The said-done gap: when “done” isn't done
The said-done gap is the space between someone reporting a task complete and the task actually being complete and verified.
“It's done” is three of the most expensive words in a growing company — because “done” can mean shipped and verified, or it can mean written, merged, or simply intended. The gap is everything those three words quietly skip.
Why is the said-done gap so expensive?
Because everything downstream trusts the word “done.” A feature marked done gets announced; a deal marked closed gets forecast; an onboarding marked complete gets a renewal scheduled. When done wasn't done, the cost compounds through every decision built on top of it.
How do you close the said-done gap?
With a shared, explicit definition of done — and a check that pairs the claim of completion with the evidence of it. “Done” should mean the same verifiable thing to everyone, every time.
Frequently asked
Isn't the said-done gap solved by a definition of done?
A clear definition of done narrows it, but doesn't close it on its own — you still have to check claims against that definition. Otherwise “done” just becomes a label people apply optimistically.
Stop being the reality check.
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