{"id":5462,"date":"2023-10-03T12:25:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T16:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/?p=5462"},"modified":"2026-03-10T21:04:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T01:04:40","slug":"what-is-acceptance-criteria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/what-is-acceptance-criteria\/","title":{"rendered":"Agile essentials: what is acceptance criteria and why it&nbsp;matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ever been on a road trip with no map? That&#8217;s what working on a project feels like without <strong>acceptance criteria<\/strong>. It&#8217;s easy to get lost, go off course, and never reach your&nbsp;destination.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what happens when you misinterpret directions or if they&#8217;re unclear? You could end up in an entirely different&nbsp;place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can happen in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/topics\/software-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">software development<\/a> too. The result: wasted resources and frustrated&nbsp;teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Intrigued about how acceptance criteria work? Buckle up! This post will explain what acceptance criteria are. It will also demonstrate its importance and walk you through writing one. And we&#8217;ll point out some potential missteps to stay away&nbsp;from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s start at the&nbsp;beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding acceptance criteria<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;ve ever wondered &#8220;what is acceptance criteria?&#8221;, here&#8217;s your&nbsp;answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Agile development and product management, acceptance criteria guide product owners and developers to their destination \u2013 a <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/user-stories\/\">complete user&nbsp;story<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Acceptance criteria are the conditions that a software product must meet. Only then can the product be accepted by a user, a customer, or other&nbsp;system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They act like a checklist that defines the scope and requirements of a user story. Think of them as a map for your development journey. These criteria ensure that everyone understands what needs to be done and how to tell when it&#8217;s done&nbsp;right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leadingagile.com\/2017\/02\/definition-of-done\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;definition of done&#8221;<\/a> for a user story. They help teams avoid misunderstandings by setting clear&nbsp;expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"377\" data-src=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/definition-of-done.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8235 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 720px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 720\/377;width:650px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/definition-of-done.png 720w, https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/definition-of-done-209x110.png 209w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leadingagile.com\/2017\/02\/definition-of-done\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Leading Agile<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With these criteria in place, teams can focus on creating features that deliver real user&nbsp;value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why are acceptance criteria critical?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Why do we need user story acceptance criteria? Simple: they define success for each feature or&nbsp;functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A traveler wouldn&#8217;t start a journey without knowing where they&#8217;re going. An Agile team doesn&#8217;t begin work on a user story until its acceptance criteria are&nbsp;clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This shared understanding prevents misunderstandings later in the project cycle. This happens through establishing predefined user requirements that must be met to mark the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.altexsoft.com\/blog\/business\/acceptance-criteria-purposes-formats-and-best-practices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">user story as&nbsp;\u201ccomplete<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe width=\"650\" height=\"315\" align=\"centre\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4EtLuLIbznc?si=xK2eRJGQBabk113T\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s dive in a little more. Why do you need to use acceptance criteria? Here are the top three&nbsp;reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>To set clear&nbsp;expectations<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This clarity helps teams know precisely what to do. It&#8217;s like having a recipe when cooking a dish. You know the ingredients and steps needed for a delicious&nbsp;meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. To save time and&nbsp;effort<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With clear criteria, teams spend less time guessing and more time doing the right work. It guides you straight to your destination, no wrong&nbsp;turns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. To ensure&nbsp;quality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teams can deliver high-quality features by defining what &#8216;done&#8217; looks like. The result is a stable and well-constructed&nbsp;home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Acceptance criteria keep Agile teams on track, focused, and aligned with the project&#8217;s goals. But how do you set useful acceptance&nbsp;criteria?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What makes an effective acceptance criteria?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To make sure these guidelines help rather than hinder your project, it&#8217;s essential to understand <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seguetech.com\/what-characteristics-make-good-agile-acceptance-criteria\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what makes good Agile acceptance criteria<\/a>. Think about them as the ingredients in our recipe for successful software&nbsp;products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They should be testable with concrete examples or automated&nbsp;tests<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We need them to be understandable by non-technical stakeholders too (think &#8216;plain&nbsp;English&#8217;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Last but not least, effective ones should describe desired outcomes from end user&nbsp;perspectives<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When you define these aspects clearly before starting, you set up your team for success. It reduces the risk of missing the mark and needing costly do-overs. This way, you avoid surprises and create a product that users&nbsp;love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Writing acceptance criteria from a user perspective<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Writing acceptance criteria from a user&#8217;s point of view is key. It means thinking like the people who will use your&nbsp;software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What do they&nbsp;want?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What problems are they&nbsp;solving?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This mindset helps create criteria that truly match user&nbsp;needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Given\/When\/Then format<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Using the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.agilealliance.org\/glossary\/given-when-then\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Given\/When\/Then<\/a>&#8221; format is a smart way to do this. It breaks down scenarios into simple&nbsp;parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>&#8216;Given&#8217;<\/strong> sets the&nbsp;stage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>&#8216;When&#8217;<\/strong> describes an&nbsp;action<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>&#8216;Then&#8217;<\/strong> shows the expected&nbsp;outcome<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s use an example of a login feature in an app. This format might look like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Given<\/strong>: I am a registered&nbsp;user<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>When<\/strong>: I enter the correct username and&nbsp;password<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Then<\/strong>: I should be redirected to my&nbsp;dashboard<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This format clarifies each step of the user&#8217;s journey. It helps your team picture the user&#8217;s experience. Plus, it&#8217;s great for planning and reviewing&nbsp;work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Identifying desired outcomes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s another way of setting acceptance&nbsp;criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by asking: &#8220;What does success look like for the user?&#8221; Is it faster performance? A more intuitive&nbsp;interface?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you pin this down, weave it into your criteria. It makes your goals clear and&nbsp;achievable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Defining user acceptance in acceptance criteria<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, defining user acceptance is about more than function. It&#8217;s about fit. Does the feature work well in real-world&nbsp;use?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Considering different scenarios and ensuring the software performs well in each is crucial. This thorough approach ensures you meet users&#8217; needs, not just technical&nbsp;specs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>TL;DR<\/strong>: effective acceptance criteria should be testable, clear, concise, and deeply rooted in the user experience. Focus on user perspective. This will help you craft an effective acceptance&nbsp;criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who crafts acceptance criteria?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Crafting acceptance criteria is a team effort. It&#8217;s like cooking a big dinner, where everyone brings something to the&nbsp;table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The role of a <strong>product owner and a product manager<\/strong> is crucial. They&#8217;re like the head chefs. Here are some of the things they manage (with the help of a <strong>project&nbsp;manager<\/strong>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Outline the&nbsp;criteria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Understand what users&nbsp;need<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define the goals of the&nbsp;project<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Refine these criteria with&nbsp;feedback<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensures the criteria stay relevant and&nbsp;achievable<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Developers<\/strong> are like sous-chefs in this process. Their technical skills are essential in shaping the criteria. They know what&#8217;s possible and what&#8217;s&nbsp;not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They might suggest new ways to do things, keeping in line with Agile methodology. Their insights help make the criteria more practical and&nbsp;efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>QA professionals<\/strong> ensure that the criteria are measurable and testable. Their insights help in foreseeing potential bugs or usability issues. Including them in the process leads to higher-quality&nbsp;outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stakeholders <\/strong>with a deep understanding of user needs and business objectives can provide valuable input. <strong>Business analysts<\/strong> bridge the gap between business needs and technical solutions. They play a significant role. They can help refine the criteria to align with business goals and user&nbsp;expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, direct input from <strong>end users<\/strong> or their representatives can be invaluable. They can provide practical insights into how they will use the product. This leads to more user-centric&nbsp;criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>UX\/UI designers<\/strong> can contribute too. They can ensure that the acceptance criteria consider the user experience and interface design. Their perspective helps the product be not only functional but also intuitive and&nbsp;user-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Collaboration<\/strong> is vital in this process. When everyone contributes, you get a shared understanding. This reduces the chances of unexpected issues later&nbsp;on.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best practices for writing acceptance criteria<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Writing acceptance criteria is a critical step in Agile development. Here&#8217;s how to do it&nbsp;right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Start with&nbsp;clarity<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Make your criteria clear and concise. Avoid technical jargon. Everyone on the team, from developers to stakeholders, should understand them. This simplicity prevents confusion and keeps the team&nbsp;focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Focus on user&nbsp;perspective<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always keep the user in mind. Ask&nbsp;yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Does this criterion meet the user&#8217;s&nbsp;needs?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How does it contribute to their&nbsp;goals?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This approach ensures the product will be user-friendly and meet&nbsp;expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Encourage team&nbsp;involvement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team we outlined above? Get them involved. You create a common understanding when product owners, managers, and developers collaborate. This teamwork ensures everyone is on the same page and reduces the risk of&nbsp;misinterpretation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Testability is&nbsp;key<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure each criterion can be tested. This helps the final product meet the written criteria and function as intended in real-world&nbsp;scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Regularly review and&nbsp;refine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Acceptance criteria should evolve with the project. Regular reviews and updates ensure they remain relevant and aligned with the project&#8217;s&nbsp;goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Learn from past&nbsp;projects<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reflect on previous projects. What worked? What didn&#8217;t? Apply these learnings to continuously improve how you write acceptance&nbsp;criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Include non-functional&nbsp;requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t forget about performance, security, and usability. These aspects are crucial for a well-rounded&nbsp;product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. Seek feedback from end&nbsp;users<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If possible, involve end users in the process. Their feedback can provide invaluable insights into what the product needs to&nbsp;succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>9. Avoid common&nbsp;mistakes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be wary of criteria that are too broad or too narrow. Too broad, and you risk losing focus. Too narrow, and you might miss essential features. Strive for a balance that gives clear direction without limiting creative&nbsp;solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s go over those common mistakes&nbsp;next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common mistakes and how to avoid them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Crafting clear acceptance criteria is essential for the success of any <a href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/what-is-epic\/\">Agile project<\/a>. However, there are common pitfalls that teams can&nbsp;encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Mistake<\/th><th>Context<\/th><th>How to avoid it<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Criteria are too narrow<\/td><td>Happens when criteria are so specific that they limit the scope of solutions. The development team may need to test various scenarios because they are focused only on a narrow path.<\/td><td>Encourage a broader view while maintaining focus. This makes criteria comprehensive enough to cover different aspects without restricting creative solutions.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Criteria are overly broad<\/td><td>Leads to feature creep. This is like adding too many tools to a Swiss Army knife. This makes it cumbersome.<\/td><td>Aim for precision and relevance. Define what&#8217;s necessary and avoid overloading the user story with extra features.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Criteria are unclear<\/td><td>Results in confusion and misinterpretation.<\/td><td>Use simple, clear language. Make sure everyone on the team can understand the criteria.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Criteria are ambiguous<\/td><td>Leaves too much room for interpretation. This creates inconsistent results and confusion.<\/td><td>Foster open communication for clarifications. This helps everyone get the same understanding of what the criteria mean.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Criteria have vague expectations<\/td><td>Makes it hard to prioritize tasks and understand project goals.<\/td><td>Set specific, testable outcomes. This clarity will guide the team effectively.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Be aware of these common mistakes and take steps to avoid them. This way, you&#8217;ll create clear and effective acceptance criteria. This will streamline the development process and enhance your product&#8217;s&nbsp;quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion: what, why, and who around acceptance criteria<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Acceptance criteria aren&#8217;t just a list of tasks. They&#8217;re your guide to creating successful user&nbsp;stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember \u2013 clarity and simplicity in your acceptance criteria are essential. Without them, you&#8217;re risking building a product that misses the&nbsp;mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating effective acceptance criteria is a team effort. From a product owner to a developer, each member&#8217;s input shapes the outcome. This collective input drives the project towards&nbsp;excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be mindful of the common traps \u2013 overly narrow or broad criteria can derail your&nbsp;project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Embrace this process, collaborate effectively, and watch your Agile projects&nbsp;thrive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Intrigued by acceptance criteria? This post will explain &#8220;what is acceptance criteria?&#8221; and its importance. We&#8217;ll walk you through writing one and call out some common mistakes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":5465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[366],"tags":[501,359,502,504,373,503],"class_list":["post-5462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-glossary","tag-acceptance-criteria","tag-agile","tag-definition-of-done","tag-given-when-then","tag-glossary","tag-software-development"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Agile essentials: what is acceptance criteria and why it matters - Canny Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/what-is-acceptance-criteria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Agile essentials: what is acceptance criteria and why it matters - Canny Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Intrigued by acceptance criteria? 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