Definition of Done
A shared checklist of criteria a work item must meet before it is considered complete.
The Definition of Done (DoD) is a team-agreed checklist specifying every condition a deliverable must satisfy before it can be declared complete — covering items such as unit testing, integration testing, peer review, documentation, and acceptance sign-off. In agile and hybrid projects, the DoD applies uniformly to every increment, preventing teams from carrying hidden “almost done” work into future iterations. The critical exam distinction is between the DoD and acceptance criteria: acceptance criteria are specific to an individual user story or deliverable, while the DoD is a blanket quality standard applied to all work items. Meeting acceptance criteria alone does not satisfy the DoD if broader quality gates remain open.
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