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SMART

For the description of goals (or agreements), these goals must be clearly defined.  For this purpose the acronym SMART is often used; the letters stand for:

• Specific:  the goal must be clear and unambiguous.
• Measurable:  are there objective critera to decide that the goal has been achieved.
• Ambituous:  the goal must be challenging.
  In some cases Active, Acceptable or Assigned (=designated to a reponsible party) is used.
• Realistic:  is the goal achievable.
  In some cases Relevant is used (which helps Acceptability).
• Timed:  at what point in time should the goal be achieved.

Note that there are noble goals which will never be achieved.  That shouldn't prevent you from trying.
In other cases it is hardly possible to define simple measuring criteria:  this carries the risk of adapted goals which are easier to measure, and losing the real objective out of sight (like one-dimensional Performance Indicators).

=O=