Definition:
Acceptance criteria are particular demands, specifications, or standards that a project output must fulfil in order for stakeholders to approve it. These standards form the basis for evaluating whether a feature, service, or product meets its goals and fulfils its intended purpose.
Key Aspects:
- Clearly defines what is acceptable for project deliverables.
- Ensures alignment between stakeholders and project teams.
- Helps in defining test cases and quality assurance measures.
- Avoids ambiguity by specifying measurable and verifiable conditions.
Importance:
Acceptance criteria are essential for project validation and quality assurance. They guarantee that deliverables satisfy project specifications and stakeholder expectations. Teams may reduce misunderstandings, stop scope creep, and improve project efficiency by establishing explicit acceptance standards.
Example:
When developing software, if the acceptance requirements for a mobile banking app specify that users must be able to transfer money in five seconds, testing should verify that the functionality satisfies this performance requirement prior to release.
Conclusion:
Clear acceptance criteria ensure accountability and transparency in project execution by offering an organised method of assessing project deliverables.
