Guidelines for Setting SubGoals
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A technique used to formulate specific targets for achieving a goal at a point in time. A subgoal is thus an operational transformation of one or more goals. Subgoals can be set for enterprise-wide goals, project goals, activity-level, and/or quality-related goals (see Guidelines for Goal Setting ).
All goals, to be meaningful, must be measurable to a specific target subgoal. Ideally, these subgoals should be quantifiable (e.g., "increase return on investment by 6.5%"). In this example, 6.5% is the subgoal for the increase return on investment goal. For quality-related initiatives, targets need to be measured continuously and following Juran, plans to implement and achieve quality can only be developed after specific subgoals or targets have been set. These types of quality subgoals can be strategic (directly related to mission, vision, goals and strategies) or tactical (related to specific product or service quality factors).
APPLICATIONS:
- To formulate specific targets to enable achievement of goals
- To facilitate the definition of quality measure to enable continuous process improvement
- To specify specific activity achievements as a result of reengineering or redesign
PROCEDURES:
- Confirm type of goal for which a subgoal is needed.
- Determine specific targets for each goal, project, or activity.
- Identify potential measurements and initiate measurement program.
- Maintain consistency with goals over time.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Setting subgoals for enterprise-wide goals will require input from key stakeholders and should be set at the same time the goals are determined. Try to set numerical targets whenever possible, quantifying qualitative goals with care. Project goals should also have subgoals set related to specific deliverables and/or outcomes. Quality program related goals and subgoals should be expanded to address:
- Product performance (related to features)
- Competitive performance
- Quality improvement (and/or cost of poor quality or cost of nonconformance)
- Activity performance
These subgoals (and goals) can be driven based on marketplace factors (e.g., product development cycles, customer satisfaction, etc.), technology factors, and/or historical performance factors (if available). Once there is agreement on the specific targets (through facilitated workshops perhaps), identify the appropriate measure needed to track these subgoals and establish requirements for a measurement program. Update activity profiles with new target subgoals and communicate to key stakeholders.
After re-engineering solutions have been proposed, determine target subgoals, which radically stretch the enterprise to achieve breakthrough. For example, radical subgoals for the customer engagement set of activities may include an increase in satisfaction from 50% to 100% and an increase of percentage repeat buying by 80%. These subgoals can be identified by applying the individual solution components during the confirmation stage, by conduction benchmarks or worldclass performance or by brainstorming using "out-of-box" thinking. Include actions required to monitor progress against these subgoals in all transition plans and maintain consistency with other goals. Also identify specific enablers to achieve these subgoals using Force Field Analysis or positive Ishikawa diagramming.