– a simple yet effective tool for ensuring consensus among team members on when an increment of a product is considered complete. The DoD provides the criteria for work to be accepted, providing clear and concise conditions that help to align everybody’s understanding and avoid ambiguity that could potentially compromise the performance of the team. As an Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM), the mastery of creating strong Definition of Done is crucial, not just at the outset of a project, but as an ongoing practice.
Principles in Creating a Strong Definition of Done
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Clear and Ubiquitous:
The DoD should be as clear as possible to avoid any misunderstanding among team members. Each criteria for a task to be considered done should be defined in explicit, simple, and unambiguous terms. It should be placed where everyone involved in the project can easily see and access it, whether it’s a physical Scrum board in the office or an online project management tool.
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Collective Agreement:
The DoD should be collaboratively defined by all team members to ensure collective buy-in. The perspectives of developers, testers, product owners, and ScrumMaster should all be taken into account.
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Continuously Updated:
Just as Agile methodology promotes embracing change, the Definition of Done should reflect the evolving nature of the project, demands, or team’s capability.
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Complies with Quality Assurance:
The DoD should take into account all key quality assurance processes, including code review, testing, deployment, and documentation.
How to Improve Definition of Done
One common misconception with the Definition of Done is that it is a single, set-in-stone document created at the beginning of the project. But with Agile development and Scrum, the definition should be living and adaptable.
Here are some effective practices to improve your DoD:
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Regular review and update:
Have regular meetings to discuss and review the DoD as the team learns from each sprint. Every sprint review or retrospective is an opportunity to refine it.
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Use Metrics:
Use data to validate your Definition of Done. Metrics like burn-down charts, deviation, and velocity can provide insights into whether your DoD criteria are feasible or need adjustment.
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Incorporate Feedback:
Capture customer feedback and incorporate it into DoD. Customer value is the end goal, so any feedback should be used to improve the project and its DoD.
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Link it to the acceptance criteria:
The product backlog items have ‘Acceptance Criteria’, which are conditions that a software product must satisfy to be accepted by a user, customer, or, in many cases, the product owner. Aligning these with your Definition of Done complements the quantitative measure of work progress.
Example: Improving the Definition of Done
Let’s take an example to understand its implementation. Consider your team is building a web application. Your initial DoD might look like this:
- Code is written.
- Unit tests are passed.
- Code is reviewed.
As you progress, your DoD can evolve to include more stringent or detailed conditions:
- Code adheres to agreed style and structure.
- Unit and integration tests are passed.
- Code is reviewed, and all feedback is addressed.
- The feature is documented in the user guide.
- The feature is deployed on the staging server and tested.
- Performance benchmarks are met.
As the ScrumMaster, your role isn’t to unilaterally impose a DoD on your team, but to help them understand its purpose, facilitate their discussions, and guide them to a collectively agreed, strong Definition of Done. This continuous improvement makes the Definition of Done an essential tool that is as evolutionary as the product being developed.
Practice Test
True or False: Definition of Done (DoD) is a collective agreement that the Scrum Team creates to comprehend when a task is complete.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: DoD is a collective agreement by the Scrum Team that they reach out to understand when a task is completely done.
Multiple Select: Which of the following should a well-defined DoD contain?
- A) Clear, concise, and testable acceptance criteria.
- B) Indicators for incomplete work.
- C) Restrictions on who can contribute to the product backlog.
- D) Vague or generic descriptions of work requirements.
Answer: A, B
Explanation: A well-defined DoD must contain clear, concise, and testable acceptance criteria. It should also include signals for incomplete work.
True or False: The Product Owner sets the DoD at the beginning of the project and it cannot be changed thereafter.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The DoD is a living document that can and should be revised as the project progresses and the team learns more about the work and their capabilities.
Single Select: Who has the final say on whether an increment is “done” or not?
- A) Scrum Master
- B) Team
- C) Product Owner
Answer: B) Team
Explanation: The entire team determines when an increment is “done.” While every member of the team contributes to this decision, it is the collective team that decides.
True or False: The DoD is used to assess the quality of a product increment at the end of each sprint.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The DoD is used to assess the quality and completion of a product increment at the end of the sprint.
Single Select: To facilitate improvement of a strong Definition of Done (DoD), which of the following steps should be taken?
- A) Limit the DoD to technical tasks only.
- B) Keep the DoD as vague as possible to allow flexibility.
- C) Regularly review and update the DoD.
- D) Make the DoD unchangeable.
Answer: C) Regularly review and update the DoD.
Explanation: The DoD is a living document, so regular review and update is a must to facilitate its improvement.
Multiple Select: The DoD should define which aspects of the work?
- A) The required functionality
- B) The quality of work
- C) The timeline for completion
- D) The level of documentation required
Answer: A, B, D
Explanation: The DoD should define the required functionality, quality of work and the necessary documentation level.
True or False: An incomplete DoD can lead to technical debt.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: An incomplete DoD can leave gaps in the development process, leading to technical debt.
True or False: The DoD should be created before the start of the first Sprint.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: It’s ideal to have an initial DoD in place before the start of the first Sprint to guide the team’s work.
Single Select: Why is a clear Definition of Done important?
- A) It allows the Scrum Master to control the work effectively.
- B) It sets the quality standard for any work deemed complete.
- C) It enables the Product Owner to set more aggressive timelines.
- D) It allows the team to disregard user feedback.
Answer: B) It sets the quality standard for any work deemed complete.
Explanation: A clear DoD is important because it upholds the quality standard for any work considered complete, ensuring that everyone has the same expectations.
Interview Questions
What does “Definition of Done” refer to in Scrum methodology?
“Definition of Done” (DoD) is a shared understanding among the Scrum Team about what it means for work to be complete. This encompasses all the tasks that must be completed for an increment to be potentially shippable.
What is the main purpose of having a Definition of Done?
The main purpose of having a DoD is to provide absolute clarity on what should be delivered in a product increment, to ensure complete transparency and to help the team understand when work is finished.
What are some potential components of a Definition of Done?
Examples of potential DoD components may include code reviews, passing automated tests, manual testing, documentation, compliance with style guides, etc.
Who is responsible for establishing the Definition of Done?
The Scrum Team is collectively responsible for establishing the Definition of Done. Though the Development Team make the initial draft, the Product Owner can influence it based on the product’s requirements and constraints.
How can the Definition of Done be improved?
Periodical retrospectives could be used to discuss and improve the DoD. Lessons learned from the previous sprint and feedback both from the team and stakeholders can be used to refine it.
How often should the Definition of Done be revisited or revised?
The DoD should at least be reevaluated at the end of each sprint or project phase. However, agile encourages continuous improvement, so it can be revisited whenever the team identifies a necessity for change.
Is the Definition of Done the same for all teams?
No, the Definition of Done may vary between different teams, depending on their specific requirements, workflow, technologies, and so on. Each team should define its own DoD.
How does a Definition of Done ensure quality?
The DoD provides a clear expectation of the qualities a product increment should possess. This includes the completion of various testing, review and documentation tasks that improve the product’s overall quality.
Can the Definition of Done be different for every User Story?
While there can be some slight variations in the DoD for specific User Stories, the core Definition of Done should remain consistent to ensure that all work meets the same quality standards.
How does the Definition of Done facilitate productivity in a Scrum Team?
The DoD provides a clear understanding of when tasks are finished, which helps each team member know what to focus on. This eliminates uncertainty and boosts efficiency and productivity.
Can a ScrumMaster change the Definition of Done?
A ScrumMaster can facilitate the change by fostering discussion and collaboration within the team. However, the team collectively decides upon changes to the DoD.
How is the DoD related to the Sprint Goal?
The DoD ensures that each user story or task is adequately completed and that the team’s overall work aligns and contributes to the Sprint Goal.
Is there a point at which the Definition of Done can be considered final or perfect?
In an agile environment which promotes continuous improvement, the DoD is often regarded as an evolving artifact that changes and adapts as the team learns and improves.
How can Definition of Done help with risk management?
The DoD ensures that all significant aspects of a task, including testing, documentation and integration, are accounted for. By doing so, it mitigates the risks associated with incomplete or misunderstood tasks.
What happens if a team does not agree on a Definition of Done?
If a team doesn’t agree on a DoD, it can lead to confusion and inconsistencies in completed work, reducing the quality of the deliverables. It is the role of the ScrumMaster to facilitate discussion and help the team reach consensus.
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