How to use acceptance criteria in project management?
You can apply acceptance criteria to individual tasks or groups of task that have a common outcome.
I started using acceptance criteria in Scrum, but it’s an effective tool in any project management framework. For any task assigned to a team or individual, acceptance criteria can clarify what new functionality will exist when the task is completed.
See examples of acceptance criteria or learn other essential scrum terms.
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Acceptance criteria
What's an example of acceptance criteria?
Acceptance criteria is structured using the template
- Given that [context allowing me to take an action]
- When [I take the action]
- Then [a result occurs indicating success or failure]
Here are 3 examples:
Checkout process functionality
- Given that I’ve added all the items to my cart and I’m logged in,
- When I click the check out button,
- Then the checkout page loads with all my payment and shipping information preloaded.
Advertising campaign
- Given that someone fits our ideal customer persona,
- When they search for keywords we’re targeting,
- Then a link to a compelling offer is displayed above the fold.
Marketing campaign (Did you know you could use Scrum for marketing)
- Given that a customer is already receiving email communications,
- When they visit the site and engage content related to a specific product,
- Then they will be automatically subscribed to nurturing campaign highlighting that product. Or
See more acceptance criteria examples and learn to write how to create your own or learn other essential scrum terms.
What is acceptance criteria in scrum?
Acceptance criteria is written using the following structure:
- Given that [context allowing me to take an action]
- When [I take the action]
- Then [a result occurs indicating success or failure]
Learn more about how acceptance criteria is used in Scrum and explore the essential Scrum glossary.
How to write an acceptance criteria statement?
Acceptance criteria is broken down into three parts.
- Given that [context allowing me to take an action]
- When [I take the action]
- Then [a result occurs indicating success or failure]
Learn more about templates for writing acceptance criteria or learn other essential scrum terms.
How are acceptance criteria and user stories different?
A user story focuses on the identity, goals and motivations of the user you’re designing for. It emphasizes the why of the new functionality.
Acceptance Criteria focuses on the action taken by the user to meet their goal. It highlights the what of the new functionality.
See more acceptance criteria examples and learn to write acceptance criteria or learn other essential scrum terms.
How are acceptance criteria and the definition of done different?
Acceptance criteria is specific to an individual task, but the definition of done applies to all work done by a team. Acceptance criteria answers the question, “What will be true when this task is completed.” The definition of done answers the question, “What are we committing to do every time we complete a task?”
See more examples and learn to write acceptance criteria or learn other essential scrum terms.
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