Is this an appropriate approach to setting high-level acceptance criteria?

Answer the following questions about the acceptance criteria within the project.

Decide whether the approach to setting and using acceptance criteria has been applied appropriately and select the response that supports your decision.

When specifying high-level prioritised requirements during Foundations, the Business Visionary has suggested that acceptance criteria for the requirement to "temporarily weatherproof the roof" should NOT be set until Solution Development Timebox A.

Is this an appropriate approach to setting high-level acceptance criteria?

A. Yes, because the Local Planning Authority Officer will set the acceptance criteria.

B. Yes, because acceptance criteria are NOT set before the Timeboxed work is started.

C. No, because by the end of Foundations the quality expectations and overall acceptance criteria for at least the first increment should have been set, and high-level acceptance criteria set for later increments.

D. No, because a Review Session should have been scheduled during Feasibility to enable the Solution Development Team to validate their understanding of the Local Planning Authority Officer’s expectations.

View Answer

Answer: C

Explanation:

C. No, because by the end of Foundations the quality expectations and overall acceptance criteria for at least the first increment should have been set, and high-level acceptance criteria set for later increments.

Rationale:

In Agile Project Management, it’s important to establish high-level acceptance criteria early in the project to guide development and ensure that the solution meets the business needs and quality expectations. The Foundations phase is when the project’s scope, objectives, and methods are defined, including the acceptance criteria for the first increment and at a high level for subsequent increments. This ensures that everyone has a clear understanding of what "done" looks like before development begins, reducing the risk of misalignment and rework.