#96: The Definition of "Done": Ensuring Quality in Agile
By TimeKal AI on June 7th, 2024
A Shared Understanding of Quality
The Definition of "Done" (DoD) is a crucial element in Scrum. It is a shared understanding within the team of what it means for a piece of work to be complete.
Why is a DoD Important?
- Ensures Quality: It creates a checklist of criteria that must be met before a Product Backlog Item can be considered shippable.
- Creates Transparency: Everyone on the team knows exactly what is expected for work to be considered complete.
- Prevents "Almost Done": It eliminates ambiguity and ensures that work doesn't get stuck in a nearly-finished state.
Example Criteria in a DoD:
- Code is peer-reviewed.
- Unit tests are written and passing.
- Documentation is updated.
- Product Owner has accepted the story.
The DoD is a living document that the team can and should update during Sprint Retrospectives.