Intro to Project Management: Agile Project Management - Definition of Done vs. Acceptance, Criteria

What This Is

The Definition of Done (DoD) and Acceptance Criteria are crucial concepts in project management that ensure stakeholders and team members are aligned on what constitutes project completion. Imagine building a custom home: the DoD outlines the specific tasks and deliverables required to consider the project "done," while Acceptance Criteria define the conditions under which the project is deemed complete and meets the customer's expectations.

Key Terms & Formulas

• Definition of Done (DoD): A clear, concise statement outlining the specific tasks, deliverables, and conditions required to consider a project or iteration complete.
• Acceptance Criteria: The conditions under which a project or deliverable is deemed complete and meets the customer's expectations.
• Triple Constraint: Scope, Time, Cost – changes to one affect the others.
• EV = % complete × BAC (Earned Value = percent complete times Budget at Completion).
• Earned Value Management (EVM): A methodology for measuring project performance by comparing actual progress to planned progress.
• Scope Statement: A document that outlines the project scope, including the work to be performed, deliverables, and exclusions.
• Product Backlog: A prioritized list of features, user stories, or requirements for a product or project.
• User Story: A natural-language description of a software feature or requirement from the end-user's perspective.
• Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD): A software development approach that involves writing automated tests before writing the code.
• Definition of Ready (DoR): A set of criteria that a product backlog item must meet before it can be considered ready for development.

Step-by-Step / Process Flow

1. Establish the Definition of Done: Collaborate with stakeholders to create a clear, concise statement outlining the specific tasks, deliverables, and conditions required to consider the project complete.
2. Develop Acceptance Criteria: Define the conditions under which the project or deliverable is deemed complete and meets the customer's expectations.
3. Create a Scope Statement: Outline the project scope, including the work to be performed, deliverables, and exclusions.
4. Prioritize the Product Backlog: Rank the product backlog items based on business value, risk, and other factors.
5. Write User Stories: Describe software features or requirements from the end-user's perspective.
6. Implement Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD): Write automated tests before writing the code to ensure it meets the acceptance criteria.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Failing to establish a clear Definition of Done. Correction: Collaborate with stakeholders to create a clear, concise statement outlining the specific tasks, deliverables, and conditions required to consider the project complete.
• Mistake: Not developing Acceptance Criteria. Correction: Define the conditions under which the project or deliverable is deemed complete and meets the customer's expectations.
• Mistake: Not prioritizing the Product Backlog. Correction: Rank the product backlog items based on business value, risk, and other factors.

Exam Tips

• Watch for trick words: Be aware of words like "Definition of Done" and "Acceptance Criteria" and understand their differences.
• Understand the context: Pay attention to the context in which the question is asked and apply the concepts accordingly.
• Focus on the process: Emphasize the process of establishing the Definition of Done and Acceptance Criteria rather than just the outcome.

Quick Practice Questions

1. If the CPI is 0.8, is the project under or over budget? Answer: Over budget. Explanation: CPI (Cost Performance Index) is the ratio of Earned Value to Actual Cost. A CPI of 0.8 indicates that the project is taking longer than expected to complete, resulting in higher costs.
2. What is the primary purpose of the Definition of Done? Answer: To ensure stakeholders and team members are aligned on what constitutes project completion.
3. What is the difference between Acceptance Criteria and the Definition of Done? Answer: Acceptance Criteria define the conditions under which the project or deliverable is deemed complete, while the Definition of Done outlines the specific tasks and deliverables required to consider the project complete.

Last-Minute Cram Sheet

• Definition of Done (DoD): A clear, concise statement outlining the specific tasks, deliverables, and conditions required to consider a project or iteration complete.
• Acceptance Criteria: The conditions under which a project or deliverable is deemed complete and meets the customer's expectations.
• Triple Constraint: Scope, Time, Cost – changes to one affect the others.
• EV = % complete × BAC (Earned Value = percent complete times Budget at Completion).
• Earned Value Management (EVM): A methodology for measuring project performance by comparing actual progress to planned progress.
• Scope Statement: A document that outlines the project scope, including the work to be performed, deliverables, and exclusions.
• Product Backlog: A prioritized list of features, user stories, or requirements for a product or project.
• User Story: A natural-language description of a software feature or requirement from the end-user's perspective.
• Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD): A software development approach that involves writing automated tests before writing the code.
• Definition of Ready (DoR): A set of criteria that a product backlog item must meet before it can be considered ready for development.
• Definition of Done (DoD)-Acceptance Criteria: Understand the difference between these two concepts.
• Earned Value-Actual Cost: Earned Value is a measure of progress, not just a measure of cost.
• Scope Statement-Project Charter: A Scope Statement outlines the project scope, while a Project Charter outlines the project's objectives and stakeholders.