Definition of Done

A shared, explicit checklist of quality criteria that every product backlog item must meet before the team considers it complete. The Definition of Done ensures the entire Scrum team has the same understanding of what 'done' means. It typically includes criteria such as: code reviewed, automated tests written and passing, documentation updated, deployed to staging, and accessibility checked. It is distinct from acceptance criteria — acceptance criteria are story-specific, while the Definition of Done applies to all work. Teams refine their Definition of Done over time as their processes mature. Incomplete work that does not meet the Definition of Done cannot be included in the sprint increment.