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Practices

Definition of Ready

Common Practice Practice

A checklist that defines when a backlog item is ready to be worked on.

Plain English explanation

The Definition of Ready helps the team know when a task is clear enough to start working on. It can act like a readiness check.

Why it matters

Without clarity, work starts with confusion. This helps ensure items are ready before entering a Sprint.

How it works

Teams define criteria like clear description, acceptance criteria, and estimation before pulling items into a Sprint.

Example

A backlog item is considered ready only if it has acceptance criteria, is estimated, and is understood by the team.

Common myths

Definition of Ready is not part of official Scrum and should not become a rigid gate.

Key points

  • Improves clarity before work starts
  • Reduces confusion in Sprints
  • Not an official Scrum concept
  • Should remain flexible

Learning note

This is a common Agile/Scrum-related term or practice included to help learners understand language often used around Scrum.

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