Definition of Ready (DoR) is a concept in agile development that outlines the criteria that a user story or backlog item must meet before it is ready to be taken into a sprint for development. It sets the expectations for the completeness and clarity of requirements and ensures that the team can effectively and efficiently work on the item. Here’s a breakdown of the DoR:
Definition of Ready for a User Story:
- The user story is accompanied by clear acceptance criteria, outlining the specific conditions that must be met for the story to be considered complete.All dependencies, whether on other stories, teams, or external factors, are identified and resolved.
- The bug report includes a detailed description of the issue, including steps to reproduce, expected behavior, and actual behavior.
- Clear priority and severity levels are assigned to the bug, helping the team understand its criticality.
Enforcing Accountability:
The Definition of Ready enforces accountability in several ways
Clarity and Understanding: By specifying the criteria that a user story or backlog item must meet to be considered ready, it ensures that stakeholders, product owners, and the development team share a clear understanding of what is expected.
Early Validation: DoR criteria necessitate that all prerequisites, information, and dependencies are addressed before development begins. This early validation holds stakeholders accountable for providing complete information.
Efficiency: Having a clear DoR prevents developers from starting work on poorly defined items. It reinforces the accountability of the product owner and stakeholders to provide the necessary details in advance
Minimizing Waste: DoR reduces waste in the development process by ensuring that the team doesn’t start working on items that might later be blocked or canceled due to incomplete information.
Adjusting the Definition of Ready:
The Definition of Ready is not a static document and should evolve as the team learns and adapts. It should be reviewed and adjusted when
New Learning: If the team learns better practices or identifies additional prerequisites for readiness, they should be incorporated into the DoR
Changing Requirements: When project requirements evolve or expand, the DoR should be updated to reflect the new expectations for readiness
Continuous Improvement: Regular retrospectives can be used to identify areas for improvement in the readiness of items, leading to adjustments in the DoR
Changing Team Dynamics: As team composition changes or new roles are introduced, the DoR may need adjustments to accommodate different skills or responsibilities.
Accountability for the Definition of Ready:Accountability for the Definition of Ready falls primarily on the product owner and the development team, including developers, testers, and other relevant roles.
Key points of accountability includes
Product Owner: The product owner is responsible for ensuring that backlog items are well-defined and meet the DoR criteria. They must provide the necessary details, acceptance criteria, and dependencies
Developers: Team members are accountable for understanding and adhering to the DoR. They should actively communicate with the product owner if any criteria are not met
Scrum Master: The Scrum Master plays a facilitating role in ensuring that the team understands the importance of the DoR and assists in its enforcement
Stakeholders: External stakeholders, such as business representatives or customers, should collaborate with the product owner to provide clear and complete information for readiness
In summary, the Definition of Ready sets expectations for the completeness and clarity of backlog items before they are taken into a sprint. It enforces accountability by ensuring that all parties involved understand and meet the criteria. The product owner and the development team are primarily accountable for maintaining and adhering to the DoR, with adjustments made as needed to improve readiness and efficiency.