly impossible.

• Time-bound means that a specific time by which the objective will be achieved is stated

Revised: By December 2008, 90% of fishermen (up from 75%) will check their boats for rats and set traps every time the dock on Serena Island.


Is it Specific? • “By December 2008, 90% of all over-

nighting fishermen (up from 75%; 15pp) will check boats and tackle for presence of invasive rodents on a daily basis before landing on Serena Island.”


YES…as much as it can be nowWhy?• Target audience, the variable, and

the amount of change are all clearly identified in the objective

• It should be as "SMART" as you can make it at any given time

• Targeted amount of change is meaningful by being large enough to have an impact, but not unrealistically large

• Written in standard format


Purpose of Preliminary SMART Objectives

• Design survey questions that measure what you hope your campaign achieves

• Once you have written a preliminary objective it should be easy to write a good survey question


Example


Steps to Create a Good Smart Objective

Moving from Intermediate Result to a SMART Objective

Criteria Draft of objective after criteria metIntermediate result (Attitude)

Farmers agree that the National Forest should be protected from land-clearing fires.

Add Specificity Inabanga Farmers agree that the National Forest should be protected from land-clearing fires.

Add Measurability The percentage of Inabanga Farmers who agree that the National Forest should be protected from land-clearing forest fires increases from X% to Y%.

Make it Action-oriented

Tied to the results chain and attributed to the other intermediate steps.

Add Time The percentage of Inabanga Farmers who agree that the National Forest should be protected from land-clearing forest fires increases from X% in June, 2007 to Y% in July, 2008.

Add baseline (after implementation)

The percentage of Inabanga Farmers who agree that the National Forest should be protected from land-clearing forest fires increases from 18% in June, 2007 to Y% in July, 2008.

Make it Realistic to finish making it SMART

The percentage of Inabanga Farmers who agree that the National Forest should be protected from land-clearing forest fires increases from 18% in June, 2007 to 25% in July, 2008.


By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

• Describe the characteristics of a SMART Objective.

• Demonstrate Rare’s standard format for writing a SMART objective.

• Create preliminary SMART Objectives for each intermediate result in your campaign’s Results Chain(s).

• Explain how preliminary SMART Objectives are converted into final SMART Objectives.

Documents

Setting Preliminary SMART Objectives