Knowledge Sharing Pattern Language

Problem	The aimed results of a project are not yet clear enough for all parties, especially between the customer and the supplier.
Initial Context	A new software engineering project is planned or the aimed results of a current project are not clear enough to the customer and/or to the supplier.
Roles	A Project Manager or alike, perhaps also a sales representative together with a customer representative define the expected results of the project.
Forces	In the establishment phase the project must first be defined in the form of required results. The results must be based on the customer's needs, and the supplier must have a clear understanding of what the aimed results are. Detail planning of a project is not possible before the general objectives are defined. A more detailed requirements definition is possible only when you first have an understanding of the general objectives. Normally, in practice, it is very difficult to define when a software engineering project can be closed. Not having well defined acceptance criteria might result in a customer and a supplier having totally different expectations. Finally, change normally can not be avoided during a software engineering project.
Solution	To define and agree on the required results: Customer explains the need (in practice, this continues parallel to the Step 2). Supplier defines suggestion of : General objectives for the project Deliverables: what exact deliverables are required (software, documents, services,...) Acceptance criteria: how the results are to be accepted and using what criteria? This could include a definition of the required quality level of the result or an allowed amount and type of defects, like "no blockers". Change management: how changes to the defined requirements, results etc will be initiated, processed and approved. Requirements: what functions etc. are required (See Discovered Bones, KSP06) Supplier makes a Suggestion to the customer and the customer Studies the Suggestion. Negotiate to establish shared understanding of results for a project. If the shared understanding is achieved, then this pattern ends. If not, then the customer has to continue explaining the need. Shared understanding can mean an agreement of results, or an agreement that solution together (customer and supplier) is impossible. Note that this is a simplified process defining the required results. Very often this is done parallel with the commercial discussions. Also the requirements definition can be done at this phase or later as a separate pre-study phase.
Resulting Context	Shared understanding created between the customer and the supplier about the aimed results of a project. Procedures and approval rights approved for processing changes. Clear acceptance criteria defined making possible objective judgment of the project readiness.
Instances	The pattern is aimed to be used always when project results are to be defined. Normally, this is in the beginning of a project or during the sales phase before a project. One potential pitfall is that the acceptance criteria are not in sufficient detail to really be the basis when judging the project readiness.
Process Connection	Project establishment and sales.