4.8. Definition of done
Last updated
Last updated
The Definition of Done (DoD) groups overarching criteria that apply to each Item of a specific kind that need to be fulfilled to be considered done. If needed, a DoD can be updated over time to reflect additional findings. In a law firm, a DoD might contain law firm standards, but there might also be client-specific requirements that need to be considered for individual projects. Whilst in Agile methodology there is only one DoD, due to the varied nature of work in a law firm, there might be several DoD to reflect general law firm standards.
Our suggested approach is to start with a very general Definition of Done and create more specific ones based on recurring patterns that you see in Acceptance Criteria. If you keep seeing the same Acceptance Criteria time and time again, think about which field they would apply to and which parts could be standardised in a way that it applies to all Items in that field. This way you can create a specific DoD for a field.
Examples of DoDs could be:
Client Project DoD
Acceptance Criteria are met.
Legal assessment has been executed.
Correct party/parties have been added.
Formatting has been applied.
The attorney responsible has reviewed and approved.
Client has reviewed and approved.
Submission of legal document according to the checklist for the kind of document.
Proof of submission has been recorded.
Internal Law Firm Project DoD
Acceptance Criteria are met.
The project is legally compliant.
Formatting has been applied.
Internal stakeholder approval has been received.
Attorney has reviewed and approved.
While defining their Acceptance Criteria, Fiona and Gabriel discuss what needs to be included. For example, proper formatting. Is that part of the criteria or not? Having added the parties correctly? Verified the citations? Is that all part of the Acceptance Criteria themselves, would these topics better reside in a checklist that they might refer to, or is there an even better approach? Gabriel certainly wants to have everything at hand, while Fiona notes that the obvious stuff should not be mentioned as to avoid unnecessary formalities. But she agrees that it might be difficult for a less seasoned colleague to know everything. You learn from experience, don’t you?
They initially revert to starting a checklist and just having the case specifics in their list. Once back in the office, Fiona recalls that Alice gave her an Agile workbook, she skips through the pages and notices the chapter “Definition of Done”. She briefly takes a step back. Haven’t Gabriel and her just discussed Acceptance Criteria and defined a checklist for the work on the respective Item? Is that a different word for the same thing? The book disagrees. While Acceptance Criteria define the specific requirements for that single Item, it explains that the Defi nition of Done is a generalized description, a checklist for the things that all Items need to fulfi l. Well, not all Items need to fulfi l the same exact one, but the Defi nition of Done is the standardized and overarching part corresponding to the Acceptance Criteria. She drops Ga- briel a line on their internal messaging system about her finding. It makes sense and can align to their internal work organization, the firm’s knowledge management and, last but certainly not least, also training and onboarding.
Within a litigation project there might be Items with a few different Definitions of Done, depending on the required outcome, e.g. one for factual analysis and one for court submissions.
What (quality) criteria does the work produced for an Item need to meet?
Are there legal or formal requirements that need to be fulfilled?
Acceptance Criteria for the Item are met.
Legal assessment has been executed.
Formatting has been applied.
File names have been issued appropriately and it has been saved in the correct place.
All links to documents in the file system are working and updated.
Correct party/parties have been added.
Attorney has reviewed and approved.
What (quality) criteria does the work produced for an Item need to meet?
Are there legal or formal requirements that need to be fulfilled?
... ... ... ... ...
