Defining 'Done'

5 minutes 5 Questions

'Done' is a shared understanding by the Scrum Team about what it means for work to be complete. This varies significantly per Scrum Team, but can consist of criteria regarding quality, functionality, design, and more. The purpose of a clear definition of 'done' is to articulate what expected work s…

Guide to Exam Preparation: Defining 'Done' in Scrum

Defining 'Done' is a critical aspect of a Scrum team's activity. It involves setting criteria to determine when a task is completely executed. These criteria vary based on the type of the task and the team's working agreement.

Why it is important:

Defining 'Done' ensures clear and achievable project goals, closes the communication gap, and confirms that all necessary work for completing a task is understood by the team. It provides transparency and comprehension of the effort required and the quality expected.

How it works:

The Definition of 'Done' is usually created by the team collaboratively. Everyone's understanding is aligned in terms of what it takes for a task or a product increment to be potentially shippable. This might include aspects of code quality, documentation, testing, user experience and more.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Defining 'Done'

When answering exam questions regarding Defining 'Done':

1. Always link your answers to the importance of clarity, transparency, and alignment among the team.

2. Discuss its impact on product quality, user satisfaction, and the predictability of the team.

3. Use real-world examples or scenarios when possible to make your answers more compelling.

It's not just about memorizing the concept and the principles behind Defining 'Done'. It is more about understanding its fundamental importance and role in Scrum practices.

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PSM I - Defining 'Done' Example Questions

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Question 1

A new team member has been added to your scrum team, and she insists on documenting every step of the process as part of the Definition of Done. This has led to significantly increased time for task completion. How should you, as the Scrum Master, respond?

Recommend adding a new role to the Scrum team dedicated to handling documentation, thereby alleviating the workload on current team members and ensuring comprehensive coverage. Suggest the implementation of an automated documentation tool to manage task descriptions without extended manual effort. Encourage a team discussion regarding balancing extensive documentation with efficiency, aiming for a consensus on what constitutes 'Done'. Propose a revision of the Scrum team’s working agreement to explicitly limit the scope and depth of documentation for task completion.

Correct Answer: Encourage a team discussion regarding balancing extensive documentation with efficiency, aiming for a consensus on what constitutes 'Done'.

The correct response focuses on engaging the entire Scrum team in a discussion to find a balanced approach to documentation that aligns with the Definition of Done, ensuring it remains practical yet thorough. This approach encourages team consensus and respects the Agile principle of self-organizing teams making decisions together. The wrong answers, although related to dealing with documentation and task efficiency, suggest solutions that might sidestep the core Agile values of collaboration and adaptability. Implementing automated tools, revising the working agreement to restrict documentation, or adding a new role specifically for documentation could introduce unnecessary complexity or rigidity, drifting away from Agile methodologies' intent to foster flexibility and collective accountability.

Question 2

During a sprint review, the team comes to realize that the definition of 'Done' was not clear for a few backlog items. These items may not fulfill the quality standards. As a Scrum Master, how should you guide the team in this situation?

Encourage the team to update and refine the definition of 'Done' collectively to ensure clarity and transparency for the quality standards of future backlog items. Recommend the team to conduct a special session outside the regular Scrum events focused on analyzing and improving the overall quality control processes, including a deep dive into the 'Definition of Done' criteria, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding. Instruct the team to allocate time during the next sprint to specifically address and fix quality issues in the backlog items identified as falling short of the 'Done' criteria. Advise the team to proceed with the sprint review as planned and to discuss adjustments to the sprint backlog in the subsequent sprint planning meeting.

Correct Answer: Encourage the team to update and refine the definition of 'Done' collectively to ensure clarity and transparency for the quality standards of future backlog items.

The correct answer emphasizes on the importance of having a clear and shared 'Definition of Done' within the team to meet quality standards for backlog items. It is a key practice in Scrum to continuously improve work processes, including the definition of 'Done'. The wrong answers, although related to the Scrum framework and its events or practices, do not directly address the problem of unclear 'Done' criteria or suggest an immediate actionable resolution that involves the whole team's agreement and understanding moving forward.

Question 3

The team completed the difficult task of a major component, however, it was not fully integrated into the existing system which was part of the definition of 'Done'. With the sprint ending soon, what should you as a Scrum Master do?

Propose that the team consults with the stakeholders to extend the sprint duration to accommodate the unfinished work. Guide the team to include the task in the next sprint backlog and to encourage reflection on how to avoid such situations in the future. Suggest that the Product Owner reprioritizes the backlog during the sprint to allow for the integration work to be completed. Encourage the team to redefine the 'Definition of Done' to accommodate the current state of the work, arguing that this approach will ensure a more flexible interpretation of sprint goals in the future. This longer-term perspective might provide a more realistic appraisal of what can be completed within a sprint, thereby adjusting expectations and potentially improving client satisfaction by aligning delivery capabilities more closely with sprint durations.

Correct Answer: Guide the team to include the task in the next sprint backlog and to encourage reflection on how to avoid such situations in the future.

The correct answer is to guide the team to include the task in the next sprint backlog and encourage reflection on how to improve future planning and work execution to adhere to the 'Definition of Done'. Suggesting the Product Owner to reprioritize the backlog during the sprint, proposing to consult with stakeholders for extending the sprint, or encouraging the team to redefine the 'Definition of Done' does not address the core issues of planning, execution, and adherence to the agreed standards and may lead to negative precedents or habits within the team.

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