How to write an effective project objective
You may have defined a project with a set of scope statements. A better approach to defining a project is with a single project objective or goal statement. This statement focuses on the overall goal of the project, which helps obtain stakeholder buy-in. It also helps the organization focus on what the project’s supposed to do. Here are tips for creating an effective project objective statement.
- Keep scope definitions out of the project objective. You want the objective statement to be business oriented. What business change should the project achieve? Defining the project goal without scope does just that. It also creates organizational focus on what the project is supposed to achieve. Discussion of scope can follow later. At that time, you can confirm that the scope statements are appropriate to meet the project objective.
- Evaluate whether the objective statement clearly states the problem to be solved or the opportunity to be pursued. Make sure you have a clear statement about why the organization will pursue the project. Have someone – anyone – read the statement. The project purpose should be clearly understood, regardless of the reader’s role in the organization.
- Confirm the statement’s ability to inspire. A project objective statement should inspire stakeholders to support the project. It should also excite project team members about participating to make the project objective a reality.
- Verify that the statement presents an appropriately challenging goal. Stakeholders should see the objective as a challenge that will motivate and stretch their capabilities without being out of reach.
- Ensure the statement allows flexibility for achieving the goal. In an agile world, the best approach is to let stakeholders determine the best ways to accomplish a goal. This generates the best solutions with the strongest stakeholder buy-in.
- Include an objective measure of success. No goal is valid without a clear (quantitative or qualitative) way to identify that it has been achieved. An effective objective statement includes a clear way to confirm that the objective has been met.
- Examples
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- Reduce aircraft costs by 15%, increase overall aircraft availability by 10%, and increase aircraft mechanic productivity by 25% measured by time spent on mechanical work versus overhead.
- Design and implement hospital diagnostic capabilities to accommodate a 15% increase in patients, while limiting the increase in investment in diagnostic equipment to no more than 10%. (Notice this statement does not say “redesign” as this would limit the options available to the project team. This gives them the option to add a new diagnostic area if that is the best option.)
- Increase consumer product division profits by 15% and increase market share over 2023 levels through new packaging, new products, or other approaches. (This does limit options to a specific area of the company, but that’s reasonable as that is where the concern for profitability and market share lies. Flexibility as to the approach or scope of activities is supported in this project objective statement.)
If you have other tips for writing an effective objective statement or examples of statements you’ve used in the past, share with us in the comments section.
For more about writing powerful objectives, check out Jessie Withers Goal Setting: Objectives and Key Results course.
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