Answering: “Scrum requires a Definition of Done. Which phrases describe the purpose of the Definition of Done?”

The Definition of Done guides the Developers’ forecast at Sprint Planning, shows them what work remains during the Sprint, and makes the state of the Increment transparent at the Sprint Review. It is not a task checklist, a progress tracker or a documentation template.

Exam Question

Scrum requires a Definition of Done. Which phrases describe the purpose of the Definition of Done? (choose the best three answers)

• A. It is a checklist to inspect whether the Developers have performed their tasks by the end of a Sprint.
• B. It guides the Developers in creating a forecast at the Sprint Planning.
• C. During the Sprint it helps the Developers identify the work remaining for an Increment to be ready for release by the end of a Sprint.
• D. It serves to track the percent completeness of a Product Backlog item during the Sprint.
• E. It creates transparency over the state of the Increment when it is inspected at the Sprint Review.
• F. It provides a template for the documentation of the product Increment.

Correct Answer

B, C and E.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Scrum Guide describes the Definition of Done as “a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.” At Sprint Planning, the Developers need to know that standard to judge how much they can complete, so it shapes the forecast. During the Sprint, it reminds them what testing, integration or other work is still needed before an item is Done. At the Sprint Review, only Done work is presented, so stakeholders know exactly what they are inspecting. Each option B, C and E describes one of these uses.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. A checklist to inspect whether Developers did their tasks. The Definition of Done describes the quality of the Increment, not individual task completion or performance.

D. Tracks percent complete of an item during the Sprint. An item is either Done or not Done. Scrum does not count partial completion.

F. A template for documenting the Increment. Documentation can be part of the Definition of Done, but the Definition of Done is not a document template.

Exam Tip

When asked about the purpose of the Definition of Done, think about transparency at each event. Options about checking individuals or percent complete are distractors.

Key Takeaways

• The Definition of Done informs the Sprint forecast.
• It shows the Developers what remains during the Sprint.
• It makes the Increment’s state transparent at the Sprint Review.