Effective goals
Effective goals are:
- Person centred
- Focused on what the person wants to achieve.
- Belong to the person, not to workers, clinicians or service providers.
- Are specific measurable and achievable enough to be useful
- Are part of a goal setting and review process.
SMARTAAR Goals
Many people, when writing goals or objectives, think of SMART goals or objectives.
In individual service plans or rehabilitation plans it is useful to think of SMARTAAR goals.
The SMART part is about the nature of the goals.
The AAR part is about the nature of the process.
SMARTAAR Goals
Characteristics of SMART Goals
SMART is an acronym for the characteristics of effective goals.
What the letters in SMART stand for varies with different authors.
In this module SMART stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
It is possible to have SMART goals that meet the five criteria but are not effective rehabilitation goals, because for example they are not person centred.
The AAR Elements of the SMARTAAR Goal Process
The AAR elements of SMARTAAR Goal process identify three additional elements and address how SMART person centred goals are USED in rehabilitation.
Goals are only effective when they are used in practice and engage people and their families, service providers, clinicians and stakeholders.
The AAR elements describe:
Action Plan
Achievement Rating
Reporting Goal Outcomes
Action Plan
The Action Plan specifies each activity/behaviour that will contribute to achieving the steps.
Achievement Rating
Goal achievement needs to be measured if goals are to fulfill their purpose to guide further rehabilitation work
Reporting Goal Outcomes
Measurement of goal achievement is only useful if its communicated to everyone involved so that knowledge about goal achievement can be used in the rehabilitation work.
Your current practice
How do you rate your current practice?
Questions and answers here
To what extent are goals in your service / your work
Print your responses for your records
What needs to happen in your service/ work to improve practice?
