Organizational Objectives

As noted in the book Fundamentals of Project Management, “Before a project team does any work, it should spend time ensuring that it has shared understanding of where it is going” (Heagney, 2016).  As such, it is imperative that the mission, vision, goals, objectives and even the mission statement are in alignment. 

Before the organizational elements can be formed, there must be a problem or focal point that anchors and connects them. As highlighted in the reading, “A goal itself is not a problem. It is when there are obstacles that make it difficult to reach the goal that one has a problem” (Heagney, 2016). This problem births the organizational objectives which work together to create a solution, beginning with the mission.

The mission is used to achieve the overarching vision. Throughout an assignment or venture the mission should help answer the following questions: What are we going to do? For whom are we doing what we do? (Heagney, 2016). After the mission has been established, objectives can be created to specify a desired end result. The objectives should be SMART- specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time limited. There should also be a contingency plan in place should any problems arise. A risk analysis can be performed to try and identify issues and plan accordingly. Factors such as scheduling, budgeting, project quality, and customer satisfaction are often analyzed during the process.

References:

Heagney, J. (2016). Fundamentals of project management. New York: American Management Association (AMACOM).

Magretta, J. (2012). Understanding Michael Porter: the essential guide to competition and strategy. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business Review Press.