What is the term for the criteria that a system must meet to be accepted by an authorized entity?

Acceptance criteria refer to the specific conditions under which a product or system is deemed acceptable to the stakeholders or an authorized entity. These criteria outline the key requirements that must be fulfilled for the deliverable to meet the needs and expectations of those approving the work. Typically, acceptance criteria are defined prior to the development process and serve as benchmarks for evaluating the end product.

Using well-defined acceptance criteria helps ensure clarity and sets clear expectations for both the development team and stakeholders. This practice enhances communication, reduces misunderstandings, and provides a straightforward basis for testing and validation once the system is built. The acceptance criteria are crucial during user acceptance testing (UAT) as they dictate if the software meets the minimum requirements for stakeholder approval.

The other options do not capture this concept accurately. Test cases are specific conditions and steps designed to verify functionality, quality metrics are measurements used to assess various aspects of software quality, and validation standards refer to the overall guidelines that govern the validation process rather than specific criteria for acceptance by an authorized entity.