Definition of Done Example: Agile Quality & Team Alignment Guide

In Agile development, confusion around what “done” really means can lead to missed deadlines, inconsistent results, and frustrated teams. That’s where the Definition of Done (DoD) steps in—transforming ambiguity into clarity and setting the gold standard for delivering high-quality work. Whether you’re a Scrum master striving for smoother sprints, a product owner who wants accountability, an agile developer focused on delivering value, or a QA engineer insisting on robust standards, understanding the Definition of Done is crucial to your team’s success.

The DoD is more than a checklist—it’s a shared agreement that guarantees each piece of work, from user stories to product increments, meets your team’s quality, alignment, and clarity standards before it’s considered complete. In this article, we’ll break down what the Definition of Done really means in Agile, explain how it fuels better collaboration and transparency, and walk you through step-by-step guidelines for creating your own. Plus, you’ll find a practical Definition of Done example you can tailor for your team. Read on to discover how the Definition of Done can elevate your processes and keep everyone on the same page—from the first line of code to the final sign-off.

Quick Takeaways

The Definition of Done (DoD) is a shared checklist that sets clear, objective criteria for when a user story or product increment can be considered complete in Agile projects.
A well-defined DoD drives alignment by ensuring Scrum masters, product owners, developers, and QA engineers have a common understanding of quality standards and delivery expectations.
Implementing a DoD improves product quality by requiring comprehensive testing, documentation, and review before work is marked as “done.”
Examples of Definition of Done include passing all tests, successful code reviews, updated documentation, and approval from the product owner.
The DoD reduces ambiguity and fosters team transparency, making it easier to plan, estimate, and deliver work that reliably meets customer needs.
Regularly reviewing and updating the DoD ensures it evolves with team practices, technology changes, and project goals, supporting continual improvement.
Teams that consistently use and refine their DoD deliver higher-value, defect-free work and experience smoother, more collaborative sprints.

Introduction to the Definition of Done (DoD)

What is the Definition of Done?

A Definition of Done example is a clear, concise checklist that outlines what needs to be completed before a user story, sprint, or product increment is truly finished. Criteria typically include coding standards met, requirements tested, acceptance criteria passed, documentation updated, and all bugs fixed. Each team’s DoD should reflect both organizational standards and their unique goals.

The Role of DoD in Agile Methodologies

In Agile software development frameworks like Scrum, the DoD is a formal commitment. It serves as a contract—ensuring that every user story or feature completed in a sprint is truly ready to be released, not just “done enough.” Teams who adopt and enforce a Definition of Done example eliminate ambiguity and make continuous improvement possible for quality, alignment, and clarity.

Definition of Done example: A Scrum team’s DoD may state that “a feature is only ‘done’ when all acceptance criteria are met, code has passed peer review, integration tests succeed, documentation is updated, and the release candidate is demoed and accepted by the product owner.”

Unique Insight: Many teams benefit from reviewing and updating their DoD every quarter, incorporating lessons learned from production incidents or changing customer needs.

Importance of Definition of Done

Why DoD Matters in Agile Projects

Introducing and adhering to a practical Definition of Done example can dramatically improve product quality and predictability. According to Scrum.org, teams with a clear DoD see fewer rollbacks and less rework. Quality gates such as automated testing, code reviews, and user acceptance are built in from the start—making “done” mean “potentially shippable.”

DoD as a Tool for Alignment and Transparency

The DoD acts as a contract between teammates and stakeholders. By making requirements and expectations explicit, it dramatically reduces tension, confusion, and finger-pointing (“I thought you did the testing!”). Ensuring software quality with Definition of Done guarantees that all engineers, testers, and product owners know what must be delivered, improving transparency and fostering trust.

Unique Perspective: Invite stakeholders (including those outside of IT) to help define or periodically review the DoD. This cross-functional input ensures every angle is considered—and shared ownership increases buy-in.

Core Principles of a Good Definition of Done

Achievability

A Definition of Done example must set ambitious yet achievable standards within a sprint’s time-box. Overly strict or vague DoD criteria can be demoralizing, causing work to “spill” over multiple sprints or fostering a culture of shortcuts.

Objectivity and Measurability

Each criterion in the DoD should be binary: “Is this user story’s documentation complete—yes or no?” Objective standards remove room for interpretation, streamline acceptance testing, and ensure everyone is on the same page about quality.

Consistency Across Teams

If you have multiple teams, a common DoD foundation with optional add-ons supports “multi-team consistency and governance.” Sharing successful Definition of Done examples in retrospectives helps scale best practices across the organization.

Unique Insight: Allow team members to “nominate” old or outdated criteria for removal—the DoD should evolve with your workflow!

Key Benefits of Implementing a Definition of Done

Improving Quality Assurance

A well-documented Definition of Done example means no feature moves to “done” unless it’s fully tested, reviewed, and documented. This not only reduces bugs slipping into production but also decreases the burden on QA engineers downstream.

Enhancing Team Alignment and Collaboration

When every engineer, tester, and product owner agrees on the DoD, collaboration skyrockets. Aligning development teams with Definition of Done ensures smoother handoffs, faster feedback cycles, and happier clients.

Driving Clarity in Deliverables

A visible, living DoD eliminates ambiguity and boosts confidence in deliverables—especially when onboarding new team members or scaling across squads or time zones.

Unique Perspective: Use post-release defect rates as a measure—continually refine your DoD to eliminate recurring causes of bugs or customer complaints.

How DoD Ensures Quality in Agile Teams

Incorporation of Testing and Review Processes

Automated vs. Manual Testing

Every strong Definition of Done example incorporates automated tests as well as peer reviews. By specifying that all stories must pass unit, integration, and if needed, manual exploratory testing, you reduce escaped defects and technical debt.

Emphasis on Documentation and Compliance

Don’t let documentation be an afterthought! A robust DoD ensures every feature is documented for users and future developers, and if you’re in a regulated industry, it ensures compliance as well.

Continuous Improvement through Iterative Review

By reviewing the DoD after every major release or problem report, you keep evolving along with project needs, technologies, and best practices (arXiv.org).

Unique Insight: Let each QA or developer “own” updating one DoD entry per quarter—building team engagement and accountability.

How DoD Creates Alignment Across Teams

Establishing a Shared Understanding of "Done"

For cross-functional teams, a standardized Definition of Done example sets a consistent level of quality and readiness for all delivered features.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Invite input from operations, security, and business stakeholders for a more comprehensive DoD—reducing silos and last-minute release surprises.

DoD as a Communication Bridge

Posting your DoD in your project management tool or physical workspace enhances visibility and keeps everyone aligned on “what finished really means.”

Unique Insight: Rotate DoD “ownership” among team roles each sprint to broaden perspective and buy-in.

How DoD Brings Clarity to the Development Process

Reducing Ambiguity in User Stories and Tasks

When the DoD is applied in backlog refinement, every story becomes actionable and testable, supporting accurate estimation and planning.

Setting Clear Expectations for Deliverables

“What does ‘done’ look like for this sprint?” The answer should always point to your Definition of Done example.

Unique Insight: Invite every team member to craft their own mini-DoD for key tasks and integrate these into the master document.

Components of a Strong Definition of Done

Typical Checklist Items

All acceptance criteria met
Peer code review completed
All unit, integration, and regression tests passing
Feature merged into main branch
Documentation (user and technical) updated
Product owner review and approval
No open, high-priority bugs

Tailoring DoD to Project or Team Needs

Adapt the DoD for definition of done for cross-functional teams: Add requirements for accessibility, performance benchmarks, or internationalization as appropriate.

Unique Perspective: Use DoD “health checks” monthly to ensure each criterion is still adding value and isn’t just a checkbox.

Creating a Definition of Done: Best Practices

Involving Stakeholders in DoD Creation

Host a workshop with input from all roles—dev, QA, product, UX, and ops—to ensure your DoD is truly comprehensive.

Balancing Organizational Standards and Team Customization

Start with a company-wide DoD template, then let each team add 2-3 custom items relevant to their workflow (Planning Poker).

Using Workshops and Retrospectives

Analyze which DoD items slow you down versus which genuinely improve quality—strike unnecessary ones in retrospectives using team consensus.

Unique Insight: Record a video explaining your DoD to onboard new members quickly and consistently!

Example Definitions of Done

Software Development Example

Code reviewed and merged
Unit tests and integration tests passing in CI/CD
Feature demonstrated and accepted by Product Owner
User documentation updated
All critical bugs are fixed and closed

Non-Software Example

Marketing campaign content approved by legal and product teams
A/B tests run and analyzed
All assets uploaded to CMS
Email list segmented and scheduled

Framework Variations

For Kanban: Each ticket in “Done” must meet workflow exit criteria and be ready for deployment/release without further work.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Overly vague DoD (“code is written”)—clarify what constitutes complete, tested, and reviewed work
Making DoD too restrictive—review if any criteria regularly block sprint completion
Failing to revisit the DoD—schedule a regular review at your cadence

Unique Perspective: Let any team member flag a DoD item as “stale”—review its usefulness in the next retrospective, not just annually!

DoD vs. Acceptance Criteria

Key Differences and Relationships

Definition of Done versus Acceptance Criteria: Acceptance criteria are specific to each user story, while DoD applies to all deliverables at a standard level (e.g., peer review, tests pass, documentation updated).

When to Use Each

Use acceptance criteria for story-level validation; use a Definition of Done example as the ready-for-release gate for every increment.

Unique Insight: Combine both in your PR template or ticketing system for maximum clarity!

Scaling the Definition of Done in Larger Organizations

Incorporating Organizational Standards

Use a master DoD as a company-wide baseline, then layer team specifics on top.

Multi-Team Consistency and Governance

Periodically audit all teams’ DoD lists—align where possible, and celebrate team-driven innovations in process!

Unique Perspective: Gamify DoD updates—award badges for creative or impactful criteria changes.

Reviewing and Evolving Your Definition of Done

Conducting Effective Retrospectives

Regular DoD reviews in retros stay agile as needs, team composition, or business priorities shift. Celebrate wins and tackle recurrent pain-points.

Updating the DoD Based on Feedback and Experience

Add new checklist items whenever a real-world production issue exposes a gap in the DoD, then share that “lesson learned” story at your next review.

Unique Insight: Display the date of the last DoD update publicly to encourage continuous attention.

Tools and Templates for Managing Definition of Done

Digital Backlogs and Kanban Boards

Use built-in checklist features or custom fields in tools like Jira, Trello, and Azure DevOps to embed your current Definition of Done example.

DoD Checklist Templates and Documentation Tools

Create a reusable DoD template and share across teams to ensure best practices are spread throughout the organization (Agile Ambition).

Conclusion

In Agile development, the Definition of Done example is far more than a simple checklist; it's the cornerstone of quality, alignment, and clarity that empowers high-performing teams. As we've explored, a strong Definition of Done example provides every Scrum master, product owner, agile developer, and QA engineer with a unified vision of what “done” really means. By establishing objective, measurable criteria, you minimize ambiguity, streamline handoffs, and ensure that each increment is truly ready for release—not just “good enough” to move forward.

Aligning on the Definition of Done isn’t a one-time task; it’s a continuous process that evolves with your team’s maturity, project complexity, and customer needs. The most successful Agile teams make their DoD a living document: they review it in retrospectives, adapt it to real-world challenges, and use it as a springboard for better collaboration and quality. This not only reduces costly rework and defects but fosters the trust and transparency that are hallmarks of truly Agile organizations.

If you haven’t revisited your Definition of Done lately, now is the perfect time. Gather your team, review current practices, and collaborate to tailor your DoD to your workflow and your product’s needs. Ultimately, a clear and actionable Definition of Done will help your team deliver greater value, sprint after sprint. Start today, and make “done” mean excellence for everyone involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Definition of Done in Agile, and why is it important for Scrum teams?

The Definition of Done in Agile is a clear checklist of criteria that a user story, sprint, or product increment must satisfy before it’s considered finished. For Scrum teams, it is essential because it sets universal quality standards, reduces ambiguity, and ensures everyone has a common understanding of what “done” means, which leads to higher-quality and more predictable delivery.

How does the Definition of Done ensure software quality in Agile projects?

Ensuring software quality with Definition of Done means that all required quality checks—such as unit testing, code reviews, and documentation—must be completed before an item is moved to “done.” This systematic approach catches defects early, maintains consistency, and fosters confidence in every release by standardizing quality practices across the team.

What is the difference between acceptance criteria and Definition of Done in agile development?

Definition of Done vs acceptance criteria: Acceptance criteria are specific, functional requirements that a user story must meet to fulfill its purpose, while the Definition of Done is a standardized checklist applicable to all work items for confirming overall completeness and quality (e.g., code is tested, documented, merged).

How can agile teams create and customize a Definition of Done that suits their workflow?

To create a Definition of Done for agile projects, teams should collaboratively list out completion requirements relevant to their environment, considering organizational standards and past challenges. Regularly updating and tailoring the DoD during retrospectives is a best practice that helps development teams align their standards with real project needs.

Why should Scrum masters and QA engineers regularly review and update the Definition of Done?

Updating your Agile Definition of Done over time ensures it remains relevant as technologies, team skills, and project requirements evolve. Routine review by Scrum masters and QA engineers encourages continuous improvement, prevents stagnation, and helps teams maintain clarity and alignment as they grow.

We’d love to hear your thoughts! How does your team define “done” in your Agile projects, and what challenges have you faced in aligning everyone on quality standards? Share your experiences or tips in the comments below. If you found this guide helpful, please share it with your network—Scrum masters, product owners, agile developers, and QA engineers can all benefit from a stronger Definition of Done. Let’s keep the conversation going and help more teams deliver with clarity and confidence!

References

Kopczynska, S., Piechowiak, J., Ochodek, M., & Nawrocki, J. (2022). On the Benefits and Problems Related to Using Definition of Done -- A Survey Study. arXiv preprint. arxiv.org
Hinshelwood, M. (2023). The Definition of Done: Ensuring Quality without Compromising Value. Scrum.org. scrum.org
Built-In Quality. Scaled Agile Framework. scaledagileframework.com
Definition of Done in Agile: Ensure Consistency. Agile Ambition. agileambition.com
Definition of Done and Definition of Ready: Setting Agile Success Standards. Planning Poker. planningpoker.org

Definition of Done Example: Guide for Scrum Masters, Product Owners & Teams