Setting SMART Training Goals

The power generation industry requires precision. While other sectors may tolerate vague objectives, power plants require strict adherence to electrical output, heat rates, safety trips, and other metrics.

SMART goals can turn abstract desires, such as improving safety, into concrete results, such as reducing lockout/tagout violations by 80% at the end of next month. Setting SMART goals transforms training from a simple compliance task into a measurable driver of operational excellence.

What Are SMART Goals?

SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Setting a SMART goal involves using these specific criteria to focus efforts and increase the likelihood of success. 

The meaning of SMART goals can become clearer when you apply each principle with an industrial focus, for example:

• Specific: State exactly what needs to happen. Instead of “train on the new system,” specify “train all control room operators on the upgraded GE 7FA MkVIe logic controls.”
• Measurable: Define success with hard data. Use metrics like simulator pass rates above 90%, specific reductions in startup fuel consumption, or decreased procedural errors per shift.
• Achievable: Assess realistic capacity before starting. Instead of attempting to train 20 operators during a high-stress outage window, plan staggered sessions that respect shift rotation constraints.
• Relevant: Connect training directly to plant performance. Effective goals should clearly prevent trips, lower heat rates, or directly impact safety and the bottom line.
• Time-bound: Establish clear deadlines. Milestones like “before the spring outage” or “by the end of Q3” create necessary urgency and accountability.

The Advantages of SMART Goals in Operations Training

All industries can benefit from SMART goal setting. Adopting a structured SMART framework helps your plant’s operational training in several ways:

• Justify the budget: Generic statements about “better morale” rarely satisfy stakeholders. SMART goals can help provide the hard data needed to justify your training budget, such as showing a “15-minute reduction in startup time.”
• Focus resources: With limited staff and tight outage schedules, time is your most valuable asset. SMART goals ensure every training hour targets critical topics, directing resources to where they matter most.
• Prioritize safety: In demanding environments, general “safety awareness” or “operational readiness” isn’t enough. SMART goals require operators to demonstrate proficiency in specific scenarios, ensuring they are truly ready before they touch the equipment.

SMART goals are SPECIFIC

Be as clear and specific as possible with what you want to achieve.  The more narrow the goal, the more you’ll understand the steps necessary to achieve it.  “My goal is to improve Operational Readiness” isn’t very specific; Operational Readiness can cover a wide range of topics.  “My goal is for my Operations Department to be ready to start and operate the facility using the new DCS System” is a more specific goal; however, as we will soon discover, is still missing several key factors in developing SMART goals.

SMART goals are MEASURABLE

What evidence will prove that you are making progress towards your goal?  What evidence will prove that you achieved your goal?  Setting milestones along the way will provide you the opportunity to evaluate your progress and, if needed, adjust your methods being used to pursue that goal.  “My goal is for my Operations Department to be ready to start and operate the facility using the new DCS System.  This goal will be considered effective if there are zero procedural violations.  One milestone will be to have each operator attend an operational training session, and achieve a 100% on the exam.”  This goal is specific, it is measurable (and has an effective milestone), it still is missing a couple of key factors.

SMART GOALS are ACHIEVABLE

Setting goals you and your team can reasonably accomplish within a specific timeframe will help keep them motivated and focused.  Is having every operator achieve a 100% on the training exam realistically achievable?  (If it is, the training exam is probably too easy!)  Nor is having zero procedural violations a realistically achievable goal.  Mistakes happen; having a single mistake by a single person that results in a failure to achieve your goal isn’t very helpful.

SMART goals are RELEVANT

When setting goals, you must consider whether or not they are relevant.  The goals should align with your team and its larger long-term goals.  If a goal doesn’t contribute toward your broader objectives, you might rethink it.  Why is the goal important to you?  How does achieving this goal help you? How will it contribute toward your long-term goals?

“My goal is for my Operations Department to be ready to start and operate the facility using the new DCS System.  This goal will be considered effective if there are no procedural violations that require the shutdown of the facility.  This is aligned with the Operations Department’s long-term goal of maintaining 100% availability.  One milestone will be to have each operator attend an operational training session, and achieve a score of 80% on the exam; any operator who fails to achieve this score will attend a remediation session and re-take the exam.”  This goal is almost there; one more factor plays into making this a SMART goal.

SMART goals are TIME-BASED

What is the time-frame for achieving the milestones associated with your goal?  What is the time frame for determining if the actual goal was achieved?  An end date can help provide motivation and help you prioritize resources towards achieving the goal.  It can also provide insight as to whether or not the goal is achievable.  In this example, if operations using the new DCS system were scheduled for next week, the goal is undoubtedly time-based; however, it is probably no longer achievable.

“My goal is for my Operations Department to be ready to start and operate the facility using the new DCS System.  This goal will be considered effective if there are no procedural violations that require the facility’s shutdown during the first month of operations. This is aligned with the Operations Department’s long-term goal of maintaining 100% availability.  One milestone will be to have each operator attend an operational training session and achieve a score of 80% on the exam; any operator who fails to achieve this score will attend a remediation session and re-take the exam.  This training session will occur 30 days before scheduled operations.”  This goal statement is SMART. 

Turning Your Goal into a SMART Goal

Setting a SMART goal is about refinement. Start with your broad training objective and add specificity:

1. Define the operational gap: Identify exactly what performance metric needs improvement, such as startup duration, safety incidents, or heat rate.
2. Assign a metric: Move from qualitative descriptions, such as “better,” to quantitative targets, such as “15% reduction or zero critical errors.”
3. Establish the method: Determine how the training will be delivered, such as classroom instruction, high-fidelity operator training simulator, or hands-on field training.
4. Set the timeline: Establish clear milestones and completion dates that align with outage schedules, regulatory deadlines, or operational transitions.

Here is a SMART training goal example in action:

• Initial thought: “We need to train operators on the new distributed control system.”
• SMART goal: “Qualify 100% of control room operators on the new DCS updates using the simulator by October 1, ensuring zero critical errors during the final evaluation.”

What are the training goals for your facility?  Do they meet the SMART goal criteria?

FAQs

• Do I have to have all of the letters in a SMART goal?

For a SMART goal to be smart, it has to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.

• What industries use SMART goals?

All industries can benefit from SMART goals! From the service industry to corporate businesses, SMART goals are made to be customized and tailorable to anyone.

• Where do I start when creating a SMART goal?

You can start with the T or the S, or anywhere you want! When coming up with a SMART goal, you do not have to go in order from the S all the way to the T. Starting with the most important aspect of the goal, whether that is the time limit or the attainability, could be a good way to go about goal setting.

Achieve Operational SMART Goals with FCS

Turn your SMART training goals into reality with FCS. Whether you need custom system manuals, simulator training, or on-site instruction, we have the right tools and expertise to help you meet your objectives.

Contact us today to build your team’s course roadmap while staying on budget and on schedule. You can also call us at 410-312-6240 to discuss customized courses for your facility.