What are acceptance criteria?

Question

Accepted Answer

**Acceptance criteria** — conditions that must be met for user story to be accepted.

**Characteristics:**
- Clear and concise.
- Testable and measurable.
- Agreed upon by team.
- Defined before development starts.

**Example:**
```
User Story: As a user, I want to reset my password

Acceptance Criteria:
- User can request password reset via email
- Reset link expires after 24 hours
- New password must be 8+ characters
- User receives confirmation email after reset
```

**Types:**
- **Given-When-Then** format.
- **Scenario-based** criteria.
- **Rule-based** criteria.

**Benefits:**
- Clarifies requirements.
- Provides testing basis.
- Reduces misunderstandings.

Business Analyst: What are acceptance criteria?