Setting SMART Objectives

A helpful way to think about your campaign and the added value of video is to see whether your goals and objectives are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound.  It’s also essential to think about your audience in the same way – be as focused and specific as you can about who they are, and work out if, when and how you can reach them.

SMART objectives should be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-bound

Here are examples of some non-SMART objectives and how to make them ‘SMART-er

• NOT Specific Empower students to do environmental accountability research in Brazil
• Specific Provide technological support to Brazilian film students to help     document corporate violations of environmental laws in south and southeast Brazil and place this evidence before national stakeholders including …

• NOT Measurable: The video screening should evoke more uplifting responses from the public.
• Measurable: The video screening will secure a 15% increase in participation in local community dialogues in this location over the next six months

• NOT Achievable: The video will make officials act to push for ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.
• Achievable: During our advocacy briefing, we will provide a video report with accompanying recommendations for interim steps to support the upcoming legislative debate on ratification

• NOT Realistic: Attendance at  our video events will  quadruple last year’s attendance.
• Realistic We should aim for a 5% increase in attendance for this year’s video event while maintaining our routine efforts.

• NOT Time-bound We aim to have the anti-discrimination law past as soon as possible.
• Time-bound We aim to have the anti-discrimination law passed by August 1st, 2009.

What Next?  Plan Your Video