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Done is done

In agile collaboration, “done" should really mean “DONE!".

Features developed within an iteration (Milestone in our process), should be 100% complete by the end of the Sprint.

Stories on fixed should be 100% done.

Too often in collaboration projects, “done" doesn’t really mean “DONE!". It doesn’t mean verified. It doesn’t necessarily mean styled. And it certainly doesn’t usually mean accepted by the product owner. It just means the bare minimum was done. THIS IS NOT GOOD!!!

In an ideal situation, each iteration or milestone should lead to a release of a milestone in a project or product. On projects maybe it’s not feasible to do a release after every milestone, however completing each feature in turn enables a very precise view of progress and how far complete the overall project really is or isn’t.

So, in agile collaboration, make sure that each feature is fully developed, tested, styled, and accepted by the product owner before counting it as “DONE!". And if there’s any doubt about what activities should or shouldn’t be completed within the Sprint for each feature, “DONE!" should mean ready to be used with defined quality level.

The feature may rely on other features being completed before the product could really be shipped. But the feature on its own merit should be shippable. So if you’re ever unsure if a feature is ‘done enough’, ask one simple question: “Is this feature ready to be used?".

It’s also important to really complete each feature before moving on to the next...

Of course multiple features can be developed in parallel in a team situation. But within the work of each contributor, do not move on to a new feature until the last one is verified. This is important to ensure the overall product is in a ready state at the end of the Sprint, not in a state where multiple features are 90% complete or untested, as is more usual in traditional collaboration projects.

In agile collaboration, “done" really should mean “DONE!“.

Agile Principles