Embracing Agile Principles: The Power of a Definition of Done

What is a Definition of Done?

A Definition of Done (DoD) is a checklist that clearly states when a user story, epic, or theme is considered complete. It creates transparency by providing everyone with a shared understanding of what work was completed as part of the increment. If a Product Backlog item does not meet the DoD, it cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review.

// Example of a simple DoD checklist
public class DefinitionOfDone {
    private boolean isCodeReviewed;
    private boolean isUnitTestingComplete;
    private boolean isDocumentationUpdated;
    
    public boolean isDone() {
        return isCodeReviewed && isUnitTestingComplete && isDocumentationUpdated;
    }
}

The Purpose of a Definition of Done

The primary purpose of a DoD is to build consensus and allocate accountability to ensure that the team delivers quality products consistently. A clear DoD is crucial for execution, planning, and estimation across all levels of the product organization.

Why is a Definition of Done Important?

A DoD follows and implements core agile principles in product development, including:

• Transparency: Creating a clear understanding across the organization promotes transparency and avoids unnecessary conflict.
• Learning: Continuous evaluation enables thorough oversight before releasing a product to end-users.
• Iteration: Delivering features quickly with appropriate quality assurance fosters confidence within product development teams.

Examples of Definitions of Done

A DoD can be applied at various levels, including:

1. User Stories: A user story is considered done when all acceptance criteria are met, and the product owner reviews and accepts the user story.
2. Features/Epics: A feature or epic is considered done when it meets all criteria and fulfills user needs.
3. Themes/Initiatives: A theme or initiative is considered done when it meets market needs, target architecture design is accomplished, and all MVPs are released to production and evaluated.

Who Creates a Definition of Done?

The creation of a DoD involves collaboration between team members, including:

• Scrum Team: The scrum team defines and maintains the DoD for user stories.
• Product Manager: The product manager creates a checklist for features/epics and ensures that all items are executed.
• Portfolio Management Team: The portfolio management team creates a DoD for themes/initiatives.

Definition of Done vs. Definition of Ready

While a DoD ensures consistency and quality deliverables, a definition of ready (DoR) aids with efficiency and avoids confusion at the beginning of a new development project.

// Example of a simple DoR checklist
public class DefinitionOfReady {
    private boolean isUserStoryClear;
    private boolean areAcceptanceCriteriaDefined;
    private boolean isTeamAvailable;
    
    public boolean isReady() {
        return isUserStoryClear && areAcceptanceCriteriaDefined && isTeamAvailable;
    }
}

Learn more about agile principles and how to implement them in your organization.