https://engineering-leadership.hinshelwood.com/tags/definition-of-ready/ Recent content in Definition of Ready on Engineering Leadership in AI & Software Hugo en Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:40:35 +0000 https://engineering-leadership.hinshelwood.com/articles/if-your-backlog-is-not-refined-then-you-are-doing-it-wrong/ Thu, 17 Dec 2020 09:00:00 +0000 https://engineering-leadership.hinshelwood.com/articles/if-your-backlog-is-not-refined-then-you-are-doing-it-wrong/ If your team starts Sprint Planning with backlog items that are not well understood or sized to fit within a sprint, you are setting up for failure. Regular backlog refinement is essential so developers can confidently select and deliver work, and lack of refinement often leads to missed goals and confusion. Make sure your team spends enough time refining upcoming backlog items so they are clear, appropriately sized, and ready for selection in the next two sprints. https://engineering-leadership.hinshelwood.com/signals/too-much-refinement-wastes-time/ Tue, 29 Apr 2025 15:30:43 +0100 https://engineering-leadership.hinshelwood.com/signals/too-much-refinement-wastes-time/ Too much backlog refinement wastes time, while too little causes confusion and delays. Aim for just enough detail so developers can start work confidently without needing constant clarification. If Sprint Planning is about making commitments rather than figuring things out, your refinement process is working well. https://engineering-leadership.hinshelwood.com/tags/definition-of-ready/ Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:17:24 +0000 https://engineering-leadership.hinshelwood.com/tags/definition-of-ready/ Definition of Ready (DoR) is a concept within the Scrum framework that outlines the criteria necessary for a Backlog Item to be considered ready for implementation by the development team. It emerges from the collaborative understanding among Developers, the Product Owner, and Stakeholders regarding what is required to proceed with a Backlog Item. The importance of DoR lies in its potential to enhance clarity and alignment within agile teams, yet it also presents challenges, such as creating a false sense of readiness, neglecting the need for ongoing refinement, and leading to misconceptions about its equivalence with the Definition of Done (DoD). Unlike the DoD, which is an absolute measure of completion, the subjective nature of DoR can result in partial implementation, risking the integrity of the development process. To mitigate these issues, it is suggested that teams adopt a more nuanced approach to defining readiness, ensuring that each Backlog Item meets specific criteria, such as having a clear outcome, hypothesis, and telemetry for evaluation. The INVEST criteria further guide the formulation of Product Backlog Items, emphasising their independence, negotiability, value, estimability, size, and testability. Ultimately, a well-defined DoR fosters effective communication and understanding within agile teams, contributing to successful product development and organisational design.