Working practice
Acceptance criteria
The specific conditions that decide whether a deliverable is accepted.
Definition
Written, testable conditions attached to a piece of work that determine whether it can be signed off. Where a definition of done applies to everything, acceptance criteria are specific to one deliverable and describe observable behaviour rather than intent.
Why it matters
Vague criteria are how fixed-price projects turn into arguments. Good ones can be checked by someone who was not in the room when they were written. If you cannot test a criterion, it is a hope rather than a criterion.
Related
Read next
Definition of done
The written standard a piece of work has to meet before it counts.
Read the definition ›Statement of work (SOW)
The document that defines what is being delivered.
Read the definition ›Quality assurance (QA)
Deliberately testing whether the thing built actually works.
Read the definition ›Change request
The formal route for altering an agreed scope.
Read the definition ›Next step
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