Critical Success Factors

Critical Success Factors (CSFs) are key elements or conditions that are essential for an organization, project, or initiative to achieve its goals and succeed. They are identified through analysis of objectives and help prioritize efforts and resources. CSFs are often used in strategic planning, project management, and performance measurement to focus on what truly matters.

Also known as: CSFs, Key Success Factors, Critical Success Criteria, Success Factors, Essential Success Elements

Why learn Critical Success Factors?

Developers should learn about CSFs to align technical work with business objectives, ensuring that development efforts contribute directly to project or organizational success. This is particularly useful in agile environments, product management, and when working on cross-functional teams to prioritize features, manage risks, and communicate value to stakeholders.

Learning Resources

• tutorial: Critical Success Factors (CSFs) Explained
• docs: What Are Critical Success Factors?
• article: Critical Success Factors in Project Management
• tutorial: CSFs vs KPIs: Understanding the Difference