Definition of Ready: Prevent Hassle During Your Sprint

What is a Definition of Ready?

A Definition of Ready (DoR) is a set of criteria that determines when a User Story or backlog item is ‘ready’ to be picked up in a sprint. Think of it like preparing your ingredients before you start cooking. Without a clear DoR, the development team risks having to resolve many ambiguities during the sprint, which hinders the workflow.

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How to Establish an Effective DoR?

1. Define the criteria together: Involve the entire team (including the Product Owner) in thinking about what is minimally required.
2. Make it concrete: “There is sufficient information about the acceptance criteria” is okay, but how do you know what ‘sufficient’ is? Be specific.
3. Check feasibility: Take resources and time into account—don't overdo it. Too strict a DoR can slow you down.
4. Evaluate regularly: Is the DoR still realistic, or do you need to adjust something?

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Consequences of No or Unclear DoR

• Unexpected delays: Team members discover halfway through the sprint that the user story has not been properly elaborated.
• Frustrated developers: They constantly have to ask additional questions or manage dependencies.
• Unnecessarily long refinement discussions: Without clear criteria, everyone keeps talking unnecessarily.

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DoR and Backlog Refinement: how do they work together?

Backlog Refinement is the process of discussing, breaking down, and clarifying Product Backlog items. The DoR acts as a checklist: does an item meet all criteria (e.g., clear acceptance criteria, estimate made, dependencies known)? If not, the item is not yet 'Ready' and should preferably not end up in the Sprint Backlog.

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Examples of practical DoR criteria

• The item is described in clear language.
• Acceptance criteria have been defined.
• A high-level estimate of the required effort has been made.
• There are no outstanding dependencies or blockers.
• Key stakeholders are informed and in agreement.

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Checklist for an effective DoR

• Was the DoR created together with the team? This way, everyone knows what to expect.
• Is the DoR kept visible? For example, as a poster next to your physical board or in the digital tool.
• Does the team use the DoR during refinement and sprint planning?
• Does every backlog item that goes into the sprint have a "ready" status?

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Conclusion

A good Definition of Ready prevents your sprint from starting with incomplete or unclear items. By gathering the right information beforehand and setting practical criteria, you ensure a smooth flow within the sprint. Combine this with regular Backlog Refinement, and you significantly increase the chance of success—because only then will the team not be caught off guard.

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