What should always be maintained in a Scrum Team to ensure smooth collaboration and integration?

Maintaining a unified Definition of Done is essential for ensuring smooth collaboration and integration within a Scrum Team. The Definition of Done represents a shared understanding among team members of what it means for a product increment to be complete. This includes clear criteria and standards that must be met before delivering any increment to stakeholders.

Having a single Definition of Done enables all team members, including the Product Owner and Developers, to have a common baseline for quality, ensuring that every completed piece of work meets the same standards. It reduces ambiguity and fosters an environment of trust and accountability, as everyone knows the expectations and can work together more effectively. When the Definition of Done is consistently applied, it enhances the quality of deliverables and ensures that necessary considerations, such as testing and documentation, are uniformly adhered to.

Ensuring a unified Definition of Done can help mitigate misunderstandings regarding what is required for each task and ultimately supports better synergy within the team. This cohesion is critical for maintaining quality and achieving the team's objectives in an organized manner.