In Agile, particularly in frameworks like Scrum and Kanban, "done" is defined by a Definition of Done (DoD)—a clear, agreed-upon set of criteria that a product increment, user story, or task must meet before it is considered complete and ready for release or delivery. The DoD is collaboratively established by the team (including developers, testers, product owners, and other stakeholders) and typically includes requirements related to functionality, quality, documentation, and compliance.
Example criteria in Agile DoD:
All acceptance criteria are met
Code is reviewed and tested
Documentation is updated
No critical bugs remain
Feature is deployable and meets security standards
The DoD ensures a shared understanding of what "done" means, providing transparency and consistency across the team.
In traditional (waterfall) project management, "done" is defined by the completion of all project requirements and deliverables as specified in the project plan or contract. This is usually measured against a detailed requirements document or statement of work that outlines what must be delivered for the project or phase to be considered complete.
Example criteria in Traditional PM:
All deliverables listed in the project plan are produced
Requirements are fully met and verified
All documentation is complete
Final approval and sign-off from the client or sponsor
The definition of "done" is typically established at the beginning of the project and is less flexible than in Agile, focusing on meeting predetermined scope and quality standards.
Understanding and agreeing on what "done" means is critical in both Agile and traditional project management for several reasons:
Clarity and Alignment: Prevents misunderstandings and misaligned expectations between team members and stakeholders about when work is truly complete.
Quality Assurance: Ensures that all deliverables meet agreed-upon quality and compliance standards, reducing the risk of defects or rework.
Transparency: Provides a transparent, objective checklist for evaluating progress and completion, which is essential for accurate reporting and planning.
Predictability: Helps teams and stakeholders reliably forecast when work will be finished and ready for review, release, or deployment.
Stakeholder Confidence: Builds trust by demonstrating that every increment or deliverable meets the required standards before being declared "done".
Prevents Scope Creep: Clearly defined criteria prevent incomplete or substandard work from being marked as finished, reducing the risk of work spillover or hidden technical debt.
Instructions
Choose a Project or Task: Use the same project, process, or task you selected in the earlier activity.
List What “Done” Means: Write down the specific criteria that must be met for the work to be considered 100% complete.
Think about quality, approvals, documentation, testing, or any other requirements.
Be Specific and Clear: Your DoD should remove any doubt about what “finished” looks like for your team or stakeholders.
Drop your answers on your APM Workbook.