Zielabhängige

Zielabhängige is a German adjective meaning "dependent on the goal" or "goal-dependent." It describes quantities, measurements, decisions, or criteria whose values or outcomes vary with the defined objective. The term is common in technical and scientific contexts, such as statistics, optimization, risk assessment, and project management, where the objective shapes what is being measured or evaluated.

Grammatically, zielabhängig declines as any German adjective. Before a feminine noun in singular: "zielabhängige Variable"; in plural: "zielabhängige Variablen." Predicatively: "Die Größe ist zielabhängig." The noun form is rarely used; more often it remains an adjective.

Usage examples: In multi-criteria optimization, one might speak of "zielabhängige Kosten" or "zielabhängige Nutzen," meaning costs or benefits that depend on the chosen goal or criterion. In experimental design, "zielabhängige Variablen" are those whose values are determined by the objective being optimized or assessed.

Relation to other terms: It is distinct from "zielgerichtet" (goal-directed) and "Zielsetzung" (goal setting). It should not be confused with "abhängige Variablen" (dependent variables) in statistics, though it overlaps in meaning when the dependence is framed by a specific objective.

See also: Abhängige Variablen, Unabhängige Variablen, Zielkriterium, Zielsetzung, Optimierung.