Say it like this
- Does this feature meet the acceptance criteria?
- We need to define clear acceptance criteria before development starts.
- The QA team will verify against the acceptance criteria.
Use it at work
Writing a ticket
- I've added acceptance criteria to the ticket so QA knows what to test.
- Can we agree on the acceptance criteria before we start?
In refinement
- This story is missing acceptance criteria. What does done look like?
- Let's add an acceptance criterion for the empty state.
Checking work
- It meets all the acceptance criteria except the error message.
- According to the acceptance criteria, this should work on mobile too.
Don't say this
Acceptance criteria is a noun, not a verb. You verify things against acceptance criteria, not acceptance criteria something.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| acceptance criteria | Conditions one story must meet to be done | Product owner, with the team | Written per ticket, before work starts |
| definition of done | Checklist that every story must meet | The whole team | Agreed once, used for all work |
| requirements | What the product must do overall | Product and stakeholders | Early in a project |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. We must _______ acceptance criteria before we start coding.
2. Which sentence uses acceptance criteria correctly?
3. Your QA team found a bug. How would you say it relates to acceptance criteria?
4. Rewrite this in professional tech English: 'We need to say what counts as good before we start building.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"Does this feature meet the acceptance criteria?"
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More about acceptance criteria
Real examples(3)
- in sprint planning
"The product owner listed three acceptance criteria for this user story: users must be able to upload files under 10MB, the upload should complete within 30 seconds, and a success message must appear."
- in code review
"This pull request doesn't satisfy all the acceptance criteria we agreed on—the search function still lacks sorting functionality."
- in a standup
"We finished the payment module yesterday, but we're still testing it against the acceptance criteria to ensure it handles edge cases."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Often confused with 'definition of done' — acceptance criteria are specific to a single user story, while definition of done applies to all work. Do not use interchangeably.
- ✕The acceptance criteria says the button should be blue.✓One of the acceptance criteria is that the button should be blue.
Criteria is plural; use 'is' with the singular 'one criterion' or use 'are' with 'criteria.'
- ✕We will write the code, then define acceptance criteria.✓We will define acceptance criteria first, then write the code.
Acceptance criteria should be established before development begins to guide implementation, not after.
Other forms(2)
- acceptance criteria noun (plural)
"The acceptance criteria for this feature are listed in the requirements document."
- acceptance criterion noun (singular)
"One acceptance criterion is that the response time must be under 500 milliseconds."
Often used with(5)
- define acceptance criteria · To establish or write the criteria at the start of a project or sprint.
- meet acceptance criteria · To satisfy or fulfill all the conditions specified in the criteria.
- acceptance criteria are clear · The criteria are well-written and unambiguous.
- verify against acceptance criteria · To test and confirm that work matches the specified criteria.
- document acceptance criteria · To record the criteria formally so the team can reference them.
Similar words(3)
- requirements · Broader term; requirements can include technical, business, and user needs. Acceptance criteria are specific conditions tied to a single user story.
- success criteria · Very similar; sometimes used interchangeably, though success criteria may be broader in scope.
- definition of done · Applies to all work items and defines general quality standards, while acceptance criteria are specific to one story or feature.
Opposites(2)
- rejection criteria
- failure conditions
Questions(5)
- What does acceptance criteria mean in software engineering?
- Acceptance criteria are specific, measurable conditions that define when a feature or user story is complete and ready for release. They transform vague business requirements into concrete, testable statements so developers, testers, and product owners all understand what will be delivered.
- Who writes acceptance criteria?
- Typically, the product owner or business analyst writes the first draft of acceptance criteria, often in collaboration with developers and QA testers. The entire team should review and agree on the criteria before work begins.
- How do you write good acceptance criteria?
- Write them in simple, specific language using the format 'Given [context], When [action], Then [expected result].' Make them testable and measurable, avoid vague words like 'quickly' or 'user-friendly,' and include both happy paths and edge cases.
- Is acceptance criteria the same as definition of done?
- No. Definition of done applies to all work and covers general quality standards like code review, unit tests, and documentation. Acceptance criteria are specific to a single user story and define what that particular feature must do.
- Why are acceptance criteria important in agile?
- Acceptance criteria prevent misunderstandings by clarifying expectations upfront. They make testing easier, provide a clear stopping point for development, and give teams objective measures of whether work is complete.
