criteriondriven

Criteriondriven describes approaches in which actions, judgments, and outcomes are anchored to explicit criteria or benchmarks. The emphasis is on objective, measurable standards that can be observed and verified, rather than on subjective impressions or ad hoc reasoning.

In education, criteriondriven assessment uses predefined criteria and rubrics to evaluate student work, providing transparent expectations and consistent scoring across tasks. In software development and quality assurance, acceptance criteria and test criteria define what constitutes a complete or satisfactory product. Criterion-driven testing selects tests and determines pass/fail status based on these criteria, supporting traceability and repeatability. In research and policy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, eligibility rules, or gating criteria determine which subjects, cases, or proposals are eligible to proceed, be studied, or be funded.

Benefits include clarity, fairness, and accountability, as decisions are auditable against defined standards. Challenges involve defining comprehensive criteria, assigning appropriate weights, and avoiding rigidity that neglects context or emergent factors. The term is used across domains with varying emphasis and may be used interchangeably with related terms such as criterion-referenced, criteria-based, or metrics-driven approaches.