SMART Goals example

SMART goals are designed to help you identify if what you want to achieve is realistic and determine
a useful deadline. When writing SMART goals use clear language, but include relevant information.
These are designed to help you succeed, so be positive when answering the questions.

INITIAL Write the goal you have in mind

GOAL
I want to improve my design skills. I would like to be more involved with the
product development team helping with the testing sessions in schools.

What do you want to accomplish? Who needs to be included? When do you want
to do this? Why is this a goal?
S
SPECIFIC I need to complete a safeguarding course and get my UK Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS) certificate this month. This will mean I can be included i n future
testing. This is a goal because I would like to have more experience with user
testing to help my own design work.

M How can you measure progress and know if you’ve successfully met your goal?

MEASURABLE Completed online safeguarding course and certificate.

Valid DBS certificate

Do you have the skills required to achieve the goal? If not, can you obtain them?
What is the motivation for this goal? Is the amount of effort required on par with

A what the goal will achieve?

ACHIEVABLE I can complete a free online course with the UK charity the National Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). This will take two evenings. I can
bring in all the relevant paperwork so that the human resources (HR) department
can start my DBS check. This can take up to three weeks.

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 Why am I setting this goal now? Is it aligned with overall objectives?
R To help improve my design skill and be allocated more responsibility, I need to
RELEVANT see products in use by children. This will help me see how they actually use
something rather than how I think it will be used.
What’s the deadline and is it realistic?
T I need to have completed this in a month, as that is when the next round of
TIME-BOUND testing starts
Review what you have written, and craft a new goal statement based on what the
SMART answers to the questions above have revealed
GOAL To join the product testing team, I need to bring in my documentation for a DBS
check next week. I need to complete my online safeguarding course within the
next three weeks.

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