# What is a Definition of Done? What is a Checklist? Why do you need them?

**URL:** <https://community.nextw.com/t/what-is-a-definition-of-done-what-is-a-checklist-why-do-you-need-them/1479>\
**Category:** How Tos\
**Created:** [November 20, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/what-is-a-definition-of-done-what-is-a-checklist-why-do-you-need-them/1479 "2025-11-20T23:00:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bethany.k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.nextw.com/bethany.k/32/111_2.png) [@bethany.k](https://community.nextw.com/u/bethany.k)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.nextw.com/t/what-is-a-definition-of-done-what-is-a-checklist-why-do-you-need-them/1479/1 "2025-11-20T23:00:56Z")

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As you develop features on the platform, it’s important to have a shared definition of when your story or feature is truly ready for release. This ensures consistent quality, reduces last-minute surprises, and improves collaboration across development, QA, and documentation teams.

Below is an example of what a Definition of Done (DoD) and supporting Checklist might look like. Every team should tailor these to fit their own processes and business needs. You may also want separate DoDs for stories and features (since a feature often includes multiple stories). The DoD sets your shared quality standard, while the Checklist outlines the specific steps to achieve it. Together, they create a clear, repeatable process that helps your team deliver high-quality, releasable features, while making collaboration and onboarding smoother and more predictable.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/uploads/nextworld/original/1X/7e00ef88c6e6b07befc5126bfef5d35bdb00f72b.png)

**Tips for Success:** Making Your DoD and Checklist Work

- **Automate as you go**
  - Integrate automated tests while you build to help meet the testing requirements in your DoD. While this may take more time upfront, it prevents bugs and reduces manual testing later, making it easier to confidently mark your story or feature as “done.”

- **Show early and often**
  - Use mini demos or desk checks to gather feedback as you develop. This ensures that acceptance criteria are being met and helps you adjust before your checklist items accumulate, keeping your feature aligned with your DoD.

- **Collaborate deeply**
  - Peer coding or swarming lets multiple team members review and contribute as you work through your checklist. This improves code quality, metadata accuracy, and overall alignment with your Definition of Done.

_What does your team include in your Definition of Done or Checklist? Feel free to share your best practices below!_