Zielspanne

Zielspanne is a German term formed from Ziel (goal) and Spanne (span, range). It denotes the range or extent of goals, targets, or performance values considered within a specific context. The precise meaning depends on the discipline, but it generally conveys a notion of distance to a target or the set of target values considered acceptable.

In strategic planning and project management, Zielspanne describes either the spectrum of objectives that a team intends to achieve within a planning horizon, or the allowable range of outcomes around a target value. It helps frame expectations and guide decision-making under uncertainty.

In performance management and budgeting, Zielspanne is often used as a tolerance or permissive band around a target metric. For example, a target of 100 with a Zielspanne of ±5 yields a range of 95 to 105 and informs whether results are satisfactory.

In education and training, Zielspanne can denote the scope of learning goals or competencies that students are expected to reach, sometimes across different levels of achievement or assessment criteria. It may also describe the intended progression from basic to advanced objectives.

In research, evaluation, or quality management, the term can define the range of outcomes used to assess success or to compare observed results with planned objectives, accommodating variability in data and methods.

See also: Zielsetzung, Zielvereinbarung, Zielgrößen, Toleranzband.