What is the definition of done?
The Definition of Done (DoD) is a collection of agreed-upon requirements that must be met before a project or user story can be declared finished. It is constantly implemented and serves as an official confirmation between “in progress” and “done.”
Different firms and development teams will develop their version of the definition, but they all adhere to the same ideal; that code accomplishes what it’s designed to do and doesn’t cause any other problems. Since everything can be traced back to the checklist, there should also be an element of openness. Everything can be traced back to that checklist of completed tasks. If a release or feature does not check all the boxes, it will be delayed, and everyone will understand why.
Who Decides What is “Done”?
Since it ensures that things perform effectively and meet basic technical requirements, the engineering team is usually the key actor in developing the Definition of Done. The Scrum Master or the head of engineering may be in charge of the definition. However, deciding what counts as “done” should be a collective effort. There won’t be universal acceptance of whether something is genuinely done or engineering merely says it is without feedback and permission from a product, quality assurance, and other stakeholders.
Why Should Product Managers Be Concerned With The Definition Of Done?
Leaving the question of whether something is “done” open to interpretation can lead to conflict, misunderstandings, negative user experiences, and revenue impacts, which is a good reason to decide on that criteria before the sprint starts. Sharing a similar vision for the ultimate product is an excellent place to start any project. Choosing the process that a feature must pass through to be complete generates a sense of anticipation.
Acceptance Criterion Vs. Definition Of Done
There is a distinction between the Definition of Done and the acceptance criteria in the user narrative. With a few exceptions, DoD is applied to anything the engineering team aims to achieve. On the other hand, acceptance criteria are specific to the user story or product at hand.
Product management should specify requirements with input from the technical team on any specific use cases or specifications that must be met before an item can be declared done. Additionally, product management should assess the definition and determine if it’s thorough enough. However, product management does not always have to be in charge of the definition’s ownership and control. They can essentially ignore it as long as the product is satisfied. So far, the “done” components pass the requirements outlined in the DoD.
A shipped product or feature, on the other hand, cannot be regarded as done from the perspective of the product.
