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  • unrealistic or setting a higher target that capacity will lead to disappointment of all stakeholders so its aleways important to have a discussion with everyone, collect baseline data and set targets based on that

  • i agree to your point as well

  • sometimes i do affect at our crucial times

  • one can never be perfect but can be better than yesterday

  • yes, time duration is also an important factor in setting up unrealistic targets

  • Unrealistic targets are targets which are not achievable due to many underlying factors which may include constrain on budgets, peculiarities of the intervention and the response of the host community.

  • The love of targeting the best mode.

  • Unrealistic targets do is not specific.
    It also has no room for adjustment.
    It also set without doing enough research for instance, failing to get information from stakeholders, experts, past records among others

  • Surely, the targets shows us the specific point we want to reach

  • When setting targets one should be careful to not set unrealistic targets. Targets will be considered unrealistic if they are not set within the set funding by the donor. If the targets exceed the set budgets , they will be considered as unrealistic targets. Targets will also be considered as unrealistic if they are not within the scope of the project, this will definitely affect the project because it will not be able to achieve its goal. When the target audience is changed, then the targets will definitely become unrealistic.

    B
    2 Replies
  • It is clear that the setting of unrealistic targets is likely to cause some negative effect on the project in terms of quality for example whereby efforts are focused on achieving high numbers rather than focusing on the quality of the impact.

    3 Replies
  • Unrealistic targets can truncate an idea even before it is implemented. I love this course it has deeply opened my eyes

  • These are targets that could be too difficult to attain at the end of the day

  • Unrealistic goal could be handled by adjusting your approach

  • When one is faced with unrealistic target, the best thing to do is to be calm

  • assess your working practices

  • To solve unrealistic goal you have to speak-up and open up

  • Unrealistic targets are like a soldier firing at his unit with a weapon

  • With unrealistic targets an organization could never move on

  • Unrealistics targets can be often due to being too pessimistic approach, hence putting too low targets. On the other hand, if one is over ambitious, then the targets may be too high. Targets need to be SMART, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound

  • I once experienced unrealistic targets. My first project set a target to move a whole village of poverty. in the end even one person could not be moved out of poverty

  • In this module, you will learn how to:

    Describe what performance indicators are and give examples of how they contribute to an M&E plan

    Evaluate the characteristics of performance indicators

    Identify indicators for your own project

    Apply appropriate methods for setting accurate targets for your own project

    Develop an Indicators Document for your M&E plan

  • Unrealistic targets means that one do not recognize the truth about a situation, especially about the difficulties involved in something or the target they want to achieve. In other words it means setting of targets that are not possible or difficult to achieve within the set duration of time. It is the target set by the optimistic mind based on the emotions involved rather than the baseline data collection. The term unrealistic means not accepting or showing the things as they are. It is something hypothetical, imaginery and based on one's prediction or speculation and has no reliability or validity to get achieved as a target.

  • Unrealistic targets are targets that do not recognise the truth about a situation especially about the difficulties involved in somethings that is not to be achieved.

  • Unrealistic targets will always make the project fail.

  • When you set an unrealistic target chances are your project will not be successful because you will fail to meet the unrealisti target

  • I had experience with unrealistic targets.
    We had a project that we could not achieve most of its targets, it is was cholera response, we set targets, but the first month of our intervention was progressing very fine, through our intervention were able to limit cholera very fast, due to disappearing cholera in selected district, so we achieved the project goal, but most of our targets could not be achieved.

  • Unrealistic targets will not help you measure the intended outcomes. In the project planning stage, clear targets should be identified and as much as possible achievable by the concerned.

  • Unrealistic target causes sets back and you cant achieve the goak

  • When you set an unrealistic target chances are your project will not be successful because you will fail to meet the unrealistic target

  • When you have unrealistic targets it becomes a problem to get or reach your results. This could lead to disappointments, frustrations and feeling of failure which could lead likely quiting.

  • Unrealistic targets also have a way of demotivating the staff and affecting team morale so it is indeed important to set realistic targets and avoid biases.

  • Unrealistic targets are those targets that are set but very difficult to accomplish it according to the program implementation

  • A target may be unrealistic based on the funds available

  • Unrealistic targets can actually lead to the failure of a project in front of the donor as well as the project implementation team. If the target is not set taking into account all risks, and circumstances involved, then in a rush to achieve the set target, the quality of work might suffer greatly

  • Unrealistic targets is a major problem in project implementation.

  • Unrealistic target mean

    • that you set your target too low, which is not motivated you and your team work hard to rich the higher target that it should reach.
    • No consultation with an expert and others, who familiar with the project that you are going to implement
    • Not pay attention to think about the timeframe and the resources available, which is make your project reach reach that realistic targets
    • Not take into consideration of the status quo situation of the target area how it look like
    • Not carefully study the previous project document which is similar to the project that you are trying to work on
    • It mean it is not SMART
  • unrealistic targets are the targets one is trying to achieve . this kind of targets most of times are fore example one to plan to have a business of one billion dollars in ayear.

  • Unrealistic target
    1- To vaccinate all members of the population
    2-To ensure good health for everyone in the city

  • Unrealistic target
    1- To vaccinate all members of the population
    2-To ensure good health for everyone in the city

  • Unrealistic targets meant that the target impossible to achieve or deliver.

    L
    1 Reply
  • Unrealistic targets:
    We set an unrealistic target on an education programme to prevent early marriages of girls where we did not do our baseline study on present drop out rates and went in with the assumption that there would be no dropouts.

  • Unrealistic targets set a project team on a path of failure I believe.

  • Setting unrealistic targets always sets a team on a path a failure. I believe in target setting, the targets should be SMART as well

  • Unrealistic targets are targets which when we consider the amount of resources required t achieve is not available and the time available is not achievable.

  • Unrealistic targets are targets which when we consider the amount of resources required t acheive is not available and the time available is not acheivable.

  • Interested in learning about the tools to improve my M&E knowledge

  • Hi to everybody,

    It seems that project' targets are basically the same milestones used in the planning of implementation process.

  • Unrealistic targets might be set only when we do not research enough the problem we want to solve through our project and when we do not set a baseline.

    V
    1 Reply
  • I think one can easily fall into the trap of setting unrealistic targets by either trying to seem too good to donors or by failing to take things like availability of resources and their own capacities into consideration. I think it is best to follow the guidelines set in this module to avoid setting unrealistic targets. Finding the balance between ambition and reality can be easy if one invests in a good research, rich consultations with experts and weighing all possible scenarios considering the risks and challenges that might ensue.

  • It is important to have a better understanding of a project's goal to be able to set targets paying attention to the indicators. Lack of better understanding of the factors mentioned above the team js likely to set unrealistic targets which at the end of the day affect the outcome of the project

  • I think one can easily fall into the trap of setting unrealistic targets by either trying to seem too good to donors or by failing to take things like availability of resources and their own capacities into consideration. I think it is best to follow the guidelines set in this module to avoid setting unrealistic targets. Finding the balance between ambition and reality can be easy if one invests in a good research, rich consultations with experts and weighing all possible scenarios considering the risks and challenges that might ensue.

  • Unrealistic targets may reflect poorly on the project's achievements.

  • unrealistic are waste of energy

  • Unrealistic targets can be harmful to the organisation in that it can destroy employee morale when these targets are not met. This will then lead to a drop in employee productivity. Targets should be made to be as reasonable as possible.

  • Unrealistic targets may lead to project/programme staff falsifying data.

  • when we set out targets bases on our feelings, biases, assumptions is called unrealistic targets. We would not able to see the success if we set unrealistic targets.
    An unrealistic targets may not have connection with objective, outcome and impact.

  • Ensure your goals are specific.
    Give your goals a time frame.
    Always aim high... .But not too high.
    Draw up a proper plan of action.
    Publicize your goals and make yourself accountable.

    U
    1 Reply
  • Ensure your goals are specific.
    Give your goals a time frame.
    Always aim high But not too high.
    Draw up a proper plan of action.
    Publicize your goals and make yourself accountable.

  • Unrealistic Targets. Targets should be ambitious but realistic, it is important to set ambitious targets because it will
    motivate your team to reach high level of success. Additionally, Targets tell your donor how much work you are planning on doing. If you set you target too low, your donor may be reluctant to give you the money you need.

    However target should also be realistic, when you set a target you are committing your team to reaching that target, If you miss a target because you were unrealistic everyone involved will end up disappointed. yourself your team and your donor.

    perhaps you set impossible deadline you may ask for unachievable result or do you expect your team to reach that target with inadequate budget. On the other hand, setting unrealistic target can have a negative impact on the team and project.

    Here are some of the effects that may occur in the short term

    1 miss the target date

    2 will not reach high level of success

    3 Donor may be reluctant to give money for subsequent project

  • Setting realistic goals it is crucial, but also quite complicated. In humanitarian settings often practitioners do not have a comprehensive understanding of the context. On top of that, such contexts are quite volatile which makes it difficult to identify a baseline. Also information and data, especially in post conflict affected areas it is not easily available and when it is there are doubts about its reliability.

    After some years in the field setting reasonable targets has been the most difficult task to be accomplished.

  • Targets must be set after thoroughly analyzing the data. For that the data must be comprehensive and reflect the truth about the situation. If not your stakeholders may wonder where the target came from. The target should be set in a reasonable range based on past performance and baseline data.

  • When you set unrealistic goals, you won't achieve them if you don't come up with creative strategies. These goals will demand you to come up with well-thought strategies, hence, requiring you to think unconventionally, and think beyond your beliefs. They will need you to think outside the box. Develop an action plan. If you feel overwhelmed, take the time to jot down an action plan that shows your timeline to success.

  • Unrealistic targets are detrimental to the core goal of the project. The implementers might go a whole year without their impact being felt on the ground by the beneficiaries.

  • According to my understanding, unrealistic targets may brings the project to the failure because they are based on biases ,while things we believable may probably be different from the reality. Having the true inforformation is the major practice when preparing targets.

  • Having unrealistic targets can be damaging to your program - it could disappoint your donor, your staff, and look bad in the report. Putting targets too high means that even if your program is doing good work, it will look like it is underperforming and those involved may feel they are not doing a good enough job. It is important to be realistic but ambitious when setting targets.

  • Ensure your goals are specific.
    Give your goals a time frame.
    Always aim high But not too high.
    Draw up a proper plan of action.
    Publicize your goals and make yourself accountable.

  • f you say that someone is being unrealistic, you mean that they do not recognize the truth about a situation, especially about the difficulties involved in something they want to achieve.
    However, if that goal is constantly unrealistic, employees can feel like they're not achieving. This can impact self-esteem, motivation, and productivity, which can damage your bottom-line. Staff may aim lower – If targets are regularly set too high, staff will constantly fail to meet them.

  • Unrealistic targets are detrimental to the core goal of the project. The implementers might go a whole year without their impact being felt on the ground by the beneficiaries.

  • Unrealistic targets are detrimental to the core goal of the project. The implementers might go a whole year without their impact being felt on the ground by the beneficiaries.

  • A baseline is the value of a performance indicator before the implementation of projects or activities, while a target is the specific, planned level of result to be achieved within an explicit timeframe

  • Unrealistic targets that are too high can set you up for failure and lead to disappointment, low staff morale, and possible a reduction in donor support. Or they can also lead to cumbersome adjustments down the line to bring targets back to reality.

    On the other side of the coin, a target that is too low can give an inaccurate perception of success and disincentives higher program performance.

  • Targets need to be realistic and should be according to budget and schedule of the project. Unrealistic targets may sound ambitious but give a lot of headache if they are not achieved. So to refrain from unrealistic targets baseline survey, listening to expert opinions and going through other research findings can really help to draft affordable and measurable targets.

  • Unrealistic Targets. Targets should be ambitious but realistic, it is important to set ambitious targets because it will
    motivate your team to reach high level of success. Additionally, Targets tell your donor how much work you are planning on doing. If you set you target too low, your donor may be reluctant to give you the money you need.

    However target should also be realistic, when you set a target you are committing your team to reaching that target, If you miss a target because you were unrealistic everyone involved will end up disappointed. yourself your team and your donor.

    perhaps you set impossible deadline you may ask for unachievable result or do you expect your team to reach that target with inadequate budget. On the other hand, setting unrealistic target can have a negative impact on the team and project.

    Here are some of the effects that may occur in the short term

    1 miss the target date

    2 will not reach high level of success

    3 Donor may be reluctant to give money for subsequent project

  • Des objectifs irréalistes permettent à un projet de ne pas comprends s'il y a des évolutions

  • I think the main reason targets are set unrealistically is the absence of data, in countries where accessibility to data and information is limited, it becomes challenging to set targets. The minimum degree of data would be needed such as the population's structure and size, and that in itself is sometimes not available, making the measurement of your project's impact and success on a wide level almost impossible. Organizations would then resort to including some activities that can be conducted directly in order to measure the project activities at a given time and place, and within a given group of people.

  • According to my understanding, unrealistic targets may brings the project to the failure because they are based on biases ,while things we believable may probably be different from the reality. Having the true inforformation is the major practice when preparing targets.

  • Targets need to be realistic and should be according to budget and schedule of the project. Unrealistic targets may sound ambitious but give a lot of headache if they are not achieved. So to refrain from unrealistic targets baseline survey, listening to expert opinions and going through other research findings can really help to draft affordable and measurable targets.

  • Targets need to be realistic and should be according to budget and schedule of the project. Unrealistic targets may sound ambitious but give a lot of headache if they are not achieved. So to refrain from unrealistic targets baseline survey, listening to expert opinions and going through other research findings can really help to draft affordable and measurable targets.

  • evelop an action plan. Managers respond well to action plans, even if those plans fall through. Navigating the world of unrealistic expectations is often an exercise in stating solutions. If you feel overwhelmed, take the time to jot down an action plan that shows your timeline to success

  • According to my understanding, unrealistic targets may brings the project to the failure because they are based on biases ,while things we believable may probably be different from the reality. Having the true inforformation is the major practice when preparing targets.

  • The consequences of unrealistic goals are significant. Not reaching goals results in negative emotions: disappointment, frustration, and feeling like a failure. It also makes you more likely to quit, be even less healthy, and claim that your genetics make success impossible

  • The consequences of unrealistic goals are significant. Not reaching goals results in negative emotions: disappointment, frustration, and feeling like a failure. It also makes you more likely to quit, be even less healthy, and claim that your genetics make success impossible.

  • When you set 'unrealistic' goals, you will realize that you won't achieve them if you don't come up with creative strategies. These goals will demand you to come up with well-thought strategies, hence, requiring you to think unconventionally, and think beyond your beliefs. They will need you to think outside the box.

  • Unrealistic targets are as a result of poor research or planning, poor team effort and misjudgement of the programme. There is need to have background information to extrapolate what target to use. Unrealistic targets lead to frustration and defeat the purpose of the project. Unrealistic targets are targets that do not follow any criteria eg.
    Expert opinion when setting them
    Stakeholder expectations
    The Project budget
    Research findings on previous projects
    Unrealistic targets can put pressure unnecessary pressure on employees.
    Giving yourself a break and asking for advice can help you set realistic and ambitious goals

  • Unrealistic targets mean those targets which are not possible to attain no matter how much money,time, expertise or resources to put into the project for example if your project aims at reducing school dropout rate,and you set a target of reducing the school dropout rate by 100% in the next 2 years,it is not possible.you may reach 95% but reaching 100% is impossible.

  • Create the target is the first thing in my project, then, according to its development, I can adjust it, if needed. They cannot be too low, or the donors will hesitate to fund the project, and they cannot be to high, or it will generate frustration. Targets need to be realistic. These are important lessons.

  • Unrealistic targets may lead to project/programme staff falsifying data.

  • People make targets by relying on their perceptions or some unrealistic assumptions they have. Such targets create waste of money, waste of time, low quality outcome, damaged trust and damaged morale of the stakeholders. Therefore, we need to either primary or secondary information to make our target accurate.

  • I think it is very important to talk to your managers to set realistic targets but not only to keep them in line if not to keep them high and go on the expectations

  • yes, you are right and sometimes it is very difficult to be aware of it because when we start a project we are full of energy and ideas.

  • Unrealistic targets can be advantagious and disadvantagious in several ways. eg for advanatage, it can push the team to achieve the unexpected and even more impactful changes in the society.
    for disadvantage, if not achicve it demoralisses the team and patners and founders which hinders progress in the future.

    W
    1 Reply
  • Reaching many students in one year
    Reaching All Tanzanians in 5 months

  • Un realistic targets are targets that are not expressed in terms of quantity, quality or efficiency and they do not have a time bound

  • Unrealistic targets can be advantagious and disadvantagious in several ways. eg for advanatage, it can push the team to achieve the unexpected and even more impactful changes in the society.
    for disadvantage, if not achicve it demoralisses the team and patners and founders which hinders progress in the future.

  • How to identify targets when target beneficiaries are not keen to be identified or don't appear in statistics and research because their status or lack thereof, i.e. asylum seekers?

  • Unrealistic targets are those that are match the following criteria:

    1. Are achievable with or without your input e.g. putting your target the same as statistics that are available from other websites that are achievable. This then shows that your project has no impact.

    2. Doesn't match your resources. You have a budget but you set your targets too high above the budget you have.

    3. Copied from other companies without consideration of the capacity you have in terms of manpower and timeline. One should analyse what the have to set targets according to what they have and how they can achieve it.

  • Firstly, unrealistic means that you do not recognize the truth about a situation, especially about the difficulties involved in something they want to achieve while target is an indicator established to determine how successfully you are achieving an objective.
    Therefore, Unrealistic Targets is mostly identified when goals are set base on feelings by neglecting the data collation activity, like allowing our assumptions to influence our decision.

  • It's important to set targets that are realistic. It's also important to understand why we fail to meet targets - is it an issue in the program or is it a matter of unrealistic targets? To me, one issue that can come up is funders with unrealistic expectations. Working with donors to align expectations at the onset of the project is key to success.

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