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Purpose & When to Use

• Gain formal sign-off that deliverables meet agreed requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Reduce rework and disputes by confirming scope completion with the customer or sponsor.
• Used after internal quality checks confirm correctness of the deliverable.
• Performed at the end of a phase, iteration, or when a major deliverable is ready.
• In agile or hybrid work, occurs during reviews or demos where the product owner accepts items.

Mini Flow (How It’s Done)

• Gather inputs: scope baseline, requirements documentation and traceability matrix, acceptance criteria, and verified deliverables.
• Plan the review: schedule the session, invite decision-makers, and prepare evidence such as test results and checklists.
• Run the review or demo: compare the deliverable against acceptance criteria, inspect outputs, and note variances or issues.
• Decide acceptance: approve, approve with minor conditions, or reject and request corrections.
• Record outcomes: obtain formal sign-off if accepted, or log defects and raise change requests if not accepted.
• Update project information: capture acceptance status and issues as work performance information, and record lessons learned.

Quality & Acceptance Checklist

• Deliverable matches the defined scope and acceptance criteria.
• All related requirements in the traceability matrix are satisfied.
• Nonfunctional requirements and constraints are confirmed where applicable.
• Supporting evidence is available, including test results, measurements, and checklists.
• User documentation, training materials, and operating procedures are complete.
• Open defects and risks are documented, owned, and acceptable to the customer.
• Formal acceptance is captured, including signatures, emails, or tickets.
• Configuration item identifiers, versions, and baselines are updated after acceptance.
• Change requests are raised for any new or changed requirements.

Common Mistakes & Exam Traps

• Confusing internal quality checks with customer acceptance; quality control verifies correctness, while validate scope secures formal sign-off.
• Assuming a deliverable is accepted because it passed testing; acceptance requires customer or sponsor approval.
• Skipping the requirements traceability matrix during reviews, which leads to missed criteria.
• Allowing scope changes in the meeting without a change request and approval through change control.
• Gold plating or adding extras not requested, which can be rejected and cause delays.
• Delaying acceptance until project close, increasing risk of late rework.
• Failing to capture objective evidence of acceptance, such as signed forms or system approvals.
• Updating baselines after acceptance without formal configuration control.

PMP Example Question

An internal test team confirms a deliverable meets specifications. What should the project manager do next?

1. Update the scope baseline to reflect the completed work.
2. Request a customer review to obtain formal acceptance.
3. Close the project or phase because testing is complete.
4. Issue a change request to release contingency reserves.

Correct Answer: B — Request a customer review to obtain formal acceptance.

Explanation: After internal verification, the next step is to validate scope with the customer or sponsor and capture formal sign-off. Baseline updates and closure come after acceptance, not before.