shouldHave

Shouldhave is a term used in certain professional and scholarly contexts to denote items, capabilities, or conditions that a project, policy, or system should possess. It is not a term with a single standardized definition, and its meaning can vary by organization or field. In many usage contexts, shouldhave serves as a pragmatic middle ground between must-have and nice-to-have, signaling features or criteria that are highly desirable or recommended but not strictly required for initial success.

Origin and form: The word is a compound of should and have and tends to appear in written form as shouldhave or should-have. It is occasionally capitalized in internal documents or glossaries, but there is no universal orthography or formal entry in major standards.

Usage and practice: In requirements engineering, product planning, and policy design, shouldhave items help teams communicate expectations and prioritize work. They are often documented with lightweight acceptance criteria and are used to guide release planning, risk assessment, and quality considerations. Shouldhave items may be revisited as project scope evolves, and they are typically revisited during backlog refinement to determine whether they should be added, deferred, or reclassified.

Relation to other terms: Shouldhave sits between must-have and nice-to-have, offering a nuanced category for planning and evaluation. It is distinct from normative terms used in formal standards, while still providing a useful shorthand for teams to express aspirational yet practical requirements in a flexible way.

See also: Must-have, Nice-to-have, Requirements engineering, Product backlog, Prioritization.