Definition of "Done" in multiple Team projects (2024)

FAQs

Definition of "Done" in multiple Team projects? ›

What Is a Definition of Done? For agile teams, a Definition of Done identifies the criteria that a task, feature, or user story must meet to be considered complete. It serves as a guide, clarifying the work the team needs to complete and creating a shared understanding among the team and stakeholders.

If multiple Scrum Teams are collaborating on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done. The Definition of Done is the commitment contained in the Increment artifact.

“The definition of done (DoD) is when all conditions, or acceptance criteria, that a software product must satisfy are met and ready to be accepted by a user, customer, team, or consuming system,” says Derek Huether of ALM Platforms. “We must meet the definition of done to ensure quality.

On a software project, this might mean your definition of done specifies that your Continuous Integration build is passing for example. For a non-software project, such as creating a set of marketing materials, it might mean removing outdated versions of the materials from the shelves.

The definition of done (DoD) is a collection of deliverables within a project or contract that, when completed, will act as verifiable and demonstrable benchmarks for a project.

The explanation is that, "they can have different Definitions of Done as long as they are compatible with each other and capable of creating integrated increments. Note: it may seem that the SCRUM guide says there's only one DoD for multiple teams, but this is not the case.

If there are multiple Scrum Teams working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done." Each team working with the same product regardless way to scale up (SAFe, Nexus, LeSS…) can expand common DoD, but not cut them.

Who is responsible for creating the definition of done? The development team, led by the Scrum Master, typically creates a DoD. However, they should seek input from product owners, testers, and other stakeholders.

The Definition of Done makes clear what the agile team needs to do to consider a project complete. It helps the team offer more transparency to the rest of the organization. That is, because the team has a shared understanding of what Done and releasable will look like.

And they are the standard against which all tasks are put against to determine whether a task is complete or 'done'. The definition of done can be defined as agreed-upon evidence of what means to complete a task, process, or milestone.

What are three main types of Definition of done? ›

Since Professional Scrum Teams build software that works, stop, create a working increment of software that meets your definition of done (DoD), and then start Sprinting, and review what you mean by “working” continuously, and at least on a regular cadence.

If the Definition of Done for an increment is part of the standards of the organization, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum. If it is not an organizational standard, the Scrum Team must create a Definition of Done appropriate for the product. The Developers are required to conform to the Definition of Done.

What is Definition of Done in Jira? Definition of Done (DoD) is an important concept in Scrum methodology. It allows the product manager to communicate their specific expectations to the development team. There is an implied agreement that the development team accepts and agrees to deliver on these expectations.

The best time to discuss and propose changes to the DoD is during the Sprint Review. This is the Scrum ceremony where the team demonstrates the product increment to the Product Owner and other stakeholders and collects feedback.

In the Scrum Guide they describe the most important aspects of the Definition of Done. 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 moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done, an Increment is born.

Scalable Definition of Done

Now the question is how can we have multiple levels of definition of done. Just like every team is supposed to create a potentially releasable increment at the end of each sprint, there can be Increment where multiple teams are working together and creating an integrated Increment.

Scrum teams should be self-managing and cross-functional. That means the team members must possess skills to decide each person's responsibility to ensure a productive sprint. Therefore, multiple scrum teams working on the same product should be self-organized to make the development process effective and efficient.