Goal

A goal describes a desired future state that a stakeholder or organization intends to achieve.

It focuses on an outcome rather than a specific solution. Therefore, it provides direction for requirements, decisions, and project priorities.

Teams often connect goals to existing problems. A problem describes an unwanted current state. In contrast, the desired outcome describes the intended improvement.

High-level objectives may contain several lower-level objectives. For example, an organization may need to increase customer satisfaction. To achieve this, it may improve response times and simplify service processes.

Teams can use AND/OR trees or other goal models to show relationships. An AND relationship requires all subgoals. Meanwhile, an OR relationship requires at least one alternative.

Clear success criteria make the intended outcome measurable. Moreover, traceability links connect it to stakeholders, requirements, and business value.

Well-defined objectives clarify purpose, support scope decisions, and prevent teams from implementing solutions without understanding the underlying need.