Definition of Ready (DoR)
A Definition of Ready (DoR) is a set of criteria a team agrees a backlog item must meet before it can be pulled into a sprint, such as a clear description, testable acceptance criteria, an estimate and no unresolved blocking dependencies. It is a team working agreement rather than an official part of Scrum, and it complements the Definition of Done, which applies when work finishes.
How a Definition of Ready Works
A team writes its Definition of Ready together, usually as a short checklist, and applies it during refinement and Sprint Planning. The Scrum pattern community's version of the pattern lists criteria such as these:
- The item is immediately actionable by the team.
- It delivers demonstrable value.
- The product owner and developers have discussed it.
- The team has estimated it.
- It is testable, with acceptance criteria specified.
- It is small enough to complete within one sprint.
Teams often add their own criteria, such as designs being attached, data needs being known or each blocking dependency being resolved or scheduled. Roman Pichler summarizes the intent in three words: a ready item is clear, feasible and testable.
The Scrum Guide does not define a Definition of Ready. It uses the related idea that items which can be done within one sprint are "ready for selection" in Sprint Planning, and says they usually reach that state through refinement. A DoR is one way to make that state explicit.
Why a Definition of Ready Matters
Items that enter a sprint half understood tend to grow, stall or come back for rework. A shared checklist catches the usual gaps, such as missing criteria, unknown dependencies or oversized stories, before the team commits. It also gives developers a clear, non-personal way to say an item is not ready yet.
The risk is turning readiness into a rigid gate. If every item must be fully specified before work starts, the team slides toward handoffs and long upfront analysis, which agile methods try to avoid. Pichler cautions that frequent rejection of items usually signals a collaboration problem between the product owner and the team, not a need for a stricter checklist. A good DoR stays short and is used during backlog refinement, so items arrive at planning already ready. For a practical view of preparing tickets with scope, hierarchy and dependencies, see how to write sprint-ready tickets.
Definition of Ready Example
A team's DoR has five points: the user problem is stated, acceptance criteria are written, the item has an estimate, designs are linked if there is interface work, and no blocking dependency is unresolved. In planning, a story to add two-factor login fails the last point because the SMS provider contract is not signed. The team leaves it in the backlog and selects the next ready item instead.
Definition of Ready vs. Definition of Done
The Definition of Ready applies at the start: when an item may enter a sprint. The Definition of Done applies at the end: the quality standard work must meet to count as part of the increment. The Definition of Done is a formal commitment in Scrum, while the Definition of Ready is an optional practice.