What is understood by the Definition of Done (DoD)?

The Definition of Done (DoD) is fundamentally about creating a shared understanding within the Scrum Team of what it means for work to be considered complete. It ensures that everyone on the team has a consistent interpretation of completeness, promoting transparency and accountability. This agreement outlines the specific criteria that all deliverables must meet, which can include aspects like code reviews, testing, documentation, and compliance with organizational standards.

The focus of the DoD is not merely on a list of tasks, which could imply just a sequence of activities, nor is it a checklist specifically for individual team members, which may suggest a lack of collective responsibility. While quality standards may be part of the DoD, it broadly encompasses various aspects of delivery beyond just quality, including the readiness of the work for deployment or release. Therefore, the correct interpretation of the Definition of Done as a shared understanding enables effective collaboration and helps ensure that all team members are aligned on the completion criteria, leading to higher-quality outputs.