What Is Definition of Done? | Vantage
Definition of Done Definition of Done (DoD) is a shared checklist that specifies the conditions every user story, feature, or sprint must satisfy before it is considered complete. It ensures consistency across the team and prevents "done" from meaning different things to different people.
Why definition of done matters
Without a DoD, developers mark stories as "done" when code is written, while QA considers them done after testing, and PMs consider them done after user validation. A shared DoD eliminates this ambiguity and reduces rework.
How it works
The team agrees on a checklist that applies to all work. Common items include: code reviewed, unit tests written, QA passed, documentation updated, deployed to staging, acceptance criteria verified. The DoD is visible during sprint planning and referenced during sprint reviews.
Common mistakes
Making the DoD too long (creates overhead)
Not enforcing the DoD consistently
Having different DoDs for different team members
Not updating the DoD as the team matures
Confusing DoD with acceptance criteria (AC is per-story, DoD is per-team)
Related terms
How Vantage relates
Vantage generates tickets with acceptance criteria that define "done" for each individual story. Your team's Definition of Done applies on top of these criteria. Together, acceptance criteria (story-specific) and DoD (team-wide) create a complete picture of what "complete" means.