What is a significant characteristic of a good acceptance criteria?

A significant characteristic of good acceptance criteria is that it must be clearly defined and measurable. This clarity ensures that all stakeholders, including the development team and clients, have a mutual understanding of what success looks like for a particular requirement or feature. Measurable acceptance criteria provide specific metrics or conditions that must be met for the work to be considered complete, which reduces ambiguity and enhances accountability. This characteristic helps ensure that the final product meets the expectations set during the requirements analysis phase, leading to greater satisfaction among stakeholders.

When acceptance criteria are vague or lack definable metrics, it can lead to misunderstandings and misalignments in what is expected, which can subsequently result in project delays or failures. Additionally, while adaptability to project changes is important in a dynamic environment, it should not compromise the clarity and measurability of acceptance criteria. Extensive documentation is generally not a requirement for good acceptance criteria; rather, what matters most is that they are succinct, clear, and focus on critical outcomes rather than being overly detailed.