Which metric best evaluates progress toward a SMART attendance objective?

• A. Attendance numbers only
• B. Percentage change in attendance
• C. Both tracked registrations and percentage change
• D. Customer satisfaction rating

Answer: (C)

Measuring progress toward a SMART attendance goal requires capturing both the actual level and how that level is changing over time. Tracking registrations or attendance gives you the concrete size of participation. Measuring the percentage change shows the rate of improvement (or decline) toward the target. Using both together gives a complete view: you know the current attendance and how fast it’s moving toward your goal. Relying on numbers alone misses how quickly you’re progressing, while relying on percentage change alone misses the actual scale of attendance. A satisfaction rating isn’t aligned with the attendance metric unless the objective explicitly includes satisfaction, so it doesn’t effectively gauge progress toward an attendance goal.