Definition of "Done"

Without an explicit team-wide definition, every individual defaults to interpreting "done" at the point where their own role's work ends. A developer can sincerely consider themselves done while key delivery steps such as deployment and client notification have not yet started. A project manager's internal vision of completion that has not been shared with the team is not a shared expectation, and constitutes one of two root causes of the problem. "Done" is one of the most misused and misunderstood terms in software development, with developers often meaning far less than a delivered product. Ambiguity around "done" causes projects to drag on while stakeholders mistakenly believe all critical work is complete. Absence of a shared vocabulary for "done" creates systematic miscommunication that compounds as more stakeholders become involved in a project.