Stick a Fork in It: Defining Done

It seems that developers have as many definitions of “done” as Eskimos have words for “snow.” But without a clear definition of done, it is difficult to gauge progress on a project. Menlo Innovations has a simple solution. Instead of declaring a story card or feature done on its own, developers collaborate with the business analyst and testing teammates to determine when the application meets their requirements. Tracy Beeson highlights the power of asking one deceptively simple question that has multiple, complex answers that can, if not implemented with care, upset the status quo and lead to new problems. Using loosely orchestrated role playing, you'll practice this approach for discovering when done is really done. During an exploratory testing session, you'll gain an understanding of the perspective each role on the project brings to the definition of done and discover the benefits this process can have on overall product quality.