Definition of Ready / Definition of Done

Use it when you need to eliminate sprint ambiguity and guarantee every story is actionable and shippable.

What is it?

Definition of Ready (DoR) and Definition of Done (DoD) are paired Scrum checklists, introduced by Ken Schwaber, that set clear entry and exit criteria for your backlog items and features.

DoR defines the minimum bar for a user story, complete description, acceptance criteria, UX mockups, and identified dependencies, so your team never kicks off work blind. DoD, on the flip side, lists all quality gates, code review, automated tests, documentation, and deployment readiness, required before shipping. Together they remove guesswork, improve sprint planning accuracy, and ensure every increment is production-ready. By standardizing what “ready” means at backlog grooming and what “done” means at release, teams slash rework, prevent scope creep, and build stakeholder trust.

Whether you're scaling agile across squads or shipping your MVP, DoR and DoD create a consistent workflow from planning through sprint review, driving higher velocity and predictable delivery.

Why it matters?

Solid DoR/DoD practices cut cycle times, lower defect rates, and boost delivery predictability, so you ship fast without sacrificing quality. By preventing half-baked work and ensuring every increment is truly shippable, your team sustains velocity, reduces costly rework, and earns stakeholder trust, fueling scalable growth.

How it works

Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.

Draft Your Definition of Ready

Gather your Scrum team to list must-have entry criteria, user story description, clear acceptance criteria, UX/UI mockups, and dependency mapping. This upfront alignment stops hidden blockers before they start.

Enforce DoR in Backlog Grooming

During refinement, only pull stories into sprint planning that meet your DoR checklist. Pro tip: automate this in your ticketing tool with templates or custom fields.

Define Your Definition of Done

Collaborate to outline exit requirements, peer code reviews, passing unit/integration tests, updated documentation, and successful deployment scripts.

Apply DoD at Sprint Review

Validate each completed story against your DoD. Reject or roll back any item that misses a DoD criterion to protect quality.

Iterate in Retrospectives

Regularly revisit both DoR and DoD as your product matures, team expands, or new compliance needs arise, keeping your standards razor-sharp.

Frequently asked questions

Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.

What's the difference between Definition of Ready and Acceptance Criteria?

DoR sets the pre-sprint entry bar, what must be true before work starts. Acceptance Criteria live inside each story to verify functionality once you're coding. Think DoR as your intake filter and ACs as your pass/fail tests.

What's the difference between Definition of Ready and Acceptance Criteria?

How long should my Definition of Done checklist be?

Keep it lean, 5 to 8 critical quality gates is ideal. Too few means you'll miss bugs; too many leads to bureaucratic drag. Focus on what guarantees production readiness for your team.

How long should my Definition of Done checklist be?

Keep it lean, 5 to 8 critical quality gates is ideal. Too few means you'll miss bugs; too many leads to bureaucratic drag. Focus on what guarantees production readiness for your team.

Can different teams share the same DoR/DoD?

Yes, if they work on the same codebase and product. Otherwise tailor each team's definitions to their domain, tech stack, and risk profile to keep criteria relevant and actionable.

Can different teams share the same DoR/DoD?

Yes, if they work on the same codebase and product. Otherwise tailor each team's definitions to their domain, tech stack, and risk profile to keep criteria relevant and actionable.

How often should I revisit DoR and DoD?

Treat them as living artifacts, review in every sprint retrospective. Adjust when you onboard new team members, adopt new tools, or hit fresh regulatory or performance requirements.

How often should I revisit DoR and DoD?

Treat them as living artifacts, review in every sprint retrospective. Adjust when you onboard new team members, adopt new tools, or hit fresh regulatory or performance requirements.

What happens if a story isn't “ready” but still enters the sprint?

You'll hit blockers mid-sprint: missing details, unclear requirements, or hidden dependencies. That kills velocity and morale. Enforce DoR strictly; better to delay work than to churn on half-baked stories.

What happens if a story isn't “ready” but still enters the sprint?

You've locked in your DoR/DoD, now plug your next sprint plan into the CrackGrowth diagnostic to uncover hidden process gaps and fast-track every story to flawless delivery.

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