[DL.CR.3] Establish clear completion criteria for code tasks

Category: FOUNDATIONAL

A clear definition of done ensures that developers understand the requirements of their task, can consistently meet those requirements, and that reviewers have a sense of what they are reviewing. It provides the team with shared clarity of purpose for each change that they will be making to the code base.

To implement a clear definition of done, initiate discussions among all team members during the design phase to identify and agree on the criteria that should be included.  The done criteria should include the types of testing that need to be done (like functional, non-functional, or security tests), any required documentation (like code comments or user manuals), and the standards the code needs to meet (such as performance, availability, or team style guides).

Once these criteria are defined and agreed upon, document them, and make this definition of done available and visible to all team members. It should be used as a checklist during the code review process to ensure that all changes meet the established criteria. Having a clear definition of done can streamline the review process and reduce the number of issues that need to be addressed in later stages of the development lifecycle.