Best form of "expectation management"¶

Create an agreed and realistic strategic roadmap aligned to business strategy.

Creating an agreed and realistic strategic roadmap that is aligned to business strategy is hard. Most—if not all—large enterprises are complex and consist of many lines of business where each business has its own "business identity" and therefore its own long term strategy. Each of these organizational divisions has its own agenda.

How do you get everyone aligned? How do you set expectations that are both ambitious enough to drive real change, yet realistic enough to maintain credibility?

The Use Case Tree as Shared Artifact¶

The Use Case Tree serves as the primary tool for expectation management. It provides:

Visibility - Everyone can see the full landscape of planned use cases and how they connect
Traceability - Clear links from strategic goals to concrete deliverables
Prioritization - Transparent decisions about what comes first and why
Progress tracking - Tangible evidence of advancement toward strategic objectives

Because the Use Case Tree is a living artifact that evolves with the organization, expectations can be continuously refined based on actual progress and learning.

Setting Realistic Expectations¶

The First Use Case¶

One of the most critical expectation-setting conversations happens around the first use case. Stakeholders need to understand:

The first use case will likely take longer than building something similar on existing technology—teams know those tools, they've done it many times before
New paradigms (graph thinking, semantic modeling, EKG architecture) require a learning curve
The investment pays off because every subsequent use case goes faster—you're building reusable components, not one-off solutions

Setting this expectation upfront prevents disappointment and builds trust for the long term.

Compounding Returns¶

The EKG approach follows a positive learning curve. Help stakeholders understand:

Use case 1 establishes foundations (ontologies, integrations, patterns)
Use case 2 reuses 30-50% of what was built
Use case 5 reuses 60-80%
Eventually, new use cases become configuration rather than development

This compounding effect is the core value proposition, but it requires patience through the initial investment phase.

Managing Multiple Stakeholders¶

In large enterprises, different groups have different expectations:

Executive Leadership¶

Wants to see strategic alignment and business value
Needs clear metrics and ROI projections
The Use Case Tree shows how tactical work connects to strategy

Business Units¶

Want their priorities addressed
Need to understand sequencing decisions
The Use Case Tree makes trade-offs visible and discussable

IT and Architecture¶

Want technical coherence and sustainability
Need to understand the platform roadmap
The Use Case Tree shows how components build on each other

Front-line Teams¶

Want tools that actually help them
Need realistic timelines for when they'll see benefits
The Use Case Tree shows where their use cases fit in the sequence

Techniques for Expectation Management¶

Regular Checkpoints¶

Demonstrate working software at regular intervals
Show progress on the Use Case Tree visually
Celebrate completed use cases and the value they deliver

Transparent Trade-offs¶

When priorities conflict, use the Use Case Tree to facilitate discussion
Make sequencing rationale explicit (dependencies, reuse potential, strategic value)
Document decisions so they can be revisited as circumstances change

Honest Communication¶

If timelines slip, explain why and what's being learned
Share both successes and challenges
Build trust through transparency, not optimistic promises

The Contract with the Business¶

The Use Case Tree, combined with detailed stories and acceptance criteria, forms a "contract" with the business:

Written in plain language, not technical jargon
Traceable from high-level goals to specific deliverables
Testable—each story has clear criteria for "done"
Evolvable—expectations can be refined as understanding grows

This contract is not a rigid commitment but a shared understanding that evolves through ongoing dialogue.