Done and the Increment practice questions

Answer: A) A formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product

The Scrum Guide defines the Definition of Done as a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. It is the commitment for the Increment.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide uses this exact definition. It also says that the moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done, an Increment is born.
• BIncorrect. Criteria for a single item are not the Definition of Done. The Definition of Done is a shared quality standard for the whole Increment, and the Developers are required to conform to it.
• CIncorrect. This describes items selected for the Sprint Backlog, which is a forecast by the Developers. It does not describe the quality state an Increment must reach.
• DIncorrect. This describes the Sprint Goal, which is the commitment for the Sprint Backlog. The Definition of Done is the commitment for the Increment.

Answer: A) Keep the Definition of Done intact; items that can't get the review are not Done and return to the Product Backlog.

A staffing gap does not justify lowering the Definition of Done. Quality does not decrease, and work that cannot meet the standard is not Done and returns to the Product Backlog.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says quality does not decrease during the Sprint. Work that does not meet the Definition of Done cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review and returns to the Product Backlog. The Developers can still look for another way to complete the review, but the standard stays the same.
• BIncorrect. Temporarily removing a criterion lowers quality and makes the Increment less transparent. The Guide describes the Definition of Done as the quality measures required for the product, not something to relax when staff are unavailable.
• CIncorrect. The Guide gives the Scrum Master no authority to grant Definition of Done exceptions. An item becomes part of the Increment only when it meets the Definition of Done.
• DIncorrect. An Increment is born only when an item meets the Definition of Done. An item that is missing the required review is not Done and cannot be included.

Answer: A) No — work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets the Definition of Done

• AThe Scrum Guide explicitly states that work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets the Definition of Done — this is what makes the Definition of Done a firm, non-negotiable commitment for the Increment.
• BThis is incorrect — the Scrum Guide explicitly states work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets the Definition of Done; Product Owner approval alone doesn't substitute for actually meeting it.
• CThis is incorrect and contradicts the binary nature of the Definition of Done — work either meets the Definition of Done or it doesn't; there's no partial-credit threshold like 90% that allows it to count toward the Increment.
• DThis is incorrect — merely being demonstrated at the Sprint Review doesn't make work part of the Increment; work must actually meet the Definition of Done, and if it doesn't, it shouldn't be presented as Done at the Sprint Review at all.

Answer: A) Each Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal and is additive to all prior Increments, which must work together.

An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each one is additive to all prior Increments and verified so that all Increments work together as the product grows.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says an Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each Increment is additive to all prior Increments and thoroughly verified, ensuring that all Increments work together.
• BIncorrect. Increments do not replace earlier ones. The Guide says each Increment is additive to all prior Increments, and they must all work together.
• CIncorrect. The Guide says multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint. It also says the Sprint Review should never be treated as a gate to releasing value.
• DIncorrect. The Guide describes the Increment as a stepping stone toward the Product Goal. It is thoroughly verified so that it works together with all prior Increments, not kept separate from them.

Answer: A) The Scrum Team must create a Definition of Done appropriate for the product

If the organization has no Definition of Done, the Scrum Team must create one appropriate for the product. Work cannot count as part of an Increment until it meets that definition.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide states that if the Definition of Done is not an organizational standard, the Scrum Team must create a Definition of Done appropriate for the product.
• BIncorrect. Item-level criteria do not replace the Definition of Done. The Guide says work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets the Definition of Done.
• CIncorrect. Without a Definition of Done, the team cannot tell whether work is part of an Increment. The Guide requires the Scrum Team to create one when no organizational standard exists.
• DIncorrect. The Scrum Guide gives this job to the Scrum Team, not to the Scrum Master alone. The Developers are then required to conform to the Definition of Done.

Answer: A) It does not meet the Definition of Done, so it is not part of the Increment and should return to the Product Backlog for future consideration

Work that skips any criterion in the Definition of Done does not meet it, so it cannot be part of the Increment. It cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review, and it goes back to the Product Backlog.

• ACorrect. Work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets the Definition of Done. The Guide says an item that does not meet it cannot be released or even presented at the Sprint Review, and should return to the Product Backlog for future consideration.
• BIncorrect. The Product Owner cannot waive the Definition of Done. An item that does not meet it can't even be presented at the Sprint Review, let alone accepted into the Increment.
• CIncorrect. Recording the gap does not make the work meet the Definition of Done. Until every agreed criterion is met, the work cannot be considered part of an Increment.
• DIncorrect. The Scrum Guide says an item that does not meet the Definition of Done cannot be released or even presented at the Sprint Review.

Answer: A) The moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done

An Increment exists only for work that meets the Definition of Done. The Scrum Guide says an Increment is born the moment a Product Backlog item meets it, which doesn't depend on Sprint Review approval or release.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide states that the moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done, an Increment is born. Work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets the Definition of Done.
• BIncorrect. Increment status depends on meeting the Definition of Done, not on acceptance at the Sprint Review. The Scrum Guide also says the Sprint Review should never be considered a gate to releasing value.
• CIncorrect. A Sprint can produce several Increments, and each one exists as soon as its work meets the Definition of Done. Increments don't wait for the end of the Sprint.
• DIncorrect. An Increment can exist before it is released. Releasing is a separate decision. What creates an Increment is meeting the Definition of Done.

Answer: A) Meeting the Definition of Done shows the Increment meets the required quality measures; whether it delivers value is inspected with stakeholders at the Sprint Review

The Definition of Done ensures the Increment meets the required quality measures, but it does not prove value. The Product Owner maximizes value, and the outcome is inspected with stakeholders at the Sprint Review.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide describes the Definition of Done as the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. Value is a separate question. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing value, and the Sprint Review inspects the outcome of the Sprint with key stakeholders to decide on future adaptations.
• BIncorrect. Each Increment is a stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Meeting the Definition of Done on a Sprint's items does not show that the Product Goal has been achieved.
• CIncorrect. The Definition of Done is a quality standard, not a value sign-off. The Sprint Review exists so the outcome can be inspected with stakeholders and future direction adapted.
• DIncorrect. The Scrum Guide does not treat the number of completed items as a measure of value. Value is the Product Owner's accountability and is inspected with stakeholders at the Sprint Review.

Answer: A) The first item became part of an Increment the moment it met the Definition of Done; the second is not part of an Increment and cannot be presented as done at the Sprint Review

An Increment is born the moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done. Work that does not meet it cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review, and it returns to the Product Backlog.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says that the moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done, an Increment is born. Work that does not meet the Definition of Done cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review, and it returns to the Product Backlog for future consideration.
• BIncorrect. An Increment is born when an item meets the Definition of Done, not when it is accepted at the Sprint Review. The Guide also says the Sprint Review should never be considered a gate to releasing value.
• CIncorrect. The Definition of Done is applied to each Product Backlog item as it is completed, and multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint. Untested work does not meet the Definition of Done, so it is not part of an Increment.
• DIncorrect. The Scrum Guide does not allow work that falls short of the Definition of Done to count as part of the Increment. That work returns to the Product Backlog.

Answer: A) No; the Definition of Done is a shared quality standard for every Increment, while item-level criteria (not a Scrum Guide term) describe one item

The Definition of Done is the Increment's commitment, a shared quality standard that applies to all work. Acceptance criteria are a common item-level practice that the Scrum Guide doesn't define, so the two are not the same thing.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide describes the Definition of Done as a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product, and it applies to all work. The Guide never mentions 'acceptance criteria'. That is a common complementary practice for describing what a specific item must do.
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Guide does not use the term 'acceptance criteria' at all, so it cannot be the Guide's name for anything. The Definition of Done is its own named commitment for the Increment.
• CIncorrect. The Definition of Done is not rewritten by the Product Owner every Sprint. It comes from organizational standards or is created by the Scrum Team, and the Developers must conform to it. The Guide also gives the organization no role in setting criteria for individual items.
• DIncorrect. Meeting item-specific criteria does not by itself mean the work meets the Definition of Done. Work becomes part of an Increment only when it meets the Definition of Done.