TOPIC: Acceptance Criteria?

Hello All!

I have come across the question in a few Practice Exams that ask where Acceptance Criteria is documented. It seemed to me that the 'correct' answer kept changing so I did research. In PMBOK it is noted in Project Charter, Req Doc, and Scope Statement. So which one is correct?

Thanks All!

Hi Kelly,
It would be helpful if you could provide a couple of the examples of sample questions where the answers would be different? You are correct that “acceptance criteria” is noted in Project Charter, Reg Doc and Scope statement. That can be very confusing. There may be hypothetic information provided in the question that would aid in selecting the appropriate answer.

Thank you for the additional insights!!! I don't have the exam questions written down as I didn't notice the discrepancy until after a few sample exams and getting the answer wrong. The first time I learned it was in the Project Charter so I answered "project charter' on the next time I had the same question, and this time the answer was 'req document ion'. I will look into the 'additional details' when the question is asked again.

Well, what do you know - I just did a quick practice exam (20Q) and I received the question this time and correctly ID the answer. For others out there, I wanted to provide this detail (see attached):

Excellent Kelly!

Hi Kelly.

As you noted Acceptance criteria can be documented in the project charter, the scope document and the requirements document. I would add it can also be documented in the Traceability Matrix and the WBS Dictionary.

As you already know, projects are progressively elaborated and Acceptance Criteria are no exception. high level acceptance criteria could be identified at the project initiation phase and would be documented in the project charter. as the project progresses our understanding of the project and its acceptance criteria increases and so more detailed and accurate Acceptance criteria would be documented as we progress through the project.


So I would say the correct answer would depend on the situation described in the questions and in which stage the project is currently standing. In the question you have attached, the project is delivering the final phase, at this stage you would definitely refer to the detailed acceptance criteria in the Scope document rather than the high level ones in the charter.

hope this clears the confusion.

Hi,
So the hint "status call in the project initiation" is misleading?

And based on the stage of the project PM should know that acceptance criteria were updated and where is the latest version?

Thx.

The question is trying to test that you will always refer to the latest version of the acceptance criteria (or any document in general). although it might be true that the Acceptance criteria were discussed in the status call and recorded in the meeting minutes, The project has progressed already and 2 phases have been delivered, so the PM should refer to the RSD and not a call that took place during the initiation.

I recently ame across this same question but with details like where do you find the acceptance criteria for a work package and the answer options were a.) Scope statement b.) WBS Dictionary c.) Scope Management Plan d.) WBS . Correct answer for b.) WBS DIctionary. So it seems depends on the question. Since they are asking acceptance criteria of a work package in particular asnwer changes. However i still feel Scope statement can also be correct answer to this question as well.

I would like to supplement that "Acceptance Criteria" are not the same as "Project approval requirements" for the project.

1. Product Acceptance Criteria - is refer to the Scope Statement . The project scope statement includes, among the others, acceptance criteria for deliverable. Acceptance criteria for deliverables are not the same as the approval requirements for the project.


2. Project Approval Requirements - are specified in the project charter, not in the project scope statement. Project approval requirements specify who decides the project is successful, who signs off the project, and what constitutes project success.

And thanks all in this topic I have face the same doubt at all.

I got a question where the answer was the scope baseline. Which makes sense as scope baseline includes project scope statement , wbs and wbs dictionary.