Hyväksyntäkriteerien

Hyväksyntäkriteerit, often translated as acceptance criteria, are a set of conditions that a software product, feature, or user story must meet to be considered complete and ready for release. They define the specific requirements and expectations that must be satisfied before a deliverable can be accepted by stakeholders or users.

These criteria are typically established during the planning or requirements gathering phase of a project. They serve as a shared understanding between the development team, product owner, and other stakeholders, ensuring everyone has the same vision of what constitutes a successful outcome. Well-defined acceptance criteria help prevent scope creep and provide a clear basis for testing.

Acceptance criteria can take various forms, including checklists, use cases, or scenario-based descriptions. They should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART), although the time-bound aspect is often inherent in the project timeline. For example, an acceptance criterion for a login feature might be: "The user can successfully log in with valid username and password, and an error message is displayed for invalid credentials."

By clearly outlining what needs to be done and how success will be measured, acceptance criteria streamline the development process, improve communication, and ultimately lead to higher quality products that meet user needs. They are a crucial element in agile methodologies, where they are often refined and updated throughout the development lifecycle.