How can you ensure your team is aligned on the definition of done?

Establishing a Definition of Done (DoD) is key to manage a project efficiently and effectively. Sometimes DoD can be referred to as your desired future state. I have used the phrase, “What does winning look like?” when working with teams and stakeholders to identify our DoD. By starting with a clear vision of what done looks like you can keep your project and team focused and aligned to the intended outcome. Teams and projects can easily get side-tracked or deliver the wrong outcome if a clear understanding of DoD is not established early in the project.

A Definition of Done is critical to the success of any project, or rather, any piece of work. Individually we understand words differently - end of day may be 5 pm to you but midnight for me. - All team members, and hopefully clients, have a consistent understanding of what success will look like - It prevents confuse around expectations - it is an accountability tool which helps with performance management - It takes away guesswork and decreases the likelihood of team members working like headless chickens

In my view, A Definition of Done (DoD) not only sets quality standards but also acts as a vital communication tool in project management. It clarifies project expectations, reducing ambiguity and preventing rework. The DoD is instrumental in tracking and measuring deliverable progress, offering transparent feedback to stakeholders. Additionally, it fosters collaboration and trust among team members by providing a shared vision and goals for the project. In essence, the DoD is a versatile asset, ensuring quality, transparency, and cohesive teamwork in project management.

To ensure team alignment on DoD, ?Involve the team in creating the DoD to ensure diverse perspectives and contributions. ?Conduct regular team discussions to clarify any ambiguities or questions about the DoD ?Establish a feedback loop where team members can provide input on the DoD ?Encourage consistent application of the DoD by regularly reviewing it during sprint reviews or retrospectives. ??Ensure leadership actively supports and reinforces the adherence to the DoD ?Treat the DoD as a living document and be open to refining it based on team feedback and changing project requirements.

Clear and consistent communication of the Definition of Done (DoD) is essential in project management. Utilize various channels like documents, presentations, or visual boards to convey the DoD to the entire team. Regularly update and review the DoD to ensure alignment with project dynamics. Encourage open communication by seeking and addressing feedback, questions, and suggestions. This fosters a collaborative environment and helps refine the DoD to meet evolving project goals.

It is important that stakeholders and project teams understand and agree on the DoD. Once an agreed upon DoD is established this needs to be the bar that progress of the project is measured against. When you report out on project progress to stakeholders and the project team you will need to connect the actions of the project to how it contributes to the DoD. Then you will need to clearly share the next steps and how those relate to the DoD. By keeping the DoD at the forefront of each of these conversations you show you are focused and that the team is progressing toward the agreed goal.

Applying a Definition of Done (DoD) across the entire project lifecycle, from planning to evaluation, is crucial. The DoD serves as a guide for prioritizing, estimating, designing, testing, and releasing project activities. It also functions as a validation tool for deliverables and provides feedback for process improvement. Regularly updating the DoD based on project experiences ensures continuous enhancement and quality assurance, fostering adaptability and meeting or exceeding expectations

One of the first steps to ensure the work of a project or development team aligns with the Definition of Done (DoD) is ensuring every User Story or product requirements to be worked on has their corresponding Definition of Done. Within intervals or at the end of every development cycle (May be sprint), what has been developed should be tested using the predeveloped DoD to ensure the work done is in alignment with the DoD. This is best done iteratively to ensure the customers continuously review and provide feedbacks on the project and communicate changes where necessary.

I led a team to develop and implement Nurse-Driven Protocols (NDP) at the request of the Nursing Executive Committee. Collaborating closely with the committee, I gained a deep understanding of their vision and goals, enabling me to establish a shared Definition of Done (DoD). After presenting the project vision and DoD to my team, we addressed their questions with the stakeholders to ensure alignment. This shared vision became our guiding principle for success, leading to the successful activation of Nurse-Driven Protocols in the organization. Our clear DoD kept us on track and focused.

Oddly enough, alignment of the 'definition of done' isn't always about exhaustive lists and precision. Instead of crafting an intricate manifesto, foster collaboration. Encourage your team to co-create the definition of done collaboratively. Sometimes, it's the shared understanding that emerges from teamwork that truly aligns everyone. Less dictation, more collaboration—it might just be the positive contrarian approach to ensure a unified vision of success within your team.