While developing software, ensuring that a product meets user expectations and business requirements is paramount. One essential tool in achieving this goal is the practice of writing acceptance criteria. Acceptance criteria define how a specific feature should behave from an end user's perspective, guide development, and establish the conditions for the success of that feature.

Acceptance Criteria

Well-written acceptance criteria focus on the following key aspects:

1. User Perceptive: they describe how a feature can be used from an end user's viewpoint.
2. Scope Boundary: acceptance criteria establish boundaries, delineating what's included and excluded from the tickets scope.
3. User Experience: they inform both the product behavior in the happy path and in the unhappy path, providing scenarios to guide which acceptance tests to verify.
4. Success Confirmation: A clear pass/fail outcome allows for automated testing.

Tips for Writing Acceptance Criteria

• At Least One Criterion: Each user story should have at least one acceptance criterion.
• Write Before Implementation: Draft acceptance criteria before starting development to ensure a shared understanding.

• Independtly Testable: Each criterion should be independtly testable.
• Clear Pass/Fail Result: Criteria should have a clear/pass fail result. The best writtena acceptance criteria leave no room for ambiguoity.
• Focus on the End Result: They focus on the end result or behavior, not the approach to the technical solution.
• Include Functional and Non-Functional Criteria: Include both functional and non-functional criteria (e.g., performance, availability, reliability) when relevant.
• Collaboration: Scrum team members write acceptance criteria, and the Product Owner verifies them, ensuring a shared understanding.
• Challenges: Avoid criteria that are too narrow, too broad, or overly complex. Focus on simplicity and clarity.
• Rule of Thumb: Aim for 1-3 acceptance criteria per user story. If there are 4 or more, consider splitting the story.

Gherkin: Structured Language for Acceptance Criteria

Gherkin is a structured language commonly used for writing acceptance criteria. It is primarily associated with Behavior Driven Development (BDD) and is used to create executable specifications for testing. Gherkin is designed to be easily understood by both technical and non-technical stakeholders, making it a valuable tool for collaboration between different teams involved in software development.

Gherkin follows a specific syntax:

• Feature: Describes the functionality being tested.
• Scenario: A label for the behavior you're describing.
• Given: The initial state or context of the scenario.
• When: A specific action taken by the user.
• Then: The testable outcome, typically resulting from the action in the "When" step.
• And: This continues any of the other three operators.

Example of Gherkin Scenario:

Feature: User Logout

    Scenario: User clicks on the log-out button
        Given: The user is logged in
        And the user is on the profile screen
        When: the user clicks on the log-out button
        Then: the user should be logged out
        And the user should be redirected to the home page

Generalization of Gherkin Scenario:

    Scenario: Some Determinable Business Situation
        Given: Some precondition 
        And some other precondition
        When: Some action by the actor
        And some other action
        And yet another action
        Then: Some testable outcome is achieved 
        And something else we can check happens too

Benefits of using Gherkin in Software Development and Testing:

1. Clarity and Understandability: Gherkin's structured language and plain text format make scenarios easy to understand. This clarity enhances communication among team members, leading to a shared understanding of requirements.
2. Test Automation: Gherkin scenarios can be automated, allowing for the automatic execution of tests. This automation accelerates the testing process, increases test coverage, and provides rapid feedback on whether the software functions as intended.
3. Behavior-Driven Development (BDD): Gherkin is a fundamental component of BDD, which fosters collaboration between cross-functional teams. BDD promotes a user-centric approach to development, ensuring that software aligns with business goals and user needs.
4. Reusable Steps: Gherkin allows for the creation of reusable steps, reducing redundancy in scenario writing and promoting consistency across tests. This feature simplifies test maintenance and ensures that common actions are defined consistently.

Benefits of using Gherkin for Product Managers

1. Alignment with Business Goals: Gherkin scenarios closely tie software behavior to user needs and business objectives. Product Managers can use Gherkin to ensure that development efforts align with strategic goals and customer requirements.
2. Validation of Product Vision: Gherkin scenarios provide a tangible way to validate the product vision and user stories. Product Managers can use Gherkin to create concrete examples of how the product should function, helping to confirm that it meets customer expectations.
3. Prioritization: Gherkin scenarios can assist in prioritizing feature and requirements based on their business impact. Product Managers can use Gherkin to highlight critical functionality and ensure that high-priority items are thoroughly tested.
4. Quality Assurance: Gherkin scenarios serve as a quality assurance tool. Product Managers can use Gherkin to define acceptance criteria for user stories and ensure that the delivered product meets those criteria, maintaining a high level of quality.

Conclusion  

Writing acceptance criteria using Gherkin is a powerful practice in software development. It ensures that features meet user expectations, helps catch missing requirements early in the development process, and provides a shared understanding among team members. By focusing on user behaviors and using Gherkin, teams can deliver high-quality software that aligns with business goals.

Remember, in software development, the focus should always be on the user and their behaviors, not just the technical details. Acceptance criteria, written in Gherkin can be your key to success.  

If you are working to solve any of these problems then please consider working with us getstarted@peacockconsulting.com. We have had continued success accelerating software delivery and implementing all of these topics at scale.

In the dynamic world of startups, attracting top technical talent is often the key to success. One of the most important decisions for a startup founder is choosing a lead engineer. Additionally, one of the most important lessons for a startup founder is understanding startup equity compensation

What is a fair offer for my lead engineer? How do I negotiate equity packages, number of shares, or the vesting schedule with a potential candidate? Peacock Consulting frequently receive these common questions.

This blog post explores startup equity compensation for lead engineers, explaining the importance of equity in creating an attractive offer. We will provide stories, insights, and advice to help you navigate this important part of growing your startup.

Offering Equity to Lead Engineer ‌‌

Cash Compensation for Software Developers

Understanding the average base salary of a lead software engineer in your city is the initial step. Software engineers are in high demand for a reason - they perform complex work that deserves fair compensation. However, early-stage startups may not always have the capital to match the market rate for their first technical hire. Thus providing a well-balanced compensation package of both base salary and equity are critical to attract that lead engineer.

The current national average salary for Lead Software Engineers is just above $150,000. While each scenario is distinct, Peacock Consulting generally believes that your cash offer should be at least half of what engineers in your city typically earn. Any less and you are increasing the risk that the lead engineer will view your offer as not competitive enough.

Additionally, providing substantial equity to offset a low salary is possible, but be mindful of how that would impact current employees, current investors, future employees, and future investors. To gain a better understanding of how your city compares to the national average, explore the data available.

Equity for Software Developers

While company stock can't be the sole component of your compensation package, it may be one of the most vital. According to Carta’s 2022 data, the majority of startups were offering their first hire between 1-2.5%. It's worth noting that technical hires often expect a larger share of employee equity compared to a business development employee. The reason is simple: they drive more value for the company.

In the end, the honest truth lies in the marketplace. Technical team members possess valuable and in-demand skills, and there are plenty of enticing options available to them. As an early stage startup without a lead engineer, you are probably still finding product market fit.

When a talented software engineer contemplates a reduction in their base salary and a potentially less stable work environment, a founder's role in the hiring process is to sell the engineer on the company's mission and direction. If your mission resonates with an engineer and ignites their passion, it's often the equity you offer that seals the deal. It's the promise of shared success and a journey worth embarking upon.

Negotiating Startup Equity Compensation

Positives During Negotiations

As you attract top lead engineers, be prepared for in-depth negotiations covering both cash and equity. It's not uncommon for founders to initially feel hesitant about sharing intricate details about their company. However, it is crucial to understand that offering equity in a startup's early stages is a significant financial obligation for you. Additionally, it is a risky decision for the lead engineer you are contemplating.

Drawing from our own experiences, we've found that some of our most exceptional hires were the ones who asked insightful questions and sought a comprehensive understanding during the negotiation process.

They wanted to learn more about the company. They were interested in its value and who invested in it, whether it was angels or venture capitalists. They also wanted to know how much money the company has received and how long it can keep operating. Additionally, they were curious about the company's plans for future funding.

Sharing this level of information is not just about transparency; it's about building a foundation of trust and mutual understanding. It sends a strong signal that you are committed to forging a partnership that benefits both parties.

When prospective lead engineers have access to clear, meaningful insights about your company's financial health and growth trajectory, they become more enthusiastic about embracing equity in your startup. This open and honest approach sets the stage for a collaborative journey with your lead engineer, where shared success is the ultimate goal. Remember, while you are uncovering the value that they can provide you they are also discovering if your company is the right fit for them.

Leveraging Market Benchmarks

We have other articles that dive deeper into market benchmarks, but as a startup founder it is critical to understand what the market is offering. Many startups can compete on location, remote work, office perks, work culture, unlimited PTO, etc. However, in a recent blog post by Nicolas Behbahani, he highlighted an intriguing chart by Morgan Stanley. In which he states, "Researchers found for the first time that equity compensation is now considered the best way to engage employees and has become the most important financial benefit to meet long term financial goals." Through hundreds of interviews and conversations with lead engineers, we have found this research to be true. The majority of lead engineers place more value on the equity part of their offers compared to the other competitive incentives that startups can offer.

Legal and Financial Considerations

As an early-stage founder, you might not have extensive experience with startup equity compensation. Questions around restricted stock units, one year cliff, and strike prices are all usually new concepts for first time founders. Equity negotiations involve various legal and financial aspects, including tax implications and regulatory requirements. To navigate these complexities, it's essential for founders like you, who are scaling their companies, to educate themselves on these critical topics. However, we also recommend surrounding yourself with experts who can provide valuable guidance.

Consider hiring or contracting legal, tax, and HR experts who specialize in startup matters. These professionals can offer insights, ensure compliance, and protect both you and your company as you navigate equity negotiations. Having experts on your side can prevent legal and financial pitfalls and help you structure equity agreements effectively. One valuable resource that many of the startup founders that we've mentored have found helpful is Clerky.

The Dual Perspective

Our understanding of startup equity compensation for lead engineers has been shaped by supporting many founders. Additionally, we've supported many lead engineers throughout this process as well. We have developed an expertise in navigating startup equity compensation. In aggregate, we have helped founders hire over 400 employees within the engineering departments of their companies.

Our journey has been far from flawless, marked by numerous hiring missteps that have provided invaluable lessons. Peacock Consulting mentors founders and CEOs in navigating their technology strategy. A pivotal component of any startup's technology strategy is the process of hiring the right people. Understanding the nuances of cash compensation, equity compensation, and the negotiation process are essential. Having expert support will help you attract your first technical hire, and, more importantly, foster growth of your business.

If you are working to solve any of these problems then please consider working with us getstarted@peacockconsulting.com. We have had continued success accelerating software delivery and implementing all of these topics at scale.

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Achieve the goal of delivering higher-quality software products at a faster pace. Adopt a quantitative approach to measuring your software delivery process. Utilize data and leverage the best agile practices to decrease change management overhead and enhance team autonomy.

Unlock Faster Software Delivery, Elevate Your Results

Are delays in software delivery hindering your business's growth? Are you seeking ways to enhance the quality of your software products while accelerating your release cycles? Our strategies are designed to revolutionize your software delivery process, enabling you to achieve excellence in every release.

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Purpose

In our everyday pursuit we ask ourself one question, "Why does Peacock Consulting exist?", and our answer:

To develop world-class technology organizations that create monumental value for our clients.

This statement is the constant navigational heading for all decision making and interactions between peers, partners, and clients. Together with our values, this purpose ensures everyone and everything we work on is tied together.

Values - the Peacock Path

The values we operate by define our most valued traits and principals. These values guide our actions, our outcomes, and most importantly our work.  Our core values that makeup the Peacock Path include:

High Energy

Authenticity

Rapid Results

Continuous Learning

Investing in our Communities

Leadership

Joe Peacock

President and Founder

Joe Peacock is a strategic technology leader with a decade of experience scaling software organizations and building social, marketplace, and B2B software products. 

 Prior to Peacock Consulting, Joe was the VP of Engineering at ACV Auctions ($ACVA) which he scaled from Series B through IPO on NASDAQ in March of 2021. During his time he led the software engineering organization in Buffalo, NY and expanded it to hundreds of teammates globally including a large office in Toronto, ON. 

 Before ACV, Joe was a Technical Program Manager at Facebook in Menlo Park, CA. There he had a concentration in capacity and performance planning for exabyte-scale BLOB storage services and network backbones. Again, he managed a global technology team that had locations in Singapore, Ireland, and Sweden. 

 Lastly Joe was a Buffalo Business First, 30 under 30 winner from 2020, is an Angel Investor, and has co-founded two startups. He holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and he graduated as a WNY Prosperity Fellow. 

When I (Joe Peacock) was a Vice President of Engineering at ACV Auctions, the role required managing many global teams and projects while ensuring timely delivery of high-quality software products. With the stress and responsibility of scaling the company through multiple fundraising rounds, navigating COVID, taking the company public on NASDAQ in 2021, and simply managing day to day issues, your workload can easily become overwhelming. Allocating your time effectively becomes essential to ensure that you remain productive, focused, and achieve your goals. In this post, we will explore a simple guide for managing your time as a VP of Engineering at a fast-paced growth company.

My time allocation guide is as follows: People (30%), Tactics (30%), Strategy (30%), and an Everything Else buffer. This ensures that you are spending at least this much time in each of the areas. At certain times of the year you will find yourself leaning heavily into one of these areas around planning or big deliverables.

People

This is where you are spending time in 1:1s, investing in coaching, hiring, management, building relationships, networking, engaging with external organizations, etc.

At 30% of your time this is 12+ hours/week. Depending on your team size you can easily be over subscribed here. If you're spending  too much time here there's an opportunity to look at your Span of control.

Strategy

This is the time you spend defining quarterly and annual goals, analyzing market trends, researching shifts in the organization, learning new practices/delivery frameworks, measuring, analyzing budgets and resource allocation, etc.

This is typically loaded into dedicated weeks throughout the year. Where in a single week you might spend 40+ hours. Throughout a quarter you might only spend a few hours a week or bi-weekly keeping up to date or doing mid-point checkins. Overall at 30% you are spending ~3.5 weeks/quarter on this.

Tactics

Finally our tactics include operating the organization: operating meetings, report reading/analysis, unblocking teams, solving day-day problems, communicating with partner teams, emails, supporting other organizations, dealing with production issues, implementing processes, coaching, leading etc.

At 30% again we allocate 12+ hours/week. More often than not you spend the majority of your time getting bogged down with day-to-day tasks here.

Everything else

Fill in the buffer time, or time can be allocated more heavily in a particular area. If you find yourself leaning into one of these areas too deeply or if a particular area is not getting the love then adjust. It's critical to keep your mindset in each of these areas, otherwise you will be missing key it

Lastly, I always recommend getting a standard set of meetings/or rhythms in place with clear outcomes to satisfy your goals. An example set of practices, meetings, or reports for each time category might look like:

Rhythms to Monitor & Control Time

People: Weekly 1:1s w/ direct reports and key stakeholders, a bi-weekly team meeting, networking monthly, and monthly 1:1s with peripheral organization/stakeholders.

Strategy: Bi-weekly strategy meeting with all leads, monthly review of budget and resource allocation, bi-weekly with recruiting, quarterly planning, quarter business review, and quarterly team demos.

Tactics: Bi-weekly operating meeting on all delivery metrics, bi-weekly/cross-team sprint planning sit-ins, working 1:1 with struggling teams to implement new processes, celebrating successful launches and teams bi-weekly/monthly.

If you found this information helpful and would like to learn more about topics like this please reach out to getstarted@peacockconsulting.com. We work with CTO's, VPs, and all engineering leads to increase their impact and value creation.

Joe Peacock is a strategic technology leader with a decade of experience scaling software organizations and building social, marketplace, and B2B software products.

 Prior to Peacock Consulting, Joe was the VP of Engineering at ACV Auctions ($ACVA) which he scaled from Series B through IPO on NASDAQ in March of 2021. During his time he led the software engineering organization in Buffalo, NY and expanded it to hundreds of teammates globally including a large office in Toronto, ON.

 Before ACV, Joe was a Technical Program Manager at Facebook in Menlo Park, CA. There he had a concentration in capacity and performance planning for exabyte-scale BLOB storage services and network backbones. Again, he managed a global technology team that had locations in Singapore, Ireland, and Sweden.

 Lastly Joe was a Buffalo Business First, 30 under 30 winner from 2020, is an Angel Investor, and has co-founded two startups. He holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and he graduated as a WNY Prosperity Fellow.

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Achieve the goal of delivering higher-quality software products at a faster pace. Adopt a quantitative approach to measuring your software delivery process. Utilize data and leverage the best agile practices to decrease change management overhead and enhance team autonomy.

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We offer the expertise and education necessary for your leadership teams to navigate through your digital transformation journey. In a landscape of ever-advancing technology strategies, we enable the effective application of these strategies through insightful coaching.

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Software delivery frequency is a critical factor in ensuring fewer errors in your software development process. It is essential to deliver software quickly and consistently to meet the demands of the market. Here are some reasons why a high frequency of software delivery is crucial for reducing errors:

1. Early Detection of Errors: The more frequently software is delivered, the sooner errors can be detected and corrected. This is because with each deployment, there is an opportunity to test and validate the software, thereby reducing the chances of errors slipping through to the final product.
2. Improved Collaboration: High delivery frequency encourages collaboration between different teams involved in software development, such as developers, testers, and operations. This helps to catch potential problems early on, before they become more significant issues.
3. Better User Feedback: Frequent software delivery means that users have access to new features and improvements sooner, which can provide valuable feedback that can be used to make further improvements.
4. Faster Resolution of Issues: With a high delivery frequency, it is easier to isolate the root cause of an issue and fix it quickly. This helps to reduce the impact of errors on the user experience and improve the overall quality of the software.
5. Reduced Risks: By delivering software frequently, risks can be managed more effectively. This is because smaller changes are less likely to cause significant problems and are easier to revert if necessary.
6. Increased Confidence: Frequent software delivery gives developers and stakeholders confidence in the software development process. This is because they can see regular progress and improvement, and feel more in control of the software development process.
7. Better Alignment with Business Objectives: High delivery frequency helps align the software development process with business objectives by ensuring that the software is delivered in a timely manner, and that the business can respond to market demands quickly.

In conclusion, software delivery frequency is a critical factor in ensuring fewer errors in your software development process. By delivering software frequently, you can detect errors early, improve collaboration, receive better user feedback, resolve issues faster, reduce risks, increase confidence, and align better with business objectives. To ensure a high delivery frequency, it is essential to adopt modern software development practices such as continuous integration and continuous delivery. This will help you to deliver software quickly, reliably, and with fewer errors, which will ultimately improve the overall quality of your software.

If you'd like to accelerate your software delivery please email us at: getstarted@peacockconsulting.com.

P.S. chatgpt was used to generate this and was slightly edited for clarity.