Acceptance Criteria
Specific conditions that must be met for work to be considered complete.
Definition
Acceptance criteria are the predefined conditions that deliverables must satisfy to be approved by the client. They specify what "done" looks like in objective, measurable terms—removing subjectivity from the approval process.
Good acceptance criteria are specific, measurable, and agreed upon before work begins. They might address functionality ("form submissions create database records"), quality ("page loads in under 3 seconds"), or compliance ("meets WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards").
Why It Matters
Without acceptance criteria, "done" becomes a matter of opinion—leading to endless revision requests or disputes about whether work meets expectations. Clear criteria enable definitive completion and payment.
Acceptance criteria also help scope work accurately. Understanding exactly what must be achieved enables realistic pricing and scheduling. Vague criteria lead to underestimated effort.
Examples
- 1
Website acceptance criteria: all links functional, forms submit correctly, responsive on specified devices, loads in under 4 seconds on standard connection.
- 2
Software feature criteria: user can complete specified workflow, error handling for edge cases, automated tests pass, documentation updated.
- 3
A logo deliverable's criteria: delivered in AI, EPS, PNG, and SVG formats; includes color and black/white versions; provided with usage guidelines.
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