A Success Criteria Canvas is a visual tool used to define and articulate the goals and objectives of a project, initiative, or product. It helps ensure everyone involved shares the same understanding of what success looks like and what needs to be achieved.
The canvas typically includes sections such as:
- Vision: the overarching outcome you are trying to create
- Success factors: the key conditions that must be true for the effort to be considered successful
- Success indicators: observable signs the work is moving in the right direction
- Success metrics: how success will be measured and tracked over time
This tool is especially helpful for aligning stakeholders, managing expectations, and preventing “moving goalposts” during delivery. When teams agree on success criteria early, it becomes easier to make tradeoffs, prioritize work, and evaluate progress with clarity.
Download Canvas (PDF):
https://danolsavsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Success-Criteria-Canvas.pdf
This article is part of a series on Design Thinking.