2.9.4: Defining Success Before the Work Begins
- Page ID
- 49257
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Defining Success Before the Work Begins
A C-Bay Planning Guide for Milestone 1
Introduction: Why You Must Define Success Before You Start the Work
Every project wants “success”—but without agreement on what that means, it’s just a buzzword. Your first responsibility as a planner is to create a shared, measurable, client-aligned definition of success before planning proceeds.
In professional planning, success criteria must be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Agreed upon
- Relevant to the client
- Verifiable at the end of the phase
For UCMS, your job in Milestone 1 is to define success for the planning phase only, not for the final system implementation.
What Are Success Criteria?
Success criteria are observable, measurable conditions that confirm a project phase is complete and accepted. They:
- Set expectations
- Provide accountability
- Prevent scope creep
- Allow verification of progress
They answer:
“What must be true at the end of this work for everyone to say, ‘We did what we came here to do’?”
What Success Criteria Are Not
- Vague statements (“meet client goals”)
- General hopes (“deliver a great system”)
- Tasks (“complete the project”)
- Unmeasurable claims (“achieve satisfaction”)
If criteria cannot be verified or signed off by a stakeholder, they don’t belong in the charter.
C-Bay’s Guidelines for Strong Success Criteria
- Be Specific – Name the deliverable or outcome clearly
- Be Measurable – Progress must be objectively verifiable
- Be Time-Bounded – Tie to a milestone or deadline
- Be Client-Aligned – Written from the client’s perspective
- Be Phase-Appropriate – Focus on this phase only
Strong vs. Weak Examples
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| “UCMS is satisfied with the planning process.” | “All UCMS stakeholders have reviewed and signed the final planning package by April 30.” |
| “Planning is completed.” | “Project Charter, Stakeholder Map, and Requirements Matrix are completed, validated, and submitted to UCMS leadership.” |
| “The team agrees on project goals.” | “All success criteria are reviewed and approved by C-Bay PMO and UCMS Sponsor before the milestone concludes.” |
Sample UCMS Success Criteria for Milestone 1
- Project Charter submitted, reviewed, and approved by the UCMS Dean and CIO
- Stakeholder map validated by both C-Bay and UCMS leadership
- Scope boundaries, constraints, and risks documented and signed off
- Preliminary planning schedule submitted with target dates for key deliverables
- All planning materials uploaded to the shared repository by milestone close
Tip: Include 3–5 criteria. More than five clutters focus; fewer than three weakens accountability.
How to Write Them
- Review the client’s expectations
- Think like the sponsor
- List your major outputs for this phase
- Make each outcome testable
- Use professional, neutral language
Common Mistakes
- Using vague or hedged language (“should be,” “ideally”)
- Including future-phase goals
- Writing from your perspective instead of the client’s