definition of done (DoD)
A shared, explicit checklist of acceptance criteria that must be met before a deliverable or increment is considered ready for release to the customer.
Key Points
- Makes the quality bar visible and consistent across the team and product.
- Applies to every backlog item or increment, not just a single user story.
- Includes criteria such as testing, review, security, documentation, and integration.
- Is inspected and refined regularly as the team learns and standards evolve.
Example
For an e-commerce checkout feature, the DoD may include: all acceptance tests pass; unit test coverage meets the team threshold; code reviewed and merged; security scan clean; integrated in CI/CD; performance within target under load; user documentation and release notes updated; Product Owner accepts the increment. Only then is the feature considered releasable.
PMP Example Question
Which statement best describes the Definition of Done (DoD) in an Agile project?
- A daily list of tasks for developers to complete during standups.
- A team-wide checklist that defines when a product increment is releasable.
- A fixed list of all project requirements approved at project initiation.
- A contractual acceptance document used only at final project closeout.
Correct Answer: B — A team-wide checklist that defines when a product increment is releasable
Explanation: The DoD is a shared set of completion criteria used to judge whether an increment is ready for release; it is not a daily task list, a fixed scope baseline, or a final contract-only artifact.
