startkriterie

Startkriterie is a term used in project management to denote the set of conditions that must be satisfied before a project, phase, or activity may begin. The term is used across Scandinavian languages and in international practice as a form of go/no-go criteria. Start criteria focus on readiness and feasibility rather than on the outcomes of the work. They are distinct from acceptance criteria, which define what a deliverable must meet at the end of a task.

Start criteria typically include funding approval, an officially approved project charter or initiation document, clarity of scope, identified and available resources, and a defined governance process. They may also cover readiness of dependencies such as environments, tools, data, and supplier or partner commitments, as well as a known risk posture deemed acceptable by sponsors. These statements are usually objective and testable, enabling a formal decision to proceed.

In practice, start criteria are documented in project charters, initiation plans, or stage-gate checklists. They should be explicit, measurable, realistic, and aligned with strategic goals. Good practice involves periodically reviewing and, if necessary, updating the criteria to reflect changing conditions or new information.

Relation to methodologies: start criteria are commonly referenced in PM frameworks and governance models as the trigger for advancing from planning to execution. They support disciplined progress and help prevent scope creep, budget overruns, and misaligned expectations by ensuring readiness before work begins. See also go/no-go criteria and initiation criteria.