Definition of Done

Definition of Done (DoD) standards are documented criteria that define when a piece of work is considered complete. These standards reduce ambiguity by aligning engineering, product, and quality teams on what “done” actually means. DoD criteria help prevent partial work from leaking into production and ensure that features meet the necessary quality, testing, documentation, and stakeholder expectations before they are closed.

Background and History of Definition of Done Standards

The concept of a shared Definition of Done originated in Scrum and Agile software delivery. The Scrum Guide defines the DoD as “a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.” Over time, many teams have extended the DoD beyond working software to include non-functional requirements, release readiness, and cross-functional validations such as security, compliance, and stakeholder sign-off.

As teams matured, Definition of Done checklists evolved to clarify accountability across functions and prevent gaps between what’s delivered and what’s expected by end users.

Goals of Definition of Done Standards

Definition of Done Standards aim to prevent quality gaps and reduce rework by making completeness explicit. They are designed to solve common problems such as:

• Unclear Requirements, which lead to mismatched expectations at delivery.
• Roll Over Tickets, where incomplete work carries from sprint to sprint.
• Definition Drift, when different teams apply inconsistent delivery standards.
• Low Test Coverage, caused by unclear expectations about test completeness.

When well-implemented, DoD standards prevent work from being “done but not done,” ensuring that effort translates into real progress and deployable value.

Scope of Definition of Done Standards

A team’s Definition of Done typically applies to work items at the story, feature, or epic level. Standard criteria often include:

• Code is reviewed, merged, and passes all automated tests.
• Acceptance criteria are met and validated by the product owner or QA.
• Documentation (user-facing or technical) is updated.
• Observability instrumentation and security checks are in place.
• Work is deployable and/or behind a Feature Flagging control.

The DoD is not a rigid contract, it must adapt based on team maturity, platform, and customer expectations. For example, teams in early discovery phases may adopt a lighter-weight DoD, while regulated industries require strict compliance before work is closed.

Critically, the DoD must be consistently applied. If certain criteria are only enforced selectively or are bypassed under deadline pressure, the standard loses its effectiveness.

Metrics to Track Definition of Done Standards

Metric	Purpose
Roll Over Tickets	Indicates whether incomplete work is being marked as done prematurely.
Rework Rate	High rework may signal that tickets are being closed before they meet DoD standards.
Defect Density	Escaped defects can reveal gaps in testing, acceptance, or readiness criteria.

These metrics help teams identify systemic gaps between defined standards and actual delivery behaviors.

Definition of Done Implementation Steps

Successful implementation of a Definition of Done requires more than a checklist, it requires adoption, clarity, and reinforcement. Start by aligning on what “done” means and embedding the standard into team rituals.

1. Collaboratively define your DoD – Include engineering, product, QA, and other stakeholders.
2. Make it visible and accessible – Store the DoD in your team’s handbook, board template, or Definition of Ready documentation.
3. Include DoD criteria in acceptance checklists – Use tooling or status fields to ensure all items are met before a ticket can be closed.
4. Review and refine regularly – Inspect the DoD during retrospectives or delivery reviews to keep it current and enforceable.
5. Embed into peer review and QA – Have reviewers validate completeness against the DoD, not just the code.
6. Use CI/CD automation where possible – Flag tickets missing tests, documentation, or required tags as non-mergeable.

With time and iteration, DoD standards can become an embedded part of your team’s operating system.

Gotchas in Definition of Done Standards

The most common failure modes of DoD implementation are behavioral, not structural.

• Overly generic DoDs, which are hard to enforce because they mean different things to different people.
• DoD criteria that are too aspirational, making it impossible to close tickets without heroic effort.
• DoD applied inconsistently, which erodes trust and invites exceptions.
• Tools that support closure without validation, allowing standards to be bypassed.

A good DoD is clear, practical, and tightly aligned with how work actually flows through the system.

Limitations of Definition of Done Standards

DoD standards are less effective when:

• Teams are working on exploratory or research-heavy tasks where outcomes are undefined.
• Development is upstream of dependent systems that prevent full closure.
• Automation is lacking, making criteria like test coverage or deployment readiness difficult to validate.

Some critics argue that DoD standards encourage box-checking at the expense of real understanding. This is true when the DoD is adopted as a compliance tool rather than a thinking tool.

Ultimately, a Definition of Done is only useful when it reflects the reality of what your team can deliver and sustain consistently.