The Definition of Done (DoD) is a checklist of all the criteria that must be met for a deliverable to be considered complete and ready for customer use. It ensures consistency, quality, and alignment across teams.
Key Aspects of the Definition of Done
- Establishes Completion Criteria – Defines when a work item is fully finished.
- Ensures Quality & Consistency – Standardizes deliverable acceptance.
- Prevents Rework – Minimizes uncertainty about what “done” means.
- Supports Agile & Incremental Delivery – Used in Scrum, Kanban, and Lean workflows.
Example Definition of Done Criteria
| Category | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Development | Code is written, peer-reviewed, and merged into the main branch. |
| Testing | Unit tests pass, integration tests executed, and no critical defects remain. |
| Documentation | API documentation updated, user guides written. |
| Deployment | Feature deployed to staging or production environment. |
| Stakeholder Approval | Product owner has reviewed and accepted the work. |
Example Scenarios
Software Development
A Scrum team follows a DoD that includes passing automated tests, code review completion, and documentation updates before a feature is marked as done.
Marketing Campaign
A DoD ensures that before a campaign launches, all social media assets, email templates, and landing pages meet predefined quality standards.
Product Manufacturing
A manufacturing team uses a DoD to verify that all product components meet safety regulations and quality checks before shipping.
Why the Definition of Done Matters
- Reduces Ambiguity – Ensures all team members agree on completion standards.
- Improves Quality Assurance – Establishes consistent quality measures.
- Enhances Predictability – Prevents work from being marked complete prematurely.
- Supports Continuous Improvement – Can be refined based on team feedback.
See also: Acceptance Criteria, Sprint Review, Quality Assurance, Agile Workflow.