Summary (TL;DR;)
- If you can't create Done Increments every Sprint, this is the #1 issue to fix!
- Done means more than what is written in the Scrum Guide
- Without Done Increments, you won't get any benefits from Scrum
- You need Done Increments to capture product value
- You need Done Increments to manage the 3 product development key-risks
- A Definition of Done first and foremost describes quality, not just work
- A well-structured DoD creates transparency, commitment and quality
- There's a way to fix this problem and create a great Definition of Done
Introduction
"Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems."1 Scrum Teams generate value by creating and delivering Done Increments.
Now, the inconvenient truth is that most Scrum Teams do not create Done Increments regularly, meaning one or more Increments every Sprint. Based on our experience as Professional Scrum Trainer (PST), Scrum Masters and Product Owners, we can say that about 7 of 10 Scrum Teams don't create Done Increments regularly. This is a serious issue!
Why? If your Scrum Team has this problem, you will not get any benefit from using Scrum. For example, you will not be able to maximize product value and manage the 3 key-risks of product development. In fact, if you have this problem, it is the first thing you need to fix!!
In this article, we will explain why not creating Done Increments regularly is a serious issue and how you can solve it.
Read the full article here.