Delivery Approach Guide
Knowledge Guides /How do you write an acceptance matrix that maps each requirement to its evidence?
Last updated: · New Horizon Digital Outsourcing Team
An acceptance matrix should connect every requirement to a checking method, input conditions, pass criteria, and result location. It is more than copying requirement headings into a table: it defines in advance how delivery completion will be demonstrated and provides a path for handling failures or nonapplicable cases.
Give each requirement an assessable result wherever possible
- Split compound requirements that combine performance, functionality, and appearance. Avoid terms such as smooth, advanced, or effective that cannot be assessed independently. Where subjective review is necessary, specify the review subject, examples, and person responsible for approval.
Choose an appropriate verification method
- Document reviews, demonstrations, tests, and analyses suit different requirements. A screenshot can confirm that an interface exists, but cannot establish real-time latency. Test conditions should include the environment and inputs, with prerequisite verification recorded where necessary.
Results must be traceable
- Record the project version, execution date, evidence files, and issue IDs. If an item was not executed because prerequisites were unavailable, explicitly mark it as not executed; do not conceal this with a pass or not-applicable status. After requirements or implementation change, assess which evidence needs to be regenerated.
Handover and re-verification methods
- Before acceptance, invite the recipient to select several items for trial runs and resolve ambiguities in the documentation. Retain the final matrix, execution records, and open issues so others can locate the evidence. A complete matrix does not mean every item has passed; statuses must also be shown.