What role do project goals play in project management?

Project goals serve as the foundation for project planning and execution by clearly defining the objectives that the project aims to achieve. These goals offer direction and a target for the project team, ensuring everyone understands what they are working towards. They assist in aligning the project activities with the organization’s strategic vision and help set priorities, allocate resources effectively, and establish timelines.

When project goals are established early in the project lifecycle, they enable project managers and teams to develop actionable plans, make informed decisions, and carry out project tasks with a clear sense of purpose. This foundational role is crucial for maintaining focus throughout the project's duration, troubleshooting issues as they arise, and adjusting plans while still adhering to the ultimate objectives.

In contrast to the other choices, while project goals do provide guidelines for team performance and can assist in measuring scope, their most fundamental role lies in laying the groundwork for how the project is planned and executed. Revisiting goals after project completion can serve various purposes, such as evaluation and learning, but this does not capture the primary significance of goals during the project lifecycle.