Definition of Done vs. Definition of Ready

Reviewed by: Raúl Herranz

While the definition of done (DoD) is part of scrum, a definition of ready (DoR) is an external and optional tool.

Although these two terms seem similar, they are quite different. On the one hand, the DoD defines when a product backlog item becomes an increment. On the other hand, the DoR can help a scrum team identify when a product backlog item is ready to work on.

While the scrum team must understand and effectively use a great DoD, you may experiment with a DoR and see if it’s right for your scrum team.

DoD vs. DoR

The DoD is a shared understanding among scrum team members of what it means for a product backlog item (PBI) to be considered complete. This definition is agreed upon by the entire team, and any criteria that are deemed important to meet are included in it.

Some examples of what might be included in a definition of done are:

• Work has been fully reviewed by another team member
• Work has been tested, and no errors were found
• Documentation has been updated

The definition of done applies to all work in the backlog. Contrast this with acceptance criteria, which are unique to each PBI, and define the criteria that must be met for that specific item.

While optional, the idea behind the definition of ready is that it outlines the criteria for a product backlog item to even be considered by the team for bringing into their sprint. By having these criteria in place, the team can more effectively commit to work with full knowledge of its readiness.

Although the Scrum Guide does not mention a definition of ready, some teams find it to be a valuable tool for managing their work. Some examples of what might be included in a DoR are:

• The PBI is written in a clear, concise way
• Related acceptance criteria have been defined and are testable
• Any dependencies have been identified and addressed
• All necessary stakeholders have approved the PBI

By having a definition of ready in place, the team can plan their work, avoid surprises, and focus on delivering high-quality work. But a DoR can lead to delays as teams chase down the completion of a checklist before starting their work. This interferes with the team’s ability to behave flexibly and incrementally.

Differences in Content: DoD vs. DoR

One of the biggest differences between the two is that the definition of done refers to the PBI itself, while the definition of ready often refers to externalities. 

For example, a definition of done might be a checklist like:

• PBI meets applicable tests
• PBI has no known defects
• PBI meets acceptance criteria (possibly with negotiation)
• PBI documentation complete

The definition of done is related to testing requirements, acceptance criteria, and any other details necessary for a PBI to become an increment. These are intrinsic to the PBI. 

In contrast, a definition of ready might be a checklist with the following:

• No blockers have been found that cannot be addressed by the team during the sprint
• The team has the information and skills necessary to complete the item
• The team has what they need to start working on the item

The definition of ready is related to many things extrinsic to the PBI, including dependencies, team skill and information, and decisions made by the product owner. 

The Right Time to Use Each Definition

The definition of done is the relevant commitment for the increment and is an essential part of scrum. The team uses their DoD as they determine whether something they’ve been working on is done. The DoD may also be used during sprint planning because it helps the team understand all of the work involved with a PBI. Finally, they may also share the DoD in the sprint review so that stakeholders can inspect how the outcomes or PBIs align with the definition. 

The definition of ready is not an integral part of scrum, and teams may utilize it at different points during a sprint, but most often during refinement and sprint planning.

While refining the PBIs, the team uses the DoR to see if there is any work that must be completed in the PBIs before taking them to the next sprint planning.

During sprint planning, teams add PBIs to the sprint backlog. This is the first event of the sprint, and it's when teams utilize their definition of ready to decide if they should add PBIs to the sprint backlog. Adding PBIs to the sprint goals when they are not ready can create unnecessary impediments to creating valuable increments. 

Updating and Revising the Definitions

The definition of done and the definition of ready should be changeable and might sometimes need to be changed. A good course of action is to have a conversation in a retrospective to identify the possible reasons that the DoD or DoR is not serving the team. Inspecting the root cause may reveal a way to better meet the definition or a need to modify it. 

You may need to update either definition for the following reasons:

• The definitions are exhaustive and impeding the team
• A new learning or discovery calls for an update
• Criteria in the definition(s) is no longer valid or relevant
• The definition(s) aren't serving their intended purpose

Scrum teams are learning fast, and their DoD and DoR should be flexible enough to reflect those learnings.

Team Maturity May Influence the Definitions

On a team new to agile, you may notice a shift in the DoR and DoD as the team matures and gains experience. Commonly, this shows up as new agile teams having extensive ready lists and short done lists.

Oftentimes, new teams will attempt to have a long list checked off before they get started on a PBI. Perhaps they're not yet comfortable with transitioning away from a phased project to an iteration or sprint, and a long ready list feels like a good way to prepare for the iteration. As the team gains experience together, their readiness definition may shrink as they learn to start a PBI without exhaustive pre-work.

At the same time, they may not yet know how to define high-quality standards in their definition of done. That list may be short because the team isn't quite sure what conditions indicate a done product or service.

The new team may at first lack all of the skills and knowledge to complete everything on a high-quality DoD. And that's okay! Agile teams solve this issue over time by learning new skills or adding new members who possess the missing skills. 

Once they have this fully cross-functional team built, their DoD may get longer and more well-rounded because they will be able to perform all of the activities that should be in the definition.

Two Seemingly Related (But Quite Different) Definitions 

While the DoD sets the standard for what work must be completed, the DoR ensures that the team is working on the PBIs with the right level of preparation. By having both in place, teams can improve their efficiency and effectiveness by working collaboratively towards their goals.

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