As an experienced sommelier and brewer, I can certainly explain the difference between a Definition of Ready (DoR) and a Definition of Done (DoD). While they may sound similar, they serve different purposes in the context of Scrum.
Definition of Ready (DoR):
The Definition of Ready is an external and optional tool used in Scrum to ensure that a user story or backlog item is ready to be taken up by the development team. It acts as a checklist or set of criteria that must be met before a story can be considered ready for development. The DoR helps to improve the efficiency of the development process by ensuring that the team has all the necessary information and resources to work on a particular item.
The DoR typically includes criteria such as:
1. Clear and well-defined requirements: The user story should have a concise and unambiguous description, outlining what needs to be done.
2. Acceptance criteria: The story should have a set of clear and measurable criteria that determine when the work is considered complete.
3. Dependencies and prerequisites: Any dependencies or prerequisites that need to be fulfilled before the story can be worked on should be identified and resolved.
4. Estimates and effort: The team should have a good understanding of the effort required to complete the story, including any technical complexities or challenges.
5. Resources and availability: The necessary resources, tools, and skills should be available to the team to work on the story.
6. Priority and business value: The story should be prioritized appropriately based on its importance and value to the business.
7. Story size: The size of the story should be manageable, allowing the team to complete it within a single sprint.
By ensuring that a story meets these criteria, the DoR helps to minimize any delays or blockers that may arise during the development process. It sets a standard for the quality of the backlog items before they are taken up by the team, reducing the chances of rework or misunderstandings.
Definition of Done (DoD):
On the other hand, the Definition of Done is an integral part of Scrum and defines the criteria that must be met for a user story or backlog item to be considered complete. It acts as a shared understanding between the development team and the stakeholders regarding the quality and completeness of the work.
The DoD typically includes criteria such as:
1. Functionality: The story should meet all the requirements and perform as expected.
2. Code quality: The code should be clean, maintainable, and adhere to coding standards.
3. Testing: The story should be thoroughly tested, including unit tests, integration tests, and any other relevant tests.
4. Documentation: Any necessary documentation, such as user manuals or technical documentation, should be completed.
5. Review and approval: The work should be reviewed by relevant stakeholders and approved for release or deployment.
6. Integration and deployment: The story should be integrated into the larger system and deployed to the appropriate environment.
The DoD ensures that the team delivers work that is of high quality, meets the requirements, and is ready for deployment or release. It provides transparency and clarity on what it means for a story to be considered “done” and helps to avoid any misunderstandings or assumptions.
The Definition of Ready focuses on the readiness of a backlog item before it is taken up by the development team, while the Definition of Done focuses on the criteria that must be met for a backlog item to be considered complete. Both tools play important roles in ensuring the efficiency, quality, and transparency of the development process in Scrum.