# Definition of Success: Meaning and Examples at Work > A clear statement of what success looks like for a project, goal, or task, including specific metrics or outcomes that show when something is complete and working well. - **Term:** definition of success - **Part of speech:** phrase - **Pronunciation:** /ˌdefɪˈnɪʃən əv səkˈses/ - **English level (CEFR):** B2 - **Register:** Neutral, Both - **Region:** US and UK - **Topic:** [Agile and project terms](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/topics/agile-project-management-terms.md) - **Lesson:** https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/definition-of-success - **Last updated:** 2026-10-27 ## Meaning A clear statement of what success looks like for a project, goal, or task, including specific metrics or outcomes that show when something is complete and working well. In tech workplaces, a definition of success is essential because it helps teams align on what they are trying to achieve and how they will measure progress. Without one, teams can waste time building features that do not match business goals or user needs. This phrase is used when planning sprints, launching features, running experiments, or evaluating performance. For example, a definition of success for a website redesign might be: achieve 20% faster page load time, improve conversion rate by 15%, and maintain user satisfaction above 4.5 stars. A definition of success for an API integration might be: all endpoints respond in under 200ms, handle 10,000 requests per minute, and have zero critical errors in production. The phrase is widely used in standups, planning meetings, code reviews, and retrospectives. Teams often ask each other, "What is the definition of success for this sprint?" to ensure everyone understands the goal before work begins. ## When you hear it The team discussed the definition of success for the mobile app launch before starting development. ## Examples - **in a standup:** "Before we begin the redesign, we should define the definition of success, such as reducing load time by 30 percent and improving user retention by 10 percent." - **in a planning meeting:** "The definition of success for this sprint includes completing 85 percent of story points and zero critical bugs in production." - **in a code review:** "This pull request aligns with our definition of success because all unit tests pass and code coverage exceeds 90 percent." ## What native speakers say - "We need to agree on a definition of success before we start coding." - "What is the definition of success for this feature?" - "Let's establish a clear definition of success for the Q3 roadmap." ## Common mistakes - ✗ "Our definition of success is to make it better." → ✓ "Our definition of success is to reduce response time from 500ms to 200ms and increase uptime to 99.9 percent." (Success must be specific and measurable, not vague or general.) - ✗ "We will definition of success the project next quarter." → ✓ "We will establish a definition of success for the project next quarter." (Definition of success is a noun phrase, not a verb. Use establish, create, or set instead.) - ✗ "The definition of success was everyone is happy." → ✓ "The definition of success is that all user feedback scores are above 4.5 out of 5." (Success criteria must be objective and measurable, not subjective feelings.) ## Be careful Often used vaguely without specific metrics. Ensure you define what success actually means (metrics, outcomes, timeline) rather than using it as a general statement. ## Word forms | Part of speech | Word | Example | | --- | --- | --- | | noun phrase | definition of success | The definition of success for this API is that it handles 5,000 requests per second. | | noun phrase with modifier | clear definition of success | A clear definition of success helps the team stay focused on the right goals. | | noun phrase with verb | establish/set/create a definition of success | We must establish a definition of success before we write a single line of code. | ## Collocations - **establish/set/create a definition of success**: Use these verbs to introduce the action of determining what success means - **clear definition of success**: Adding clear emphasizes that the criteria are specific and easy to understand - **definition of success for [project/goal/feature]**: Always specify what the success criteria apply to - **align on a definition of success**: Used when teams agree together on what success looks like - **meet the definition of success**: Used to say that something achieved the desired outcomes ## Synonyms - **success criteria**: Nearly identical meaning; criteria is the plural form emphasizing the individual requirements - **success metrics**: Focuses specifically on the numbers and measurements used to measure success - **goal**: More general; a goal is what you want to achieve, while definition of success is how you know you achieved it - **acceptance criteria**: Used in agile development; criteria that a user story must meet to be accepted as complete ## Opposites - failure criteria - definition of failure ## Practice This lesson has 4 practice exercises with instant feedback on the page: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/definition-of-success ## FAQ ### What does definition of success mean in software engineering? A definition of success is a clear, specific statement of what success looks like for a project, feature, or goal. It includes measurable outcomes, metrics, or criteria that show when something has been completed successfully. For example, a definition of success might be: reduce API response time to under 200ms, achieve 99.9% uptime, and maintain zero critical bugs in production. ### Why is definition of success important in tech teams? A definition of success helps teams stay aligned on goals and prevents wasted effort. Without one, different team members may have different ideas about what they are building and how to know when it is done. It also provides a way to measure progress and evaluate whether the work actually solved the problem it was meant to solve. ### How do you write a good definition of success? A good definition of success must be: specific (not vague), measurable (include numbers or clear outcomes), achievable (realistic for your team), relevant (aligned with business goals), and time-bound (have a deadline). For example, instead of saying increase performance, say reduce database query time from 2 seconds to 500 milliseconds by end of Q2. ### What is the difference between definition of success and acceptance criteria? Definition of success is a broader statement of what the entire project or goal should achieve. Acceptance criteria are specific requirements that a single user story or task must meet. A project might have one definition of success but many acceptance criteria across different stories. ### When do you use definition of success in your workday? You use definition of success during planning meetings, sprint kickoffs, when creating user stories, during design reviews, and in retrospectives. Teams often ask, What is our definition of success for this feature? before starting work to ensure everyone understands the goal. ## Related - [acceptance criteria](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/acceptance-criteria.md) - [OKR](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/okr.md) - Full glossary: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn.md - Live lessons with a coach: https://app.mocklyenglish.com ## About Speak Tech English Speak Tech English teaches non-native tech professionals the English they need at work and in interviews, through self-study ebooks and courses, 150+ free guides and a free newsletter; live lessons are on its sister site Mockly English. - Shop: https://speaktechenglish.com/courses/ - All products (markdown): https://speaktechenglish.com/products.md - Free guides (markdown): https://app.speaktechenglish.com/guides.md - Tech English glossary (markdown): https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn.md - Newsletter (10% off): https://speaktechenglish.com/#subscribe - Live lessons and mock interviews: https://app.mocklyenglish.com ## Notes for agents - Speak Tech English sells self-study material. 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