Preventing disappointment.
WHERE EXPECTATIONS COME FROM
What you advertise What sales said What the interface implies What happened last time
WHY THAT LAST ONE MATTERS
An exception made once becomes the expected standard.
WHAT TO BE CAREFUL WITH
Exceptional effort that cannot be repeated.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Name it as an exception when you make it.
WHAT TO STATE CLEARLY
What is included What is not How long things take What you require from them
WHAT TO NEVER DO
Promise a date you are not confident of.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
Give a range, and update as you learn.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A DATE SLIPS
Tell them before it arrives.
WHY BEFORE
Discovering it themselves is far worse.
WHAT UNDERPROMISING ACHIEVES
Room to exceed, and fewer disappointments.
WHAT IT RISKS
Appearing slow.
WHAT TO BALANCE
Honesty about timing against competitiveness.
WHAT TO ALIGN
Support, sales and marketing, on what is actually true.
WHY
Most expectation failures originate before support is involved.
WHAT TO FEED BACK
Promises made elsewhere that support cannot meet.
