Definition of Done

Purpose

The Definition of Done (DoD) establishes a shared quality standard that every Product Backlog item must meet before it can be considered finished. This workshop brings the team together to craft or update their DoD, ensuring transparency and consistent quality across Sprints.

At a glance

How to run

1. Context (5 min) — Explain what the DoD is and why it matters. Share the current DoD if one exists.
2. Individual brainstorm (5 min) — Each person writes down criteria they believe should be part of the DoD on sticky notes (one per note).
3. Cluster and discuss (15 min) — Group similar criteria. For each cluster, discuss: Is this essential? Is it achievable today? Is it verifiable?
4. Decide (10 min) — Use dot voting or thumbs-up/down to agree on each criterion. Include only items the team can actually enforce.
5. Aspiration list (5 min) — Criteria the team wants to add in the future go on an aspiration list with a target date.
6. Publish (5 min) — Write the final DoD on a visible poster or wiki page. Every team member confirms understanding.

Materials needed

• Sticky notes and markers
• Current DoD (if one exists)
• Whiteboard or digital collaboration tool
• Dot-voting stickers

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• DoD is too aspirational — If the team cannot meet the standard today, it becomes ignored. Start with what is achievable and evolve.
• Imposed by management — The DoD must be owned by the team; externally dictated standards lack buy-in.
• Never revisited — Review the DoD every few Sprints or at retrospectives.
• Vague criteria — "Code is good quality" is not verifiable. Prefer: "All code has passed automated linting and peer review."

Inclusion & accessibility

• Use silent brainstorming before group discussion so all voices are captured.
• Make the final DoD available in multiple formats (poster, wiki, card on the board).
• Revisit language to ensure non-technical team members understand every criterion.

Variations

• DoD ladder — Create multiple levels: DoD for a story, DoD for a Sprint, DoD for a release.
• Combined DoD + DoR workshop — Run Definition of Done and Definition of Ready back to back in a 90-minute session.
• DoD audit — Instead of creating from scratch, audit the existing DoD against recent Sprints to identify gaps.

When NOT to use this

• If the organisation already has a mandated engineering standard — the team can only add to it, not relax it.
• If the team has not yet started delivering — defer until after the first Sprint when reality informs the criteria.

Source & further reading

• Schwaber, K. & Sutherland, J. (2020). *The Scrum Guide*. scrumguides.org
• Rubin, K. (2012). *Essential Scrum*. Addison-Wesley.