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Definition of Done (DoD) vs Acceptance Criteria (AC)

 The Definition of Done (DoD) in Scrum is a formal description of the state of an Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. Think of it as all the necessary ingredients for an Increment to be considered complete. Just as the Sprint Goal represents the commitment by the Developers for the Sprint Backlog, and the Product Goal represents the commitment by the Product Owner for the Product Backlog, the Definition of Done is the commitment by the Developers for the Increment. It includes all the characteristics and standards that an Increment must meet to be released. Once the Definition of Done is satisfied, the Increment is considered “Done” and can be delivered. This transparency ensures that everyone shares a common understanding of the work completed and the standards met as part of the Increment. If a Product Backlog Item does not meet the Definition of Done, it cannot be released yet. The Definition of Done may include organizational standards or be tailored specifically for the product being developed12. Here are some examples of items that might be found in a Definition of Done:

For a written Marketing Case Study:

  • Meets featured client branding guidelines
  • Written in AP style
  • Reviewed by the featured client, with feedback incorporated
  • Final draft approved by the client

For a health-focused software application:

  • All testing completed
  • No known defects
  • Code review completed and passed
  • Meets HIPAA compliance standards
  • Meets general security requirements

Remember that the Definition of Done ensures the quality and completeness of the product increment, contributing to successful product delivery in Scrum! 

Acceptance criteria are defined as the conditions that must be satisfied for a product, user story, or increment of work to be accepted. While not a part of the Scrum Guide, these criteria can be a useful tool that teams may choose to use to improve the quality of product backlog items. Also shortened to the acronym AC, these conditions are pass/fail. Acceptance criteria are either met or not met; they’re never only partially fulfilled. They are often expressed as a set of statements that should be:

Clear: So that everyone understands them.

Concise: So that there’s no ambiguity.

Testable or verifiable: Focused on providing customer-delighting results.

Acceptance criteria do not focus on “how” a solution is reached or “how” something is made. Instead, they illuminate the “what” of the work you are doing.

For example, the criteria may be: “Users can pay with Google Pay or Apple Pay at checkout.” The spirit of acceptance criteria is not to tell you how to do it (e.g., install a WordPress plugin or write HTML), but rather to define the conditions for accepting the work. It’s up to the developers on the Scrum team to decide the “how” of fulfilling the acceptance criteria. These criteria are widely used in software development but are now applied to various deliverables across diverse industries, from app development to Human Resources departments and beyond1

 Remember, acceptance criteria ensure that the work meets the necessary standards and aligns with customer expectations! 

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