An easy way when working on product delivery, that I tend to use is, to know you have completed an item is to add the “definition of “done”. This helps tell the product development team or the PM when the actual item is complete and also meets the clients quality requirement.
Definition Of Done
If the definition of “done” for an increment is part of the conventions, standards or guidelines of the development organisation, all Project Teams must follow it as a minimum. If “done” for an increment is not a convention of the development organisation, the Project Team must define a definition of “done” appropriate for the product. If there are multiple Project Teams working on the system or product release, the development teams on all of the Project Teams must mutually define the definition of “Done.”
- DoD is used to assess when work is complete on the product Increment
- Guides the Development Team in knowing how many Product Backlog items it can select during a Sprint Planning
- DoD ensures artifact transparency
Experience through Scrum teams I have led
All Scrum Team members must have a shared understanding of what it means for work to be complete, to ensure transparency. This is the definition of “Done” for the Scrum Team and is used to assess when work is complete on the product Increment. The Increment reviewed at the Sprint Review must be useable, so a Product Owner may choose to immediately release it.
If the definition of “done” is part of the conventions, standards or guidelines of the development organization, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum. The Development Team of the Scrum Team can complement it with elements specific for the product or context. If “done” for an increment is not a convention of the development organization, the Development Team of the Scrum Team must define a definition of “done” appropriate for the product.