Short answer
A watch requirement is the operating bridge between a leadership concern and intelligence work. It names what to watch, why it matters, and when the evidence should trigger review.
What it answers
A good watch requirement starts with a decision question: What could change the call? For a market-entry decision, that might be a regulator changing posture, a local partner moving first, or a competitor hiring into the segment. The requirement turns that concern into observable evidence.
What it contains
The requirement should name the entity set, indicator, source category, threshold, and cadence. Entity set defines who or what matters. Indicator defines the observable movement. Threshold defines when the matter is worth analyst review. Cadence keeps the watch current without creating noise.
How leaders use it
Watch requirements prevent intelligence work from becoming general research. They let leaders see why a matter was watched, why it was escalated, and which decision the evidence affects.