What is the Definition of Ready?
It is a set of criteria that defines the requirements an item must meet before being developed.
Definition
The Definition of Ready, DoR, is a set of criteria agreed upon by the Product Owner and the Developers in Scrum, which outlines the requirements a Product Backlog item must meet before being selected for a Sprint Backlog.
Criteria for Readiness
The DoR ensures that items are sufficiently refined, understood, and feasible for implementation, reducing the risk of delays and misunderstandings during Sprint Planning.
Not Part of Scrum
Although not a formal part of the Scrum framework, the DoR serves, in some cases, as a collaborative tool, promoting communication and shared understanding between the Product Owner and the Development Team.
Antipattern
The DoR is considered an antipattern because it goes against the principles of empiricism in Scrum, hindering a team's ability to follow empirical process control and can become a barrier to communication and autonomy for the team.