Definition of Done

What it means

The Definition of Done is a jointly agreed checklist a task must meet to count as finished. It typically requires that the code has passed code review, is tested, documented and deployed to a test or production environment.

The term comes from Scrum and agile development, where it stops work that still needs effort from being passed off as done. Without a clear definition, one team member says done after writing the code, another only after deployment and a satisfied customer.

The Definition of Done applies equally to all tasks, whereas acceptance criteria are specific to a particular user story. A task is done only when it meets both: its own acceptance criteria and the shared definition of done.

How it works in practice

A good definition is short, specific and verifiable. Instead of a vague tested, it is better to write that automated tests pass, the new feature has tests and a manual test was run on both mobile and desktop.

The team reviews it regularly at the retrospective. If bugs keep appearing after deployment, a step that prevents them is added, such as an accessibility check or a user guide update. Tasks that do not meet the definition go back to the backlog.

The principle also works outside software. For a month-end close, done might mean all documents posted, bank accounts reconciled, balances checked and reports sent. With an outside supplier it is complemented by an acceptance protocol.

What to watch out for

A definition that is too strict slows the team and invites workarounds, while one that is too loose builds technical debt. It only works if the team genuinely follows it and unfinished work is not marked done to look good at the end of a sprint.

Software development contracts should define what delivery and acceptance mean, because invoicing and warranties depend on them. The team's internal Definition of Done is not necessarily the same as what the client considers accepted work.