Which term defines the criteria that must be satisfied for backlog item to be considered complete and releasable?

• A. Definition of Ready
• B. Acceptance Criteria
• C. Quality Gate
• D. Definition of Done

Answer: (D)

Definition of Done is the set of criteria that must be met for a backlog item to be considered complete and releasable. It provides a shared, end-to-end standard that the team uses to ensure work is fully ready for release, not just finished in code or locally tested. DoD typically covers aspects like successful testing (unit, integration, and possibly end-to-end), code quality and reviews, documentation updates, alignment with architecture and compliance requirements, and readiness for deployment. This ensures there’s no surprise work left after a goal is considered finished; the item can go through release processes with confidence.

Acceptance criteria describe what the product should do from the user’s perspective for a specific backlog item, and define the conditions to consider that item acceptable to the Product Owner, but they don’t by themselves guarantee releasability. Definition of Ready focuses on what must be true before the team starts work, ensuring work items are well enough understood and sized to begin. Quality Gate isn’t a standard SAFe term for backlog completion, so DoD remains the authoritative criterion for when something is truly done and releasable.