An example of an objective statement might be to “upgrade the help desk telephone system by December 31 to achieve average client wait times of no more than two minutes“.

• Note that the objective is much more concrete and specific than the goal statement.
• The objective is measurable in terms of the average client wait times the new phone system is trying to achieve.
• We must assume that the objective is achievable and realistic.
• The objective is time-bound, and should be completed by December 31.

Objectives should refer to the deliverables of the project. In this case, it refers to the upgrade of the telephone system. If you cannot determine what deliverables are being created to achieve the objective, then the objective may be written at too high a level. On the other hand, if an objective describes the characteristics of the deliverables, they are written at too low a level. If they describe the features and functions, they are requirements, not objectives.