Definition of Done

Abstract

The definition of done (DOD) is a fundamental element of any agile project that helps maintain quality and limit scope. It is an agreement within the team that defines what must be completed for each user story in order to be presented at a sprint review with the product owner. Definition of done can be applied to epics, user stories, and tasks using unique criteria to define when each is “done.” The DOD can be extended to each agile including sprint planning, sprint demos, retrospectives, and backlog grooming in order to achieve team agreement that each ceremony is complete. In that case, the DOD defines the tasks and work items required to complete each agile ceremony.