The 5-Point Request

I originally wrote this as part of the npm, Inc. handbook, a set of documents defining how we ran the company. I often want to refer to it, but it apparently exists nowhere else online, so I'm publishing it here. The 5-Point Request # There are 5 elements to a project or request. Without these 5 elements, the chance of successfully meeting the request is much lower. 1. Criteria (Positive Definition of Success) # The first point of the request is to define, in positive terms if possible, how we'll know if the request has been met. Driving towards "how will we know?" can uncover discrepancies in our understanding of the goal, and clarify the intent for those doing the work. 2. Owner # The owner may not be the one doing every part of making the request happen, but they are the one who takes responsibility for making sure it happens. An owner is not multiple people. An owner is a single human being. This prevents bystander-effect paralysis. 3. Timeline # When should we expect to see some…