

All three may have different assumptions about the level of quality required for those posts. A more experienced person with knowledge of SEO may understand that a larger volume of “seed content” is needed. One person might think the task is to simply architect the blog and ensure it is “live.” Another may think two or three “seed posts” are required. But without this technique, it is common for clients like this to bring different assumptions to the table about when the deliverable is complete. This is a simpler definition (since it applies to a specific deliverable). “Our client’s blog is live on their website, pre-seeded with ten relevant posts written by our team that meets all of the defined content guidance.”.Here’s another example used by a marketing firm for a deliverable they owed to a client: All too often, without this definition, teams finish too early-declaring victory when processes are deployed, and forgetting about the essential tasks of communication, training, and monitoring the finished result. For example, the definition notes that the revisions should be consistent with the project’s intent statement, and that “deployed” means that the processes are scheduled in System X. Notice that the definition utilizes specific verbs, like “approved,” “communicated,” and “deployed.” Where necessary, it further defines how those verbs should be achieved. scheduled in System X), placed in the Information Management repository, communicated and trained to the field, and are actively being used for a period of three months before the project is closed.” “Our twelve new Preventative Maintenance processes have been revised (consistent with the project’s intent statement), approved, deployed (i.e.Here is an example of a formal, written “definition of done” at the project level. On the other hand, training your team to informally ask “what does done look like?” for a given task or objective is also a powerful way to align expectations continuously, especially within a rapidly changing project environment. Documenting the “definition of done” ensures it serves as a reference later and can be a critical exercise for capturing and communicating the team’s assumptions. There is a lot of value in writing a formal definition of done for a project, or even each high-level deliverable. Like Leader’s Intent, the “definition of done” technique can be formal or informal. In our experience, when the “definition of done” is not clarified for a given task or deliverable, the team will insert their own assumptions about what it means to be finished-leading to increased misunderstandings, conflicts, and potential rework. The Project Plan is approved, communicated to the team, publicly archived, and a plan is in place to manage changes to the document going forward.The Project Plan is approved, communicated to the team, and publicly archived.The Project Plan is approved and communicated to the team.The Project Plan is drafted and submitted to the approver(s).It is more than a list of deliverables-it defines the level of completeness and quality that must be present by the end.Ī great challenge for artists is knowing when to put their paintbrush down and consider the work finished.Īll too often when I review project schedules, I’ll see generically named tasks or milestones for example, “Complete Project Plan.” But what does it mean to “complete” the project plan? Does it mean: The second question (“ What does done look like?”) defines specifically what must be in place for the team to put down their paintbrush and declare victory. The first question (“ What does success look like?”) lays out the result, or end-state, that you want to achieve. But there is a second question-a kind of companion to the first-that is critical for teams struggling with the quality of delivery: “What does done look like?” If you have followed Persimmon for any length of time, you know that we believe strongly that every team should understand “what success looks like” for their project, task, meeting, or role. But the temptation is equally great to overpaint, adding and adjusting to the work until the original vision is compromised under layers of unnecessary paint. If you finish too early, it will be obvious that the piece is incomplete.

My husband, a painter, tells me that the most difficult task of an artist is to know when your work is done. Definition of Done: A Powerful Technique to Align Project Expectations
