Skip to main content

Definition of Done must include Testing ?

Last post 07:46 pm December 4, 2023 by soniya sharma
16 replies
07:59 pm April 21, 2021

Does definition of Done must include testing ? It is recommended though, but I dont think it as must as it may vary with the context of dev team and organization. Thoughts ?


08:09 pm April 21, 2021

Is the increment potentially reléase releasable without testing?


08:10 pm April 21, 2021

* poteltially releasable 


08:12 pm April 21, 2021

* Potentially!! (sorry, my smartphone`s auto correct)


08:39 pm April 21, 2021

I like answer it depends :)

First of all lets back to the roots about DoD.

In short DoD, is shared understanding within the Scrum Team on what it takes to make your Product increment releasable.

Do you need test your product to be releasable and meet DoD of ST/organization standards? 

 

 


09:03 pm April 21, 2021

Does definition of Done must include testing ? It is recommended though, but I dont think it as must as it may vary with the context of dev team and organization. Thoughts ?

Why would the need to assure the immediate usability of each increment vary by context? Can you provide an example where the quality assurance that testing provides wouldn't matter?


10:25 pm April 21, 2021

If your organization/team is confident in leaving out testing, then none of us can say it is wrong.  The Definition of Done is the team's agreement and communication to outside the team.  So they can decide what they want to agree to and communicate.

With that being said, I have never seen a Definition of Done for a software product that didn't include some statements related to the work completed to validate and ensure quality.  Testing is usually mentioned in some way but I have also seen "All acceptance criteria is met" when teams utilize User Stories with Acceptance Criteria defined.  While not explicit to testing, in order to determine if the criteria is met, the has to be some way of validating that and that usually involves some type of testing. 

A side benefit of a Definition of Done is that it helps the team instill a level of trust that they are doing good work.  I would have a hard time trusting the work a team does if they didn't do some level of validations.  


12:39 pm June 7, 2022

I think "test" is necessary to ensure quality. But if a feature does not need to be tested and the team guarantees this, the Definition of Done can be considered without testing.


10:01 pm June 7, 2022

If testing is not part of the workflow to get to Done, why is time and money being spent on it?

However ...

Sometimes is always. Make it part of your workflow, and if it's not done, document that fact in the same way you would do or document testing.


04:02 am November 14, 2023

In an exam context, a question such as the following:

Should the Definition of Done include testing?

A. No, it is not mandatory.

B. Yes, it is mandatory.

 

I agree that adding testing to the DoD makes a lot of sense, but would like to know if it is mandatory.

 

Thanks


04:39 am November 14, 2023

In an exam context, a question such as the following:

Should the Definition of Done include testing?

A. No, it is not mandatory.

B. Yes, it is mandatory.

I agree that adding testing to the DoD makes a lot of sense, but would like to know if it is mandatory.

Where did that question come from? Eschewing testing may not be an option, but that doesn't mean it's mandatory in Scrum either.


03:03 pm November 14, 2023

If you look at the Scrum Guide's section that describes the Increment, it provides context for the Definition of Done as the commitment for the Increment. I do not see anywhere that any activity is said to be mandatory.  So to answer your question, no it is not mandatory. 


10:18 pm November 19, 2023

What product are you making? What would the tests be?
Not all products are software.

Suppose this week someone worked on a logo for a new candy bar. How would you test the logo?


03:54 pm November 20, 2023

Possibly with a user focus group?  Or by asking the stakeholder that asked for the new logo to validate that it meets the criteria that was provided? 

There are a large number of testing methods. Anything "made" can be tested in some way or another.


11:03 am November 26, 2023

While testing is not explicitly mandated in the Definition of Done (DoD), it is generally considered an essential step for ensuring software quality and meeting the acceptance criteria. Testing can be accomplished through various methods, including automated and manual testing, and it should address both functional and non-functional requirements. However, the specific level and extent of testing may vary depending on the context of the development team and organization.


12:47 pm November 26, 2023

Regarding new candy bar logo example. Perhaps testing could include validation for things like...

  • Compliant with accessibility standards
  • Compliant with corporate branding guide
  • Compliant with style guide
  • Graphics and trademark check performed
  • Copy edit reviewed
  • Old content digital assets and files replaced

Borrowed from DoD learning path examples: https://www.scrum.org/learning-series/definition-done/characteristics-of-the-definition-of-done/characteristics-of-a-good-dod

Back to the "exam" question. My guess is that this is a third party question. Apply caution leveraging this if you are preparing for Scrum.org assessments. "Should" DoD include testing? Maybe. Is it mandatory as per Scrum Guide? No. 


12:16 pm December 4, 2023

The "Definition of Done" serves as a kind of checklist that can be used to determine when a task or project is truly completed. The requirement that testing be included in the "Definition of Done" means that, in order to declare something completed, it must first be verified through testing, which is the process of putting a creation to the test to see if it performs as intended.


By posting on our forums you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.

Please note that the first and last name from your Scrum.org member profile will be displayed next to any topic or comment you post on the forums. For privacy concerns, we cannot allow you to post email addresses. All user-submitted content on our Forums may be subject to deletion if it is found to be in violation of our Terms of Use. Scrum.org does not endorse user-submitted content or the content of links to any third-party websites.

Terms of Use

Scrum.org may, at its discretion, remove any post that it deems unsuitable for these forums. Unsuitable post content includes, but is not limited to, Scrum.org Professional-level assessment questions and answers, profanity, insults, racism or sexually explicit content. Using our forum as a platform for the marketing and solicitation of products or services is also prohibited. Forum members who post content deemed unsuitable by Scrum.org may have their access revoked at any time, without warning. Scrum.org may, but is not obliged to, monitor submissions.