Answering: “Why would you expect a Product Owner to care that the Scrum Team adheres to its Definition of Done?” (PSPO I)

A Product Owner cares about the Definition of Done because it gives full transparency into what was really completed each Sprint, and because cutting corners on it raises the product’s total cost of ownership.

Exam Question

Why would you expect a Product Owner to care that the Scrum Team adheres to its Definition of Done?
(choose the best two answers)
A. The Product Owner should not concern themselves with meeting the Definition of Done, it is the Developer’s responsibility.
B. To forecast the team’s productivity over time.
C. The Definition of Done can affect the product’s total cost of ownership.
D. To be able to punish the team when they don’t meet their velocity goal for the Sprint.
E. To have complete transparency into what has been done at the end of each Sprint.

Correct Answer

C and E.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Scrum Guide calls the Definition of Done “a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product,” and says it “creates transparency by providing everyone a shared understanding of what work was completed.” Without it, the Product Owner cannot trust what is presented at the Sprint Review or make good release decisions. Skipping quality steps also builds technical debt, which makes every future change slower and more expensive, so the Definition of Done directly affects the product’s long-term cost.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. It is only the Developers’ concern. The Developers must conform to the Definition of Done, but the whole Scrum Team relies on it, and the Product Owner is accountable for the value of what is released.

B. To forecast the team’s productivity. The Definition of Done is about quality and transparency, not productivity forecasting.

D. To punish the team for missing a velocity goal. Scrum has no velocity goals, and using artifacts to punish people destroys the trust transparency depends on.

Exam Tip

Link the Definition of Done to two ideas: transparency (what is really done) and quality (technical debt and cost). Answers about forecasting or control are distractors.

Key Takeaways

• The Definition of Done makes the Increment’s real state transparent.
• Weak quality standards raise total cost of ownership.
• The whole Scrum Team, not only the Developers, cares about done.