For any team to work effectively, they need to have a shared understanding of the issues at hand and be able to reach an agreement on the criteria for task completion.
Typically, a diverse group of specialists collaborates on any given product — developers, managers, testers, designers, and others. Each has distinct responsibilities within their area of expertise, and they may interpret the completion criteria differently. For instance, a designer may focus on aspects like button color, shape, and size, while a developer prioritizes functionality and performance. It is vital for the team to collectively establish a shared understanding of what "done" entails and when a task can be deemed complete. To achieve this, all participants must explicitly outline their criteria for "done." This mutual agreement is encapsulated in the Definition of Done (DoD), a concept commonly employed by teams following the Agile principles of transparency, collaboration, and delivering high-quality increments.
The Definition of Done comprises a set of criteria that a product or its components must meet for the team to consider it complete and ready for release to customers. It embodies a shared understanding among team members of when a product reaches the release-ready stage.
It's important to emphasize that the DoD is not the creation of a single individual, but rather the outcome of collaborative discussions and agreements within the entire project team, including developers, testers, product owners, and other stakeholders.
In this article, we delve into the concept of the Definition of Done, exploring its meaning, distinguishing it from acceptance criteria, understanding its significance in the realm of software development, and identifying the key stakeholders responsible for crafting this crucial set of guidelines.
Definition of Done vs. acceptance criteria
Sometimes people confuse the Definition of Done with another related criterion — acceptance criteria (AC), or consider them to be the same thing. The confusion between the Definition of Done and acceptance criteria often occurs due to potential overlap in content, variable practices among teams, project complexity, and a lack of education on these concepts. To address this, teams should establish clear definitions and create documentation that distinguishes between the two.
The main difference is that the DoD is a set of high-level criteria for determining overall product completeness. It defines the general quality of the product. In contrast, acceptance criteria are low-level conditions applied only to specific user stories or features. Acceptance criteria define whether a user story is acceptable to the customer. The following example helps understand how the Definition of Done differs from acceptance criteria:
Scenario: assembling a table
Acceptance Criteria:
1. All table components are present: tabletop, four legs, and screws
2. The table legs are securely attached to the tabletop
3. The table stands stably on a flat surface
4. There are no visible scratches or damages on the tabletop
Definition of Done:
1. All assembly steps are completed
2. The assembled table is inspected for stability
3. Any excess screws or materials are properly disposed of
4. The table is wiped down to ensure cleanliness
5. The assembled table is placed in the designated area for finished furniture
Acceptance criteria here define the characteristics that the final product must possess. Definition of Done here is a broader set of conditions that need to be satisfied for the entire process of assembling the table to be considered complete. It includes steps beyond the specific requirements for the table itself.
The acceptance criteria in this example focus on the specific attributes of the final product (the assembled table), while the Definition of Done outlines the broader steps and conditions that need to be met for the entire assembly process to be considered finished.
What is the importance of the Definition of Done?
In conjunction with acceptance criteria, the Definition of Done stands as a primary means to evaluate product quality and assess its readiness for release. Serving as an overarching quality gate, the DoD ensures the meticulous application of appropriate development and testing processes by the team.
The presence of a well-defined DoD is a keyl prerequisite for meeting customer expectations and delivering high-quality products. It provides teams with the clarity to identify the precise moment when a product can be deemed complete. This determination is essential for aligning the team's efforts with customer expectations and maintaining a commitment to quality throughout the development process.
“The Definition of Done creates transparency by providing everyone a shared understanding of what work was completed as part of the Increment.” - The Scrum Guide.
The Definition of Done holds particular importance for the final product by establishing clear expectations. Quality in this context hinges on aligning these expectations with the actual results. A prevalent challenge arises from customers often presenting vague and ambiguous tasks, such as requesting a "nice red button." Given the subjective nature of beauty, everyone interprets it differently, and the rationale behind the color choice remains unclear.
Without a shared understanding, designers might create based on their personal interpretation, leading to a mismatch with the customer's envisioned outcome. The Definition of Done serves as a crucial tool for reaching a collective agreement before commencing work. It allows the team to define what they consider "beautiful" and why the button should be red, ensuring a tangible outcome that satisfies customer expectations. This alignment signifies the team's successful delivery of a quality product.
Benefits of a well-defined Definition of Done:
- Improved quality: Clear criteria outlined in the Definition of Done enhance overall product quality, providing the team with specific standards to adhere to.
- Risk minimization:. Precise criteria for completion reduce the risk of rework, as each team member knows exactly what is expected before marking a task as complete.
- Enhanced team alignment: Clear guidelines foster better team alignment, minimizing disputes and conflicts. This allows the team to concentrate more effectively on meeting customer requirements.
- Facilitates onboarding: The Definition of Done simplifies onboarding for new team members, providing a structured framework for understanding and adhering to team standards.
- Promotes collaboration: In a scalable environment, the Definition of Done greatly facilitates collaboration between teams, ensuring consistency and alignment with organizational standards.
Who creates the Definition of Done?
As the Definition of Done relies on a consensus among all team members regarding task completion criteria, it is typically crafted through collaborative efforts involving developers, testers, managers, and other team members. This collaborative approach ensures a unified understanding within the team of the criteria indicating that the work is complete and ready for release.
While the exact steps for creating a Definition of Done may differ depending on the team and project, certain common points should be considered and adhered to.
Form the right team. Creating the Definition of Done necessitates the active involvement of all stakeholders who contribute to shaping the DoD for the project. This includes product owners, testers, product managers, developers, and other relevant team members. The collaborative input from diverse perspectives ensures a comprehensive DoD that incorporates insights from various domains. Neglecting key team members can lead to less thorough criteria, potentially causing issues in the project's execution.
Clearly define criteria. A pivotal aspect of establishing a DoD is precisely defining the criteria that the team will adhere to throughout the project. This step is vital as it directly influences the quality of the work carried out. The DoD criteria should align with the SMART framework, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This ensures clarity, measurability, attainability, relevance, and a defined timeframe, contributing to the effectiveness of the DoD in guiding the team towards successful project completion.
"Ensure the code is clean” is an example of bad criterion because it is overly general and subjective. "Clean code" means different things to different people, and it lacks specific guidelines for the team to follow.
A better criterion would be "the code adheres to the team's coding style guide and has meaningful variable and function names. It successfully passes automated code analysis tools with zero critical issues."
Quantify where possible. Incorporate quantitative measures into your criteria whenever feasible. For instance, specify a percentage of code coverage through unit tests, set response time requirements, or establish a maximum allowable number of reported bugs. Quantifying criteria enhances precision and provides measurable targets for the team.
Align with stakeholder expectations. Ensure that the Definition of Done aligns seamlessly with the expectations of stakeholders, encompassing product owners, end-users, and those overseeing deployment and maintenance. This alignment guarantees that the completed work meets the broader objectives and satisfies the needs of all relevant parties.
Include testing criteria. Clearly delineate the testing requirements within the Definition of Done. This encompasses specifications for unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance tests, establishing a robust framework for a comprehensive verification process. Clarity on testing criteria contributes to the overall quality assurance of the project.
Recognize that the DoD is not a static document. Each identified bug or defect signifies a potential quality issue stemming from an unclear Definition of Done. Regular updates to the DoD are crucial to prevent the recurrence of such issues and maintain clarity in task completion criteria.
Ensure that the DoD is accessible and visible to all team participants. Easy reference to the DoD should be a routine practice for the team, fostering a shared understanding of completion criteria and promoting consistent adherence to quality standards.
Be realistic. The DoD should be grounded in realism, reflecting achievable standards within the given timeframe and available resources. It must align with the actual needs and expectations of customers, ensuring that the completed work meets their requirements and satisfaction.
The Definition of Done: a cornerstone for clarity, quality, and team success in software development
The Definition of Done stands as a pivotal concept, imparting clarity, alignment, and quality assurance to software development teams. By establishing objective and measurable criteria for task completion, it cultivates a shared understanding of what defines a releasable product increment.
The DoD surpasses individual user story acceptance criteria, encompassing comprehensive standards across functionality, quality, security, performance, documentation, and more. Crafted collaboratively with cross-functional team members, it serves as a guiding beacon through development, testing, and deployment.
Adherence to DoD criteria not only ensures meeting requirements but also upholds best practices throughout the development lifecycle, preventing shortcuts that could compromise product stability. As a living document, the DoD evolves by integrating lessons learned, contributing to continuous improvement.
In summary, the Definition of Done plays an instrumental role in building team consensus, mitigating risks, elevating quality standards, and ultimately delivering value to stakeholders. Development teams benefit from investing time in tailoring a meaningful DoD to their product and process needs, fostering diligence in upholding it. The resulting clarity and shared vision lead to enhanced transparency, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
