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Definition of Done – What, Why and How

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Definition of Done (DoD) is a crucial concept in agile development that defines the criteria a product increment must meet to be considered complete and potentially releasable. It ensures that work items, such as user stories or tasks, have been thoroughly completed and meet the team’s quality and acceptance standards. Here’s a breakdown of the DoD:

Examples of Definition of Done at a User Story Level

  • Code is written and reviewed.
  • Unit tests are passed.
  • Acceptance tests are passed.
  • User documentation is updated.
  • Code is integrated into the main branch.
  • Product owner approves the work.
b. Example of Definition of Done for a Bug Fix:

  • Code is written and reviewed.
  • Affected tests pass.
  • Regression tests are performed.
  • Affected documentation is updated.
  • Code is integrated into the main branch.
  • Product owner or QA verifies the fix.

The Definition of Done is useful in the following ways:

Enforcing Accountability:The Definition of Done enforces accountability in several ways:a. Clear Expectations: By defining explicit criteria that must be met, it leaves no room for ambiguity. Team members know exactly what is expected of them, promoting individual accountability for their work.b. Quality Assurance: The DoD sets a quality standard that the team commits to achieving. This quality assurance aspect holds team members accountable for delivering high-quality work that aligns with these standards.c. Collaboration and Review: The DoD often involves code reviews, testing, and validation steps. These collaborative activities ensure that team members are accountable to one another for the quality and completeness of their work.d. Transparency: Accountability is reinforced through transparency. By having the DoD visible and accessible to all team members, it becomes a shared responsibility to meet the criteria.

Adjusting the Definition of Done:The Definition of Done should not be set in stone. It should evolve and adapt as the team gains more experience and as project requirements change. Consider adjusting the DoD when:a. New Learning: If the team learns new practices or identifies better ways to ensure quality, these can be incorporated into the DoD.b. Changing Requirements: When project requirements shift or expand, the DoD may need updates to align with the new expectations.c. Continuous Improvement: The DoD should be a subject of regular retrospectives. Teams can identify areas for improvement and adjust the DoD accordingly.d. Changing Team Dynamics: As team members change or the team’s composition evolves, the DoD may need adjustment to accommodate new skill sets or roles.

Accountability for the Definition of Done:Accountability for the Definition of Done lies primarily with the entire agile development team, which includes developers, testers, and other relevant roles. Key points of accountability include:a. Development Team: Team members are collectively responsible for ensuring that the DoD criteria are met for every user story or task they work on.b. Product Owner: The product owner plays a vital role in verifying whether the user stories meet the DoD and provide the necessary acceptance criteria.c. Scrum Master: The Scrum Master ensures that the team understands and adheres to the DoD. They facilitate discussions about adjustments and support the team in achieving the DoD criteria.d. Stakeholders: External stakeholders, like business representatives or customers, also have a stake in ensuring that the DoD aligns with their expectations for product quality and completeness.

In summary, the Definition of Done serves as a quality standard that enforces accountability within the agile development team. It’s a living document that can and should be adjusted over time to reflect the team’s evolving practices and the changing needs of the project. The entire team, including the product owner, Scrum Master, and stakeholders, plays a role in upholding the DoD criteria for every increment of work.

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