Success criteria
Success criteria are clearly defined conditions by which you can recognize that an activity or project has achieved its intended effect.
Definition
Success criteria organize expectations and enable evaluation of the result. They may be about quality, time, scope, impact, cost or user experience. Good criteria are specific, measurable or at least observable, and known before taking action.
Key ideas
- Clarity of the result
- Measuring progress
- Agreeing on expectations
Practice and life
Before the task, write down: minimum score, good score and great score. This will make it easier for you to distinguish between completion and endless revision.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to set criteria only after the work has been done. Another mistake is to choose criteria that are so general that they do not help you make a decision.
> Without success criteria, it's easy to confuse work with progress.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- How will I know when it's ready?
- What does a sufficient version look like?
- Are the criteria known to all interested parties?