How can you measure program outcomes with SMART goals?

1 What are program outcomes?

Program outcomes are the changes or benefits that result from your program activities. They can be short-term, intermediate, or long-term, depending on your program logic model and theory of change. For example, a program outcome for a health education program might be increased knowledge of healthy behaviors, reduced risk of chronic diseases, or improved quality of life. Program outcomes are different from program outputs, which are the products or services that your program delivers, such as workshops, materials, or referrals.

2 Why use SMART goals?

SMART goals are a way of defining your program outcomes in a clear and realistic way. They help you to focus on what you want to achieve, how you will measure it, and when you will accomplish it. SMART goals also help you to communicate your program expectations and results to your stakeholders, such as funders, partners, or beneficiaries. By using SMART goals, you can ensure that your program outcomes are aligned with your program mission, vision, and objectives.

3 How to create SMART goals?

To create SMART goals for your program outcomes, you need to adhere to five criteria: be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For instance, a SMART goal for a health education program outcome might be: "By the end of the 12-month program, 80% of the participants will demonstrate increased knowledge of healthy behaviors, as measured by a pre- and post-test survey." When setting goals, avoid vagueness or generality, such as “improve health” or “empower women.” Additionally, ensure that your goal is quantifiable and realistic. It should be meaningful and important for your program and stakeholders, and it should have a specific deadline. If your goal is too easy or too hard, or if it is irrelevant or unrelated to your program purpose or context, it can demotivate you or your team.

4 How to use SMART goals?

Once you have created SMART goals for your program outcomes, you can use them to guide and improve your program performance. For example, you can design and implement your program activities using the SMART goals as a reference, ensuring that they are relevant and effective for achieving your desired outcomes. Additionally, you can use your SMART goals to allocate resources, track progress, identify gaps, and measure impact. You can also use tools such as dashboards, reports, surveys, interviews, or case studies to collect and analyze data or present evidence and stories. Ultimately, you can compare your program outcomes with your program outputs, objectives, and mission, as well as with other similar programs or best practices.

5 How to improve your SMART goals?

Creating and using SMART goals is not a one-time process, but rather an ongoing cycle of learning and improvement. It's important to be flexible and adaptable when reviewing and revising your SMART goals, taking into account any changes or challenges in your program environment or lessons learned from your program experience or evaluation. Additionally, it's beneficial to be collaborative and inclusive when creating and using your SMART goals, involving stakeholders such as funders, partners, or beneficiaries. Furthermore, you can use creative and innovative tools such as brainstorming, mind mapping, or logic models to explore new ways of creating and using your SMART goals. You can also experiment with different indicators and metrics using tools such as benchmarks, standards, or indicators databases.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?