Does the Product Owner have the final say on if an Increment is Done?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It depends on the team
• D. The Scrum Master decides

Answer: (B)

In Scrum, the status of an Increment as “Done” comes from a shared understanding, not a single person’s authority. The Definition of Done is a standard agreed by the Scrum Team, and the Developers are responsible for producing an Increment that meets that DoD. The Product Owner plays a key role by validating that the Increment also satisfies the acceptance criteria and by deciding whether it meets the expected value, but they do not have unilateral final authority to declare something done on their own. If the Increment meets the DoD and acceptance criteria, the Product Owner can accept it; if not, it isn’t considered done and work continues. This collaborative approach keeps quality and value aligned while separating delivery completion from release decisions.