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  • I agree that goal setting should be data driven, which is really a good thing. Also, returning to it to add seems to me to be a more realistic alternative. I have known in the past projects which started implementation with ambitious but unrealistic goals. To adapt to the context of the project, the necessary adjustments were made.

  • Unrealistic targets can lead to failure or low results. Therefore, targets must be realistic.

  • Its very helpful.

  • Unrealistic targets are common especially among those who are novices (just beginning to understand M&E), those who want to impress donors and set very high targets and those who use wrong data. It is important to first get the dynamics on the ground (understand your environment) before setting a target. Even after setting the target, check again to see if that figure is achievable or not. Unrealistic targets if not achieved may lead to fund cuts, donor pulling out and unsatisfied beneficiaries. They should be avoided at any cost.

  • Unrealistic targets are common especially among those who are novices (just beginning to understand M&E), those who want to impress donors and set very high targets and those who use wrong data. It is important to first get the dynamics on the ground (understand your environment) before setting a target. Even after setting the target, check again to see if that figure is achievable or not. Unrealistic targets if not achieved may lead to fund cuts, donor pulling out and unsatisfied beneficiaries. They should be avoided at any cost.

  • It is very paramount to reach the community yourself to find out the real information yourself. We found out some volunteers in our organization had develop cold fit thereby filling the survey form by their selves in stead of reaching the town or the local to flu d out about their real issues

  • -Don't set goals that are too high because if If you miss a goal because you are unrealistic, everyone involved will be disappointed: you, your team and your donors.

  • Don't set too High target because If you miss a goal because you are unrealistic, everyone involved will be disappointed: you, your team and your donors.

  • Unrealistic targets will cause the project not be realised and also will lead to frustration among project team members once they fail to realise the targets. Furthermore, because unrealistic targets may cause the project to lag behind schedule, funding from donors may be affected.

  • To estimate prevalence of lymphoedema in 100000 households within one month in the Lindi district which is not possible to assess all those houses in Lindi district within this study period as result it will hard to attain the target of the project.

  • Usually, unrealistic targets are very ambitious and vague. They must be avoided at all costs because they have the potential to collapse a project as they can be quantified. Whether the project is achieving positive results you can not tell. the SMART principle applies even here

  • The use of historical trends and existing published information is very important for us to set realistic targets

  • The use of historical trends and existing published information is very important for us to set realistic targets

  • Unrealistic targets can cause your donor to rate your project performance as poor, targets should be aligned to existing project budgets

    M
    1 Reply
  • To estimate prevalence of lymphoedema in 100000 households within one month in the Lindi district which is not possible to assess all those houses in Lindi district within this study period as result it will hard to attain the target of the project.
    It is very important to create data flow map which will simplify the the work and as result it will assist in archiving the goal

  • Unrealistic targets will cause the project not be realised and also will lead to frustration among project team members once they fail to realise the targets. Furthermore, because unrealistic targets may cause the project to lag behind schedule, funding from donors may be affected.

  • I agree that goal setting should be data driven, which is really a good thing. Also, returning to it to add seems to me to be a more realistic alternative. I have known in the past projects which started implementation with ambitious but unrealistic goals. To adapt to the context of the project, the necessary adjustments were made.

  • Targets should depend on base line data, stakeholder expectations, project budget and time frame. That's what I understand for the targets. To reach our targets that we should be ambitious realistic. But sometime, if it something change that we might adjust our targets. Your targets can be quantity, quality or efficiency.

  • Indicators
    These are the things that you will measure. Indicators show how successful your project is. Indicators DO NOT include the specific numbers or percentages that you would like to reach. Examples of indicators include:

    The number of children who receive vaccines

    The percentage of donated funds that reach families

  • Sometimes the targets become unrealistic due to time constraints and human capital needed.

  • Sometimes the targets become unrealistic due to time constraints and human capital needed.

  • Setting unrealistic targets suggests that it’s increasingly unlikely that your team will be able to achieve them. If your team regularly misses targets, this could lead to questions raised from your own donors, asking why your team are underachieving/ underperforming which they may miss end result. Subsequently, in many instances this will mean in order for your team to achieve unrealistic targets, they may be forced to rush work, cut corners and not take proper care. This can lead to mistakes and poor quality outcomes. Furthermore, If one set the budget based on unrealistic targets, one may be surprised when project costs overrun. If your deadline is also unrealistic, team may need to spend longer on the project and work overtime, which all adds to your overall cost.

    Additionally, if project goal/s are constantly unrealistic, team can feel like they’re not achieving. This can impact self-esteem, motivation, and productivity, which can damage project bottom-line. Importantly, another aspect is that If targets are regularly set too high, team will constantly fail to meet them. Over time, this failure can almost become accepted . As a result, team may no longer try their absolute hardest, even if targets are lowered. This can have a detrimental effect on all future projects. As a result every team want to feel like they’re achieving their targets but are instead constantly being set up for failure. So, if you keep asking for the impossible, you can quickly lose the respect of your whole team and that of donors.

    by virtue of that, in order to avoid unrealistic targets the first step is realizing that a project set unrealistic expectations. it is to review relevant or related previous projects, or ask your team if they think your targets are fair or unobtainable. therefore, it is important to note that just because you want something to be completed within a minimum prescribed period, doesn’t mean it can be completed in that timeframe. Take a step back, have objectivity is screening the your target and consider the amount of work required and what resources you have available, before setting a deadline. This also applies to targets that are being pushed on you from donors too. lastly, Instead of setting targets and then putting increased pressure on a team to perform, try supporting your team as much as possible (this might include mentoring and monitoring) to help them achieve the best they can. Remember that the best leaders don’t manage; they lead!, therefore a leader lead those who follow by good example.

  • Unrealistic targets are the targets that are too difficult to implement our goals and objectives . We need to adjust our targets based on our availability of resources .

  • It is very paramount to reach the community yourself to find out the real information yourself. We found out some volunteers in our organization had develop cold fit thereby filling the survey form by their selves in stead of reaching the town or the local to flu d out about their real issues

  • Targets foster efforts towards results. It's great. But when setting targets we must take the time to ponder over the constraints, such as time, money and social context. Otherwise e will be disappointed!

  • Ambitus target, un-achievable

  • Before we set the target, we need to verify if the target is attainable in project period. If the target becomes unattainable during the project due to unexpected variable (ex: COVID-19), It is important to make quick analysis and change the target in real situation.

    N
    1 Reply
  • Do not set a goal high and too high because the achievements would be difficult to achieve and if this is not achieved it could disappoint the team member and the sponsors of the study.

  • Ambious target, un-achievable

  • Set a target without any supporting data like a baseline data, collecting new data or maybe the project don’t have any existing data can be unrealistic. Don’t set targets too ambitious because to impress clients, set a targets to ensure we can achieve that.

  • I would like to understand more about these unrealistic goals.

  • Setting unrealistic target can have impact in your project (which might totally take you back), so is therefore important part of any project to set a target/goals that will be easy to achieve.

  • This module has been really useful as this is something i've always struggled with, i think really understanding other interventions and conducting a thorough literature review is a first great step in setting targets. NOPE's strategy of choosing a midway between best and worst case scenario is such a great tip for me.

    C
    1 Reply
  • Often times we overlook the data or trends that are already in place to create a baseline and that makes us set targets that will not have the impact we would like to, or we do not take into account the government restrictions or exchange rates and we set unrealistic targets.

  • Setting unrealistic targets put pressure on project team members resulting in cutting corners to achieve targets

  • The Go to foundation hope to trained 1500 Peer Educators by March 2021, but with the uncertainty of times we live in due to the Covid-19 pandemic this target appears unrealistic and would have to be adjusted

  • Number of loans granted >>> 200 loans will be provided by November 2020

  • Unrealistic targets are targets that are set but that do not feel to reached in the measure of the possible.

  • Unrealistic targets are targets that are set but that do not feel to be reached in the measure of the possible.
    This is why wa have to pay attention by analyzing all inputs to inpacts to judge wheter your targets will be realized.

  • Unrealistic targets can lead to frustration and bridge of trust between organizations, beneficiaries and funders

  • The targets that one sets must be realistic. This simply means that, the desired result must achievable. So as one sets a target, it is important that the target is not unrealistic. Unrealistic targets are targets that can not be met with the resources that are available for use for the project. These resource could be money, time and access to people whose help you might need. And it importantly a target must always be in line or be related and relevant to the project.

  • If 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.

    4 Ways to Handle Unrealistic Targets
    Don't panic. As humans, our instinctive reaction to anything that threatens our job security or earning potential is to worry about it.
    Adjust your approach. Depending on what and how you sell, fine-tune your approach. ...
    Assess your working practices.
    Speak up.

  • Really, this yet another important aspect of planning M&E, that is setting an ambitious but realistic targets. It is clear that unrealistic will demoralize and disappoint your project team, sponsors and you as an individual.

  • Unrealistic targets are those that are set without putting into considerations important elements that inform a baseline of a project. Unrealistic targets are set also when we do not factor in historical trends, beneficiaries opinions and budget limitations.

    J
    1 Reply
  • Well we humans operate in real world there is need to be rational in thought so as to achieve the goals of our projects

  • From historical trend are we able to just predict the next target
    Yes we are able to predict the next target because history shows how the trend have been moving

    J
    1 Reply
  • Unrealistic targets are common especially among those who are novices (just beginning to understand M&E), those who want to impress donors and set very high targets and those who use wrong data. It is important to first get the dynamics on the ground (understand your environment) before setting a target. Even after setting the target, check again to see if that figure is achievable or not. Unrealistic targets if not achieved may lead to fund cuts, donor pulling out and unsatisfied beneficiaries. They should be avoided at any cost.

  • A target is unrealistic if there is no baseline. Setting a baseline is paramount to setting an ambitious and yet realistic target.

    J
    1 Reply
  • Targets needs to be realistically achievable. The is no point setting yourself up for failure

    F
    1 Reply
  • Unrealistic targets are ambitious and not realistic especially in relation to resources such as time, personnel and money

  • More often than not, we are hard on ourselves by setting unrealistic targets in the quest to please our donors. A project failure could be attributed to unrealistic targets at times; success of a project is measured by juxtaposing the targets to the outputs/outcomes as well as impacts.

  • setting unrealistic target will frustrate the enthusiastic team member and disappoint the project beneficiaries. why the donors might withdraw from future project funding from the organization.

  • "To set targets, we will need to use data, not feelings". This is true and for this, we need data since numbers and facts aid us the evaluate our capability to reach the goal we seek within the constraints of time, money, and the quality.

  • Targets need to be feasibly and practically achievable. historical data can assist in setting targest

  • A target is unrealistic if it is not supported by the project budget, research findings, expert opinion and stakeholder expectations.

  • When you set unrealistic target you will not be taken serious, I enjoyed the lecture

  • In regards to unrealistic Targets usually it begins in the first stage of monitoring and evaluation if you are an able to have a stable understanding of the goal you end up having an unrealistic target

  • Unrealistic targets are targets set but is impossible to achieve them maybe due to inadequate funds or any other factors. This targets affect project experts negatively. For example planning to supply 16000 sanitary towels to school girls yet there is only money to purchase 5000 towels. here the target is unachievable. its advisable to set realistic targets , be optimistic while setting targets. Set targets that can be changed in an occurrence like inadequate funds and other uncontrollable factors.

  • Target is very important to measure the indicator, but when it comes out as unrealistic it block the project achievement and the project may be judged as unsuccessful.

  • Unrealistic Targets is not taking in to consideration on what was achieve but begin to set new target.

  • Certainly, unrealistic targets are very ambitious and vague. We must take note that it has the to collapse a project as they can be quantified.

  • This module on indicators has really been informative. I am more equipped now to work on Indicators on a logframe

  • You are very correct.

  • Unrealistic targets
    These are targets that we set for our project which are either difficult or impossible to be realised. This could be because we are soo motivated and optimistic that we set targets beyond us or because our project was inadequately planned and so the resources we have are insufficient for us to attain the set target.
    It is therefore important to gather much imformation so as to make sure the targets that are set are realisable.

    F
    1 Reply
  • I think it's a mistake to set unrealistic goals

    J
    1 Reply
  • I have learned that it is very important to set realistic targets that are attainable so that you dont fail to reach your targets because they were unrealistic in the first place.

  • Unrealistic targets can be difficult to spot in practice and particularly at inception stages, as you also want to be ambitious. Second, if you're beginning a new project where you have little institutional knowledge or baseline, it can be difficult to determine what is achievable, realistic, but also ambitious, and what the risk factors are. On the other hand, with the right people, sources and studies, your targets may stay more in line.
    The important thing is to maintain indicators throughout the project, as you're otherwise creating a 'moving goal' syndrome and this can severely impact your project and it's success evaluation.

  •                                                                     **UNREALISTIC TARGETS.**
    

    Unrealistic targets are goals that are too ambitious. this may affect the project negatively as the purpose of the project may not be achieved, causing dissatisfaction of the stakeholders.

    To avoid setting unrealistic goals, one can use research findings on similar projects done, looking at the size of the budget and working with it, seeking an expert option or listening to the stakeholder expectation.

  • unrealistic targets are not achievable. it is therefore important to set realistic targets that you can actually reach.

  • Unrealistic targets could be time consuming, they could also lead to us not being able to reach our targets

  • Project Targets refer to a set of fixed goals or objectives that determine how a given project is expected to be done and what result or effect is supposed to be produced by the project. Hence, the targets should be checked carefully whether they are realistic or not.

  • want to be happy. Good. I like that; I think everyone on this planet has the right to pursue and own their own happiness. But the reason that I labelled it as unrealistic target is because there are no workable steps following this goal.

    It's not just about being happy, any target without a plan of attack is unrealistic to me. It's one thing to want, but another thing to actually do. And until you do something about your target, it's going to stay what it started as — a dream.

    K
    1 Reply
  • A target is a result that we try to achieve. But sometimes, the result is impossible to achieve and it becomes unrealistic and make the team discouraged.

  • Setting unrealistic targets will always lead to disappointment due to inability of the team to achieve its set out objectives/targets. Unrealistic targets will lead to poor implementation of the project as the targets will be used as a measuring stick on the performance of the team.

  • Setting unrealistic expectations means that it's increasingly unlikely that your team will be able to achieve them.

  • Unrealistic target will difficult to achieve

  • Unrealistic target is one that cannot be met with the resources you have available to you. Resources might include time, money or access to other people to help you. The chance for success for unrealistic targets is significantly low.

  • Setting unrealistic targets is very bad for any project. It will lead to waste of time and resources and ultimately nothing will be achieved in terms of outcome and impacts.

  • I strongly agree with the NOPE strategy of establishing a target that is midway of the project implementation with and without the effects of the risks and assumptions.

  • Target may be ambitious but it should be realistic.

  • Setting realistic target will help the organization to achieve what intended to achieve.

  • It is important to set realistic target.

  • Generally target should be SMART. Means;
    specific
    Measurable
    Achievable
    Realistic
    Time bound

  • Also we should remember that target should be SMART.

  • unrealistic targets does not help with establishing clear expectations for the project, targets act as guideposts for monitoring whether progress is on schedule and at the level required, thus when you set unrealistic targets you might end up not being the timeframe for their implementation and measurable for evaluation.

  • For me I think this is one mistake that people make when they are setting targets. Some become to ambitious and dream big forgetting that targets needs to be realistic , they need to be practical and be able tp be reached. Thus, is from this scenario that unrealistic targets are targets that can never be reached or that are not practical in implementation.

  • Unrealistic targets may arise if the project term fail to do their work. Setting up targets that is not achievable.

  • Unrealistic targets happen when information is incomplete or minimal, such create situations whereby project implementation or resources such time, personnel is stretch to the limits while the goal is too far to reach. Gradual increments in targets help to boost morale and confidence as we learn and adjust as our capability.

  • what would you do if the donor gave you the targets based on what they think but being on the ground and based on experience you already know they are unrealistic?

  • Setting realistic targets forms an important step of an M & E plan. Unless targets are practically unachievable, it could be potentially discouraging for the project implementing team. So the project must avoid as much as possible choosing targets that are not achievable and unrealistic. In order to help ensure developing realistic targets, it is important that the concerned project is informed of baseline data or historical trends or other sources such as project stakeholders and project budget. It should also be noted that the choice of such information sources may vary according to the types of target under consideration, whether these targets are project level or program level.

  • Setting realistic targets forms an important step of an M & E plan. Unless targets are practically unachievable, it could be potentially discouraging for the project implementing team. So the project must avoid as much as possible choosing targets that are not achievable and unrealistic. In order to help ensure developing realistic targets, it is important that the concerned project is informed of baseline data or historical trends or other sources such as project stakeholders and project budget. It should also be noted that the choice of such information sources may vary according to the types of target under consideration, whether these targets are project level or program level.

  • how different are targets from objectives? where do the two meet?

  • very true. a historical context is so key in project sustainability. for instance, a certain project was aimed to providing a certain number of toilets in a certain rural zambian district. at midline evaluation, the implementers found that the toilets had been converted into maize (corn) storage facilities, because the locals were used to using the bush for the call of nature... context is key...

    A
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  • the SMART adage must always apply...

  • true. our aim must be to reach above the expected future trend in a certain target...

  • but how do you marry these two; say you have a certain figure as a target you can aim to surpass, and that figure is different from what yu get from your baseline... which one do you follow?

  • very true. and also bear in mind our risks and assumptions as we do that...

  • Unrealistic targets are usually a waste of resources both human and material resources.

  • In setting new targets we are meant to be optimistic and at the same time realistic. Both goes simultaneously

    F
    1 Reply
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