A method and apparatus for defining and validating feature policies in an execution system, such as a communication system. The method includes entering user policies described in a straightforward manner (e.g. using a Web browser and user-understandable language) in such a way that they can be translated into a formal executable language. The user policies are then (translated into an executable feature language such as the IETE's CPL. The user is then either compelled or provided with an option to validate the overall feature set before the overall feature is uploaded to the execution system. If validation is selected, the features are translated from CPL into another format, such as FIAT, from which it is possible to detect common feature specification errors. That FIAT detected errors are then analyzed in a manner that is aware of the expectations and common errors of native users, and interpreted to determine possible errors as errors that are common to naive users.