Done

Just browsing through Yahoo Group’s eXtreme Programming forum  and came across a discussion on what Done is and when you have Ron Jefferies and Kent Beck contributing on the discussion you can’t help but gain or be amused. Kent Beck’s definition is ‘requires no further investment to get the return I anticipated’ – simple, defined, open, accurate. Done is done as determined by the person making the decision. You can try to definitively describe what your anticipated return is through TDD, predefined plans, requirements, automated burn charts, PMO’s, etc…but it takes the decision maker, at the time she/he designates to determine Done…Done could be a sign of success, realization of failure or acceptance of good enough. Books, classes, endless blogging (this one included) can try to better define done…but Mr. Beck, Master of his domain, has defined it best…