Defining “Done”: How Acceptance Criteria Make A Difference

Acceptance criteria (AC) are specific conditions that a software product must meet to be considered complete and fully functional. They define what must happen for a user story to be accepted (not how it should be implemented), ensuring everyone shares a clear, shared understanding of “done.”

Without acceptance criteria, teams often end up with scope creep, conflicting interpretations, and endless back-and-forth discussions.

Here’s What Good Acceptance Criteria Help Achieve:

✅ Alignment: Developers, testers, and stakeholders know the exact expectations from the product.

✅ Quality Assurance: Testers can easily verify if a feature meets the requirements.

✅ Less Rework: Less miscommunication as the “definition of done” becomes visible and shared, meaning fewer surprises late in development.

✅ Enhanced Project Management: Acceptance criteria make progress easier to track, with every completed criterion bringing the team closer to a fully functional feature.

Best Practices for Writing Acceptance Criteria:

🧪 Ensure Testability

💬 Collaborate Early 

🧑‍💻 Make Them Clear And Simple

✅ Keep Things Relevant

⚡️ Avoid Ambiguity 

🔁 Review And Refine

Strong acceptance criteria are more than a project management formality — they empower teams to deliver features that truly meet business needs. Whether you’re a developer, tester, or product owner, taking the time to write clear, testable acceptance criteria will always pay off!