At its core, the Definition of Done is a *clear, agreed-upon checklist* of criteria that must be fulfilled before a piece of work can be considered complete. It’s not just about the feature working or the app running. It’s about ensuring *alignment between you, your team, and your stakeholders* on what “complete” actually means.

The Definition of Done stems directly from your *Project Scope*.
Your scope defines the boundaries of what the project aims to deliver, and your DoD brings clarity, structure, and accountability to those boundaries.

When you define “Done” early in the project, you:
* Remove ambiguity
* Get buy-in from your client or team
* Set yourself up for *faster and more confident sign-offs*

Imagine you’re managing a team that’s building a *basic weather app*. Within the project scope, you might define “done” differently for each feature. Here’s how that could look:

Definition of Done for Weather App;
*User can manually enter their location
*App fetches live weather data from an external API
*Data includes temperature, condition (e.g., sunny, rainy), and current time
*Design matches approved UI mockups
*QA passed with no critical bugs
*Feature is deployed to the production environment for review

Another Definition of Done could be seen in the core features needed by the stakeholder(s)
Definition of Done for Features, Weather App

*Forecast displays for the next 7 days from the current date
*Each day shows high/low temperature, weather condition, and date
*Fully responsive and tested on mobile and tablet
*Data accuracy matches the external API
*Signed off by the Product Owner after demo

Why Is This So Important?
Without a shared understanding of “DONE,” things can get messy fast. The team may think a task is complete, but the client may feel something is missing. This misalignment leads to:

*Rework
*Missed deadlines
*Frustration and stakeholder tension

Whether during *kickoff, **sprint planning*, or feature breakdown, always ask:
“What does done look like for this task or feature?”
Then:
✔ Write it down
✔ Review it with your team and stakeholders
✔ Use it as a *COMPLETION CHECKLIST* during development and delivery

The Definition of Done is *not just a checklist*, it’s a powerful project alignment tool. It promotes *clarity, confidence, and accountability*, and it saves you from costly confusion down the line.

So, the next time you’re planning a project, don’t skip this step. Define “done”  and watch your delivery process transform.
You can also drop tips on how you define Definition of Done