Done
Definition of Done questions test quality, transparency, and shared understanding. Done is not a formality; it determines whether an Increment is usable and whether progress is real.
Core rules
- The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.
- The Scrum Team creates and uses it; if the organization has one, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum.
- Developers must meet the Definition of Done for every Increment. If an item is not Done, it returns to the Product Backlog.
- Teams can strengthen the Definition of Done over time.
- Acceptance criteria are item-specific; the Definition of Done applies to the Increment.
Worked example
A team marks a feature Done when code is merged, but customers cannot use it because it lacks testing and deployment. The Scrum Master should not celebrate the metric. The team should inspect its Definition of Done, add testing and deployment criteria, and treat incomplete work as not Done. Reasoning: a weak Done hides risk and creates false velocity.
Traps
Equating Done with code complete; using separate quality gates outside the team; letting each Developer define Done differently; treating Done as optional when the Sprint is under pressure; confusing Done with acceptance criteria.