Objectives & Piroties

An objective is a commitment to achieve a measurable result within a specified period.

Writing Good Objectives

Objectives should be expressed in quantitative, measurable, and concrete terms.

—  What specific result is to be achieved?

—  When is the result to be achieved?

—  How is the result to be measured?

—  Who will be responsible for achieving the result?

The Importance of Objectives (Uses of)

Target: Sets specific goals to achieve

Measuring stick: Gauges how much was achieved

Commitment: Encourages pursuit of the objective

Motivation: Provides a challenge for achievement

The Means-Ends Chain of Objectives: Achievement of lower-level objectives creates a means for achieving higher-level objectives.

A Typical Means-Ends Chain of Objectives

 

Priorities

Priorities are a ranking of goals, objectives, or activities in order of importance to guide the order and timing of decisions. Management looks at its priorities when deciding how to allocate resources.

The A-B-C Priority System

—  A: “Must do” objectives are critical to successful performance.

—  B: “Should do” objectives are necessary for improved performance.

—  C: “Nice to do” objectives are desirable for improved performance but not critical to improved performance.

The 80/20 Principle (Pareto Analysis)

A majority of causes, inputs, or effort tends to produce a majority of results, outputs, or rewards. Avoid the “busyness” trap.