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“Definition of Done(DoD)” is probably the most important aspect of Scrum. We can follow all the practices, guidelines, values, and ceremonies that Scrum suggests but still fail to deliver increments useful to the customers at the end of sprints if the Definition of Done is either not transparent well defined or teams do not adhere to it.
When we ask a developer if it is done, the question remains ambiguous in the absence of a clear DoD. Without the DoD, it could mean, “are you done with development” or “are you done with development & testing” etc.
Also, responses like “almost done,” “it works on my machine,” “only integration pending,” “only security testing pending,” “only performance improvement pending” defy the entire purpose of being Agile. The Scrum guide clearly defines when, how, and by whom the Definition of Done is defined and continuously refined.
But, what about the DoD in Scaled Agile Framework? When is the DoD defined in SAFe, and by whom? Who owns the DoD in SAFe?
The term “Definition of Done does find its place in SAFe but is probably overshadowed by one of the 4 SAFe Core values; “Built-in Quality.”
SAFe describes how Built-in Quality organizes quality thinking around five explicit aspects — Flow, Architecture and Design Quality, Code Quality, System Quality, and Release Quality.
Built-in quality is also a core principle of the Lean-Agile Mindset, helping to avoid the cost of delays (CoDs) associated with recalls, rework, and fixing defects.
The article “Built-in Quality” in SAFe has a section on the Scalable Definition of Done. It says, “the continuous development of incremental system functionality requires a scaled definition of done to ensure the right work is done at the right time, some early and some only for release. Each team, train, and enterprise should build their definition. While these may be different for each ART or team, they usually share a core set of items”.
To view the full blog and this blog “What is the Definition of Done in SAFe” is originally published on Agilemania website.
