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Also known as: AC, definition of done criteria, done criteria

Acceptance Criteria

FoundationalProductFrameworks

Definition

Acceptance Criteria: Acceptance criteria are specific, testable conditions that a feature must meet to be considered complete. They provide clear boundaries for what's in and out of scope, enable quality assurance, and align stakeholders on expectations. Good acceptance criteria are unambiguous, measurable, and user-focused.

Example Usage

“Our acceptance criteria: 'User can export data in CSV format within 5 seconds for datasets up to 10,000 rows.' QA knows exactly what to test.”

Common Misconceptions

More criteria means better quality. Focus on critical success factors; exhaustive lists create overhead.
Only QA uses acceptance criteria. Developers use them to understand scope and verify their own work.
Criteria can't change during development. New learnings may require updates; communicate changes clearly.

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