Succescriterium

Succescriterium is a term used in Dutch to describe a condition or capability that must be demonstrated for a project, product, process, or learning outcome to be considered successful. A succescriterium is observable, verifiable, and tied to specific requirements or goals. By defining such criteria, teams and stakeholders can judge whether outcomes meet expectations and can be validated through measurement or testing.

Applications include project management, software development, quality assurance, and education. In project management and software, success criteria specify what must be delivered and how its quality will be assessed. In education, learning outcomes are expressed as success criteria that describe what competent performance looks like.

Key characteristics of succescriteria are that they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (often aligned with SMART criteria). They should be testable or observable, and agreed upon by stakeholders to avoid ambiguity.

Common types include deliverable criteria, performance criteria, acceptance criteria, and quality criteria. An example: “The system shall process 99% of transactions within two seconds on average during peak load.” Another example: “All critical defects are resolved before release.” These criteria guide planning, testing, reviews, and acceptance decisions.

Developing succescriteria typically occurs during requirements elicitation and planning, and they should be revisited as assumptions change. Properly defined criteria improve transparency, reduce disputes, and provide objective evidence of success. They are closely related to acceptance criteria and overall quality assurance.