Exit Criteria

Exit Criteria are the predefined benchmarks that must be met to conclude a testing phase and confidently transition software into production. These criteria are essential in software testing and quality assurance, ensuring that all performance, usability, and security requirements have been fully addressed.

Key Elements of Exit Criteria:

• Test Case Completion: All planned test cases, including functional and regression tests, must be executed with satisfactory pass rates.
• Defect Resolution: Critical and high-priority defects need to be resolved and retested, ensuring that residual issues fall within acceptable risk levels.
• Performance Standards: The software must meet or exceed established performance and load benchmarks, verifying that it operates efficiently under expected user conditions.
• Compliance and Security: Necessary compliance and security tests must be passed, reinforcing the application’s reliability.
• Stakeholder Sign-Off: Final approval from key stakeholders and QA teams confirms that the exit criteria are fully met and the software is ready for deployment.

Implementing clear exit criteria in your QA process optimizes the software testing lifecycle, minimizes risk, and boosts project success. This systematic approach is vital for agile development and continuous integration pipelines.