Why Does a Team Need a Definition of Done?
A shared DoD gives the Scrum Team and organization a common understanding of completeness, enabling stakeholders to provide informed and reliable feedback. Without this clarity, inspection suffers, and feedback becomes guesswork.
Metaphor
When you go to a restaurant, you hope the chef shares your definition of “done” when it comes to chicken. Without that shared standard, you might be picturing golden-brown perfection while they’re serving you something that still clucks.
In Scrum, the Definition of Done is a shared standard that ensures stakeholders can trust the Increment instead of guessing whether it’s safe to consume.
Works Consulted
In addition to any sources cited above, the following works informed my thinking:(1)
1.
Definition of Done [Internet]. [cited 2025 Sep 6]. Available from: https://www.scrum.org/learning-series/definition-done/