Definition of Done (CQ)¶
Owner: Vi | Updated: 2026-02-05
Purpose¶
Clear checklists for what "done" means at each phase. These match the Alpha-Beta-Final Workflow.
Remember: Alpha = bicycle, Beta = scooter (70%+), Final = car v0.1
Alpha Done: "Solution Direction Validated"¶
Goal: Prove the solution works. Not perfect—just enough to show direction.
Required Checklist¶
- Core solution works (happy path)
- Can demo the main user flow
- Stakeholder can see "this is the direction"
- Deployed somewhere reviewable (staging, preview, Loom)
- Feedback requested from Vi/stakeholders
- ClickUp task updated: Status = "Alpha Review"
Questions to Answer¶
Before marking Alpha done, ask yourself: 1. Does this solve the user's problem (even roughly)? 2. Can I explain what problem this solves? 3. Is this a bicycle, not a perfect engine?
NOT Required at Alpha¶
- Edge cases
- Error handling
- Polished UI
- Perfect architecture
- Production-ready code
- Complete feature set
Alpha Review Checklist (for Vi/Reviewers)¶
- Does this direction make sense?
- Is the core solution validated?
- Ready to give feedback and proceed to Beta?
Duration: ≤ 3 days
Beta Done: "70%+ Feature Live in Production"¶
Goal: Refined, 70%+ complete, shipped to production under beta flag.
Required Checklist¶
- Alpha feedback incorporated
- Clear direction confirmed (not still experimenting)
- At least 70% of final feature scope complete
- Core functions work end-to-end
- Proper UI (not mockup—real interface users can use)
- Deployed to production under beta flag
- Users can achieve the main goal of the feature
- QA has done minimum test set
- Major bugs fixed (dev owns bug fixing)
- Designer has seen it and given advisement
- ClickUp task updated: Status = "Beta Review"
The 70% Test¶
Ask: Can a user accomplish the main job with this feature?
| Feature | 70% Looks Like |
|---|---|
| Cold email outreach | Send email, receive replies, basic tracking |
| AI search | Type natural language query, get relevant results |
| Task management | Create tasks, assign, mark complete |
If users can't do the core job, you're not at 70%.
Questions to Answer¶
Before marking Beta done: 1. Is this in production (beta flag)? 2. Can real users use the core feature? 3. Is this at least 70% of what Final will be? 4. Do I understand what I'm building well enough to refine it?
NOT Required at Beta¶
- 100% feature complete
- Pixel-perfect design
- All edge cases
- Performance optimization
- Full design polish
Beta Review Checklist (for Vi/Reviewers)¶
- Is this 70%+ complete?
- Is it live in production (beta flag)?
- Can users accomplish the core goal?
- Ready for second round of feedback?
Duration: 1-2 weeks
Final Done: "v0.1 Ready for All Users"¶
Goal: Complete feature set. Dev is the expert. Erik approves.
Required Checklist¶
- Beta feedback incorporated
- Complete feature set (everything user needs for v0.1)
- All user flows work end-to-end
- Edge cases handled
- Error states show meaningful messages
- Designer has reviewed and approved
- Full design polish applied
- All QA bugs resolved
- Performance acceptable
- Dev can teach the feature to anyone on the team
- Dev can "speak for the client" (understands what they actually want)
- Ready to remove beta flag
- ClickUp task updated: Status = "Ready for Erik Review"
The "Expert" Test¶
By Final, the dev should be able to: - [ ] Explain the feature to a new team member - [ ] Answer "why did you build it this way?" for any decision - [ ] Predict what the client would want in edge cases - [ ] Instruct the designer on requirements - [ ] Delegate sub-tasks to other devs with clear specs
If you can't do these, you don't understand the feature deeply enough.
Complete Feature Example¶
Cold Email Outreach v0.1: - [ ] Upload contact list - [ ] Draft emails with templates - [ ] Set sending schedule - [ ] Create multi-email sequences - [ ] Track engagement (opens, clicks) - [ ] Handle replies - [ ] Full workflow works end-to-end
Questions to Answer¶
Before marking Final done: 1. Is this the complete v0.1 feature set? 2. Can I teach this to anyone? 3. Do I understand what the client actually wants (not just what they said)? 4. Would Erik be proud to show this to users?
Final Review Checklist (for Erik)¶
- Is this the complete v0.1?
- Does this solve the user's problem fully?
- Ready to release to all users?
Duration: 2 weeks - 1 month
Approved by: Erik
Quick Reference¶
| Phase | Core Question | Key Requirement | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | Does solution direction work? | Happy path demo | ≤ 3 days |
| Beta | Is it 70%+ and usable? | Live in production (beta flag) | 1-2 weeks |
| Final | Is v0.1 complete? | Dev is expert, Erik approves | 2 weeks - 1 month |
The Journey of Understanding¶
| Phase | Dev's Understanding |
|---|---|
| Alpha | "I'm exploring how to solve this problem" |
| Beta | "I know the direction, I'm building it properly" |
| Final | "I can teach this to anyone and speak for the client" |
Handling "Not Done"¶
Alpha not done after 3 days?¶
- Are you over-building? Alpha should be rough.
- Are you stuck? Use Blocked Protocol.
- Is scope too big? Talk to Vi about splitting.
Beta not at 70%?¶
- You're still in Alpha. Stay there.
- Get clearer direction from feedback.
- Don't call it Beta until it's truly 70%+.
Final taking longer than expected?¶
- Is scope creeping? New features = new Alpha cycle.
- Are there too many bugs? Revisit Beta quality.
- Talk to Vi/Ryan about timeline.
What "Done" is NOT¶
| This is NOT done | Why |
|---|---|
| "It works on my machine" | Must be deployed and reviewable |
| "The main thing works" | Beta needs 70%, Final needs 100% of v0.1 |
| "I'll polish it later" | Final means polished |
| "I think the client wants X" | Final means you KNOW what client wants |
| "It's basically done" | Either checklist complete or not |
Summary¶
Alpha Done = Solution direction validated, can demo happy path
Beta Done = 70%+ complete, live in production (beta flag), users can use it
Final Done = v0.1 complete, dev is expert, Erik approves
The bicycle → scooter → car progression is real. Don't skip steps.