Engagement Definition of Done

Use this definition of done to decide whether an engagement workstream is actually complete. Completion means the client can operate and extend the work, not merely that artifacts exist.

Definition of done

A workstream is done when:

• The owner accepts responsibility for the outcome.
• Documentation is linked from the normal place teams look.
• Deployment, rollback, and operational procedures are demonstrated.
• Alerts and dashboards route to the correct responders.
• Access paths are tested and least-privilege assumptions are reviewed.
• Deferred work is visible in the backlog with owner and priority.
• Risks and exceptions have expiry dates or review triggers.
• Handoff has happened with the people who will run the system.

Evidence

Completion evidence can include:

• Merged code or infrastructure changes.
• Successful pipeline and deployment records.
• Screenshots or exports from systems of record.
• Runbook exercise notes.
• Access review results.
• Service catalog entry updates.
• ADRs and decision logs.
• Recorded handoff session or training notes.

Not done yet

The work is not done when:

• Only the consulting team knows how it works.
• Production support still depends on private chat history.
• Rollback has not been tested.
• Monitoring exists but nobody owns alerts.
• The client has not accepted the remaining risks.
• Documentation describes the intent but not the actual implementation.

Closeout

During closeout, review what changed, what remains risky, what decisions are pending, and what the next 30 days should focus on. Leave fewer mysteries than you found.