Terms Behind The Letters
There is no clear consensus about what the five or seven keywords mean, or even what they are in any given situation. Typically accepted values are:
| Letter | Major Term | Minor Terms |
|---|---|---|
| S | Specific | Significant, Stretching, Simple |
| M | Meaningful, Motivational, Manageable | |
| A | Attainable | Appropriate, Achievable, Agreed, Assignable, Actionable, Adjustable, Ambitious, Aligned, Aspirational, Acceptable, Action-focused |
| R | Relevant | Result-Based, Results-oriented, Resourced, Resonant, Realistic |
| T | Timely | Time-oriented, Time framed, Timed, Time-based, Timeboxed, Time-bound, Time-Specific, Timetabled, Time limited, Trackable, Tangible |
| E | Evaluate | Ethical, Excitable, Enjoyable, Engaging, Ecological |
| R | Reevaluate | Rewarded, Reassess, Revisit, Recordable, Rewarding, Reaching |
| S | Satisfactory | Satisfies Strategic Vision |
Choosing certain combinations of these labels can cause duplication, such as selecting 'Attainable' and 'Realistic', or can cause significant overlapping as in combining 'Appropriate' and 'Relevant' for example. The term 'Agreed' is often used in management situations where buy-in from stakeholders is desirable (e.g. appraisal situations).
Read more about this topic: SMART Criteria
Famous quotes containing the words terms and/or letters:
“If you want to be on good terms with everyone in this world, sell goods on credit and never ask for payment.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Sir, more than kisses, letters mingle souls.
For, thus friends absent speak.”
—John Donne (c. 1572–1631)