Acceptance criteria are the condition that needs to be full-filled for a user story to be DOD. It talks about the objectives of user stories and tries to include as many user scenarios as it can. A user story without having acceptance criteria cannot be considered as DOR.
In Agile/Scrum methodology, acceptance criteria are a set of conditions or requirements that a product or feature must meet to be considered completed and accepted by the customer or product owner. Acceptance criteria help define the scope of work and ensure that all stakeholders have a shared understanding of what the product should accomplish.
Acceptance criteria are typically written in a specific format, such as:
- As a [user role], I want [feature], so that [reason].
- Given [context], when [event], then [outcome].
For example, an acceptance criterion for an online shopping cart feature might look like this:
- As a customer, I want to add items to my shopping cart, so that I can keep track of what I want to buy.
- Given that I am on the product page, when I click the “Add to Cart” button, then the item should be added to my cart and the cart icon should show the correct number of items.
Acceptance criteria should be specific, measurable, and testable to ensure that the product meets the customer’s expectations. They should also be prioritized and reviewed by the team and the customer or product owner before development begins to ensure that everyone is on the same page about what needs to be done.