Two definitions of done can both be true
Two people close the same piece of work at different moments and both of them are finished. What separates them is not care and not skill, it is what each one is holding the work up against, and where the
stopping condition
Meaning
A stopping condition is a pre-defined criterion or state that, when met, signals the completion of a task, process, or work item, indicating that further effort is no longer required or productive. This condition serves as an explicit end-point for activity, providing a clear and objective signal to cease work. It acts as a governor on ongoing effort, ensuring that resources are not expended beyond the point of achieving the desired outcome.
Work Completion
The primary role of a stopping condition is to define when a piece of work reaches its completion. It provides a founder with a definitive metric or state against which to measure progress and determine when to close out a task. Without a clear stopping condition, a founder risks indefinite refinement or over-delivery, which consumes capacity without adding proportionate value.
It establishes a quantifiable end to an activity.
Resource Preservation
Implementing a stopping condition acts as a mechanism for the preservation of a founder’s resources, particularly time, energy, and attention. By setting an explicit end-point, it prevents the continuation of effort past the point of diminishing returns. This helps a founder avoid the costs associated with sunk work by defining exactly how much is enough.
It ensures that finite resources are not needlessly expended on an already finished task.
External Alignment
A stopping condition can align a founder’s internal sense of completion with the external expectations of a partner or client. When the condition is mutually agreed upon, it creates a shared understanding of what “done” means. This prevents situations where a founder considers work finished, yet the counterparty expects further adjustments, leading to additional, uncompensated effort.
It standardizes the definition of a final deliverable.