What's Done Is Done: Releases

  Agile   Scrum   ProjectsAtWork  

At the release level, we approach the meaning of “done” more strategically by aligning User Stories with Epics and Vision Statements — all of which should be shared across the Scrum Team and all stakeholders so that they can see the building and not just the bricks. Here are some examples of what that looks like.

In a previous installment of this series, we looked at what "done" means at the Sprint level. Declaring "done" for a Sprint involves a collaborative effort primarily on the part of the Scrum Team but with ultimate acceptance by the Product Owner. There are ceremonies that serve to communicate status and elicit feedback so that there are inputs for improving both the product and the process moving forward.

In the case of Releases, the discussion and decisions about what "done" means turn to more of the strategic and becomes more heavily weighted on the Product Owner with support from the Scrum Team and Scrum Master. There might be multiple releases for a product that comprise the product's lifecycle. The focus of what is delivered in the releases is shaped by the product's Vision Statement and Epics.

Individual sprints within a release will generally have slightly different goals and focus that align with the vision statements and Epics. Toward the beginning of a new product's lifecycle, the sprints tend to be …

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