TVP – Metric 15 Goal Clarity

Background | User Guide | Program Contents | Stakeholders | List of Metrics

1. Metric Definition

An assessment by interval rating scale of the extent to which project performance objectives are clearly defined and understood by all participants on the project team.

This metric uses an interval rating scale.. Results of these assessments can be summarized and tracked over time to see if there is an ongoing improvement or erosion in the clarity of objectives over time.

2. Advantages and Limitations

While this metric may provide a semi-quantitative assessment there is a degree of subjectivity for an individual to assess the extent to which they really understand objectives and roles on the team.

Utilized and tracked over a period of time, this metric should improve the overall level of goal clarity and objectives writing for the company, which in turn should improve efficiencies of the organization.

Over time pressure may build on project teams to respond positively to any measurements of this metric to improve overall performance against the metric.  This may lead to the perception of positive outcomes, even though no fundamental change has occurred.

3. How to use the metric

A member of the team would provide to all team members a survey form to assess understanding of the project objectives and commitments. This would be accomplished through the use of an interval rating scheme. This rating can be done at the beginning of the project only or at key milestones, such as Stage/Gate passage, throughout a projects life.

4. Options and Variations

A four-stage assessment can be constructed for the company.  Typically some or most of the following criteria or desired end points would be used:

a) All team members have a clear understanding of the expected outcome of the team effort.
b) A personal belief that a team is the right way to develop/achieve the expected result.
c) All team members understand whether the team is an implementation, recommendation and/or informational team.
d) All team members understand the team’s operational ground rules and end-result boundaries.  Where ever possible the end result is defined in quantitative terms.
e) A belief that the team has access to all of the appropriate knowledge, ,functions, diversity, levels and locations, so that the expected result of the team effort can be achieved most efficiently?
f) Each team member is personally committed to achieving the project objectives.
g) A clear understanding of the team member’s individual role.
h) Acceptance of the recognized team leader.
i) Capability to draw on additional resources to keep the core team to a minimum.

5. Champions and Contacts

6. References

6.1 Katzenbach, J.R. and Smith, D.K. 1993. The Wisdom of Teams. Harvard Business School Press, Boston.

6.2 Dachler, H.P. and Mobley W.H. 1978. Construct Validity of an Instrumentality-Expectancy-Task-Goal Model of Work Motivation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 58, 397-418.