The Definition of Ready (DoR) is a working agreement used by teams practicing Scrum and other Agile methodologies to ensure efficiency in development. This set of criteria acts as a shared understanding of the preparation level a piece of work must achieve before a team commits to it. By establishing a clear threshold for readiness, teams avoid starting work on ambiguous or incomplete tasks, which helps maintain a steady flow of development.
Defining the Definition of Ready (DoR)
The Definition of Ready is a collaborative checklist or set of requirements that a Product Backlog Item (PBI) must satisfy before it can be selected for work in an upcoming Sprint. This agreement is established by the Development Team, in collaboration with the Product Owner, to create a mutual understanding of what “ready” means for their specific context. It serves as a quality gate for the Product Backlog, ensuring that items entering the Sprint are sufficiently refined and clearly understood. The goal of the DoR is to ensure that all PBIs selected during Sprint Planning are fully actionable, meaning the Development Team can immediately begin work without stopping for clarification or missing information.
The Purpose and Value of Using DoR
Adopting a Definition of Ready helps teams maximize productivity by reducing mid-sprint interruptions and roadblocks. When a PBI meets the DoR, it minimizes the likelihood that the Development Team will encounter missing requirements, unresolved dependencies, or insufficient technical details after the Sprint has begun. This proactive approach reduces waste, as time is not spent on work that cannot be completed due to unforeseen issues.
A formal DoR enhances the quality of the Product Backlog Refinement process by providing a specific goal for those activities. When the Development Team is confident that the work they commit to is thoroughly prepared, it leads to greater predictability in the Sprint forecast. This allows the team to make reliable commitments regarding the amount of work they can accomplish.
Essential Criteria for a Strong Definition of Ready
A robust Definition of Ready ensures a Product Backlog Item is ready to be pulled into a Sprint, often aligning with the INVEST principles (Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable) for user stories. The criteria established by a team must be specific, measurable, and easily verifiable. These elements ensure that all necessary information is present for the team to confidently begin and complete the work.
Clear Acceptance Criteria
The PBI must include unambiguous Acceptance Criteria that clearly define the boundaries of the work and what constitutes a successful outcome. These criteria serve as the specific conditions the implemented solution must meet to satisfy the Product Owner and stakeholders. They provide the Development Team with a precise understanding of the “what” and allow them to know when the feature is functionally complete.
Estimated and Sized Appropriately
To be considered ready, the PBI must have a reliable estimate of the effort required for implementation, typically expressed in story points or relative sizing. This estimate confirms that the item has been analyzed sufficiently by the team. Furthermore, the size of the item must be small enough to be fully designed, developed, and tested within a single Sprint timebox. If an item is too large, it must be broken down into smaller pieces before meeting the readiness criteria.
Dependencies Identified and Resolved
All external dependencies that could block the Development Team during the Sprint must be clearly identified and either resolved or mitigated before the item is deemed ready. This includes securing access to necessary APIs, database credentials, third-party services, or input from other internal teams. Handling external roadblocks prevents the team from being forced to pause work and wait.
Technical Feasibility Confirmed
The Development Team must confirm they possess the necessary technical knowledge, skills, and tools to complete the PBI. This confirmation also includes a preliminary assessment that the proposed solution is technically achievable within the current system architecture and constraints. This ensures the team can immediately begin implementation without needing to spend significant time on feasibility research during the Sprint.
User Value Defined
The Product Owner must clearly articulate the business or user value the PBI intends to deliver, providing the context for the work. This value proposition ensures the Development Team understands the purpose behind the feature they are building, allowing them to make informed decisions during implementation. Understanding the “why” supports the product goal.
When and How to Apply the Definition of Ready
The practical application of the Definition of Ready primarily occurs during the Product Backlog Refinement process, which is an ongoing activity throughout the Sprint. The team actively works to break down and define Product Backlog Items so that they meet the DoR well in advance of the next Sprint Planning event. This allows the team to enter Sprint Planning with a sufficient number of ready items to fill the upcoming Sprint.
The Product Owner is responsible for ensuring the Product Backlog is ordered and that the items at the top are prepared to meet the DoR. However, the Development Team holds the final authority to accept an item as “Ready” because they execute the work. If the team determines an item does not meet the DoR during refinement or Sprint Planning, they will refuse to pull it into the Sprint Backlog, signaling that more preparatory work is needed.
Definition of Ready vs. Definition of Done (DoD)
The Definition of Ready and the Definition of Done serve distinctly different functions, acting as opposite ends of the development process. The DoR functions as the formal entry criteria for a Product Backlog Item, ensuring the work is prepared enough to begin. It focuses on the quality of the input, acting as a filter to prevent poorly defined items from entering the Sprint.
In contrast, the Definition of Done is the exit criteria, applied to the completed work at the end of the development cycle. The DoD is a comprehensive checklist of quality standards that every completed increment must meet, such as passing all tests, integration, and documentation. It ensures the output is complete and potentially releasable, focusing on the quality of the finished product.