Ever got into one of those discussions about what constitutes “done”, “done done”, or even “done DONE done done”? It’s done when it’s code complete? Tested? Deployed?

What you’re really discussing there is not the actual work, but the process and its policies. That’s not a bad thing to discuss (quite the contrary), but still it risks missing the point.

How about a definition of done that’s not about roles or activities (“code complete”, “tested”, etc)? Try this one for size:

A good working definition of “Done”: Someone’s need was met

— Mike Burrows (@asplake) January 29, 2016

How (if at all) does your process confirm to you that someone’s need was indeed met?

Update: How do you identify the need in the first place?

What if we put agreement on outcomes ahead of solutions?

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