Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Holborow.

Welcome to Computing.

I'm so pleased you've decided to join me for the lesson today.

In today's lesson, we're going to be identifying objectives in relation to a project and seeing how these objectives can be developed into SMART goals.

Welcome to today's lesson from the unit Using IT in Project Management.

This lesson is called Setting Project Aims and Objectives.

And by the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to create SMART goals for a project and explain how iteration and interaction between project stages support effective planning.

Shall we make a start? We'll be exploring these keywords in today's lesson.

SMART goals.

SMART goals, a framework for setting goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

Iteration.

Iteration, repeating stages or refining tasks to improve outcomes.

Interaction.

Interaction occurs when stages of a project overlap, such as beginning planning while still completing initiation.

Look out for these keywords throughout today's lesson.

Today's lesson is split into three cycles.

We'll start by identifying objectives relating to a project, we'll then develop objectives into SMART goals, and then we'll finish by describing iteration and interaction.

Let's make a start by identifying objectives relating to a project.

Objectives are subparts of the aims we have identified as user requirements.

So a reminder, our aims are an integrated system, an interactive dessert selection tool, and advertising posters.

We know what needs to be achieved, but not how.

Why do we set objectives? Maybe pause the video whilst you have a think.

Objectives are smaller, manageable tasks that help achieve the overall user requirements of a project.

To be successful, we need to have specific tasks to complete.

Time to check your understanding.

I have a true or false statement for you.

Objectives are subparts of the project's aims. Is this statement true or false? Pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you select true? Well done.

But why is it true? The aims of the project identify what needs to be done.

The objectives detail how each of these aims will be achieved.

We set objectives to ensure all the elements needed to complete the task successfully are planned for.

Time to check your understanding.

What are the three aims of Delicious Desserts? Pause the video whilst you think about them.

Did you remember the three aims? Let's have a look.

One, create an integrated system, two, create an interactive dessert selection tool, and three, create advertising posters.

Did you remember all of them? Well done.

When you set objectives, it can be helpful to think about the following: how, what and why.

So how or the actions are about how will you meet the aim? What.

What product or service will you create? And then the why, so this is about the purpose.

How will the product or service you have created support the business? What is its purpose? We will look at the first aim: an integrated system.

So let's have a look at the how.

We're going to use Google Sheets to create a workbook.

The what, this is going to collate all of the finance information into one workbook.

And then the why, so this is to make the system efficient and generate effective pricing.

Now think about the interactive dessert selection tool.

The how, how will you meet the aim? The what, what product or service will you create? And the why, how will the product or service you have created support the business? What is the purpose? Now think about the advertising posters.

The how, how will you meet the aim? What? What product or service will you create? And the why, how will the product or service you have created support the business? What is its purpose? Okay, we're moving on to our first task of today's lesson.

I'd like you to consider the primary aims of the project: the integrated system, the interactive dessert selection tool, and the advertising posters.

Use the aims and objectives table on the following slide to refine the objectives of the Delicious Desserts project.

So let's go and have a look at that table now.

So the integrated system has already been done for you.

So we have create a workbook using Google Sheets that has a homepage with links to: one, stock in store, two, reorder prompts on the same sheet, three, running costs, four, dessert costs, five, daily sales, and six daily, monthly and annual profit or loss.

Your task here is to fill in the remaining parts of the table, so the interactive dessert selection tool and the advertising posters.

Pause the video here whilst you complete the task.

How did you get on? Did you manage to complete the table? Well done.

Let's have a look at Aisha's sample answer together and you can maybe compare this to yours.

So for the interactive dessert selection tool, Aisha says she's going to use slides to create a hierarchical design that leads the client to a recommended dessert.

One, each slide to contain a true or false type response, two, each response will lead to a different slide via a hyperlink, three, the next slide will ask another true or false question, and then four, this will continue for a maximum of four times until a dessert selection is provided.

For the advertising posters, Aisha says she's going to create two different posters to advertise the services on offer.

Both posters should include: one, client logo, two, images to appeal to the audience, three, text to appeal to the audience, four, a slogan, and five, persuasive language and images.

Did this compare to your answers? Remember, if you need to, you can always pause the video here and use Aisha's sample answer to make any improvements you need to.

Okay, we're now moving on to the second part of today's lesson where we're going to develop objectives into SMART goals.

SMART goals.

Let's have a look at what SMART goals stand for.

So SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

Going to have a look at each of these in a bit more detail.

So why are SMART goals important? The quality of goals or objectives set or determine the success or failure of a project.

Weak goals will affect the planning process.

This in turn will impact upon execution or actually carrying out the project.

The final product may not meet the user requirements, meaning that the project has failed.

Let's look again at the aims of the Delicious Desserts project and see how they relate to SMART goals.

So the aims are an integrated system, an interactive dessert selection tool, and advertising posters.

Let's look at specific.

Specific goals mean that the end product will meet the clearly defined requirements of the client.

This is also used to monitor the progress of the project.

What have you done that relates to specific goals? You've completed the aims and objectives table in Task A, which gives specific tasks that need to be completed.

Measurable.

If goals or objectives are not measurable, how will you know if the project has been completed successfully? How could the success of the integrated spreadsheet be measured? Each sheet in the workbook must be tested to check that any formulas work.

Achievable.

You need to know that the resources, including people, can complete the tasks assigned to them.

Which part of this project could cause an issue? Maybe pause the video whilst you have a think.

Creating the workbook might be a challenge if you or the person developing the spreadsheet hasn't got specific knowledge of spreadsheet tools might find it really challenging.

Realistic.

It's important to set challenging goals and objectives, but not ones that are so hard that they cannot be completed.

Would it be realistic to expect this project to be completed without training the staff? Possibly unrealistic, in the project brief the company said, "The team who manage the shop have basic IT skills," so we're going to have to do some training at some point.

Timely.

Each task of the project must have a start and end date or time allocated to it, to ensure that the project is completed within the given timescale provided in the project brief.

What timescale has been given in this brief? Maybe pause the video whilst you have a think and see if you can remember.

The project brief says eight weeks, so we have an end date that we're aiming towards.

Okay, time to check your understanding.

Can you remember what SMART stands for? Maybe pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you remember? Well done.

So the S of SMART stands for specific, the M, measurable, A, achievable, R, realistic, and T, timely.

Okay, another check of understanding for you.

I'd like you to fill in the missing words using the words provided at the bottom of the screen.

The quality of the (pauses) or objective set will determine the (pauses) or failure of a project.

One, weak goals will affect the (pauses) process.

Two, this in turn will impact upon execution.

Three, the final product may not meet the user (pauses), meaning the project has (pauses).

And the words provided are success, requirements, failed, goals and planning.

Pause the video whilst you fill in in the missing words.

How did you get on? Did you manage to fill in all the missing words? Well done.

Let's have a look at the answers together.

The quality of the goals or objectives set will determine the success or failure of a project.

One, weak goals will affect the planning process.

Two, this in turn will impact upon execution.

Three, the final product may not meet the user requirements, meaning the product has failed.

Did you get all of those correct? Well done.

SMART goals interact and interlink.

When you write SMART goals, you'll find that they will cover more than one of the SMART targets.

For example: one hour to enter data into a recipe cost sheet.

So one hour is timely, we're setting a time limit on it.

And then entering data into the recipe cost sheet is specific.

So it's okay if your SMART goals cover more than one area of the SMART target.

Okay, we're moving on to Task B of today's lesson.

I'd like you to create a set of SMART goals for the Delicious Desserts project.

I'd like you to identify which aspects of SMART are met by the goal that you have set.

So is it specific, measurable, et cetera? For example, using the ingredients listed on the project brief, create a stock control sheet for the workbook.

This is specific, measurable, achievable and realistic.

So we've put those letters next to it.

Pause the video here whilst you complete the task.

How did you get on? Did you manage to set some SMART goals? Well done.

Let's have a look at Aisha's sample answer.

So Aisha has set four goals.

The first one, use conditional formatting to indicate if the stock is running low and an if statement indicate if stock needs to be reordered.

And Aisha has said that this is specific, measurable, achievable and realistic.

The second goal is to use the sample data from the brief to create a running cost sheet.

Again, marked this as being specific, measurable, achievable and realistic.

The third goal, design the layout of the interactive presentation using a hierarchical diagram to show links between slides.

Again, this is specific, measurable, achievable and realistic.

And then the last goal, design the layout for both posters ready for the launch in eight weeks.

So this is specific, achievable, realistic and timely because we've got a time limit on this one.

Did you have similar goals? Remember, if you want to go back and amend your goals at all, you can pause the video here.

Okay, we're moving on to the final part of today's lesson where we're going to describe iteration and interaction.

Defining SMART goals is the final element of the initiation stage.

The end of the initiation stage interacts with the planning phase.

So we've got initiate and plan, and we can see there's some interaction here.

Interaction occurs when stages of a project overlap, such as beginning planning while still completing initiation.

Interaction.

Interaction in the project lifecycle occurs between initiation and planning, planning and execution, execution and evaluation.

In some instances, interaction happens across multiple stages of the project lifecycle.

Iteration refers to repeating stages of a project or refining tasks to improve outcomes, especially relevant in agile or hybrid methods.

For example, once the feasibility report is shared with the client, the initiation stage might start again: this is iteration.

Repeatedly refining and improving the project in the very early stages: encourages continuous improvement, enables flexibility, changes can be made along the way, highlights potential risks and supports a business in developing contingency plans.

So remember, contingency is like a backup plan.

Okay, time to check your understanding.

I'd like you to match the word to the definition.

So the words are: iteration, interaction and initiate.

And the descriptions are: the first stage of a project which is followed by the planning, execution and evaluation stages; repeating stages or refining tasks to improve outcomes, especially relevant in agile or hybrid methods; and this occurs when stages of a project overlap, such as beginning planning while still completing initiation.

Pause the video whilst you match the words to the definitions.

How did you get on? Did you manage to match the words correctly? Let's have a look at the answers together.

So iteration, this is repeating stages or refining tasks to improve outcomes, especially relevant in agile or hybrid methods.

Interaction, this occurs when stages of a project overlap such as beginning planning while still completing initiation.

And then that leaves initiate, which is the first stage of a project which is followed by the planning, execution and evaluation stages.

I have a true or false statement for you now.

Interaction can only occur between consecutive stages of the project lifecycle.

Is this statement true or false? Pause the video whilst you have a think.

Did you select false? Well done.

But why is it false? Interaction can happen across multiple stages of the project lifecycle.

Stages are usually sequential with some overlap between consecutive stages, but this can vary depending on the project.

Okay, we're now moving on to our final task of today's lesson, Task C.

I'd like you to describe iteration and interaction in relation to the Delicious Desserts project.

Pause the video here whilst you complete the task.

How did you get on? Did you manage to describe iteration and interaction? Well done.

Let's have a look at a sample answer together.

So here's Aisha's sample answer, "I know the word iteration from programming lessons, it means repeat.

When the word iteration is used in projects, it's about repeating parts of the project lifecycle.

An example of iteration in the Delicious Desserts project could be proposing to make a Google Sheet for a client to create an integrated system and the client asking if it could be changed to a Microsoft product as staff are more familiar.

It would be best to sort this out at the start of the project rather than spend a long time creating a system based around Google products and wasting any time.

It might take a bit more time initially, but the project is more likely to be a success." Let's have a look at the second part of Aisha's sample answer, "Interaction within a project happens when two stages of the project lifecycle overlap.

So far we have looked at the initiation stage of the Delicious Desserts business, but it already feels like we've started to plan.

It feels like we are planning because defining SMART goals is the final element of the initiation stage.

By writing the SMART goals, we have started to think about how things might look going forward." Did you have some similar definitions of iteration and interaction? Remember, if you want to pause the video and add any detail to your answer, you can do that now.

Okay, we've come to the end of today's lesson Setting Project Aims and Objectives, and you've done a fantastic job, so well done.

Let's summarise what we've learned in today's lesson.

Objectives are smaller, manageable tasks that help achieve the overall user requirements of a project.

SMART goals are used to set clear, focused objectives.

Iteration refers to repeating stages or refining tasks to improve outcomes, especially relevant in agile or hybrid methods.

Interaction occurs when stages of a project overlap, such as beginning planning while still completing initiation.

I hope you've enjoyed today's lesson, and I hope you'll join me again soon.

Bye.