expectationsfor

Expectationsfor is a term used in fields such as requirements engineering, product design, and software development to denote the anticipated outcomes or requirements that a subject—such as a project, feature, or user group—expects to be fulfilled. The phrase highlights that multiple expectations may exist and should be identified, documented, and verified.

In practice, expectationsfor can refer to a concept, a naming convention, or a data structure that, for a given subject, yields a set of expectations. For example, in a requirements workbook, expectationsfor('mobile app') might enumerate performance, reliability, accessibility, security, and legal compliance. In code, a function or method named expectationsFor(subject) could return a list of acceptance criteria or success criteria associated with that subject.

Using expectationsfor supports alignment among stakeholders by making explicit what is to be achieved. It complements requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria by focusing on outcomes rather than tasks.

Common challenges include ambiguity in wording, changing expectations during project execution, and balancing conflicting stakeholder views. Good practice involves defining measurable criteria, linking each expectation to a test or verification method, and maintaining a living document as scope evolves.

See also: expectation, requirement, acceptance criteria, user story, stakeholder, product backlog.