Product backlog

The Product Backlog lists any required deliverables. Its contents are ordered by business value. Backlog Item priority might change, requirements can be added and removed - thus the Product Backlog is a continuously maintained plan towards a growing business value.

The Product Backlog is presented to the team during Sprint Planning Meeting.

Product Backlog items can be technical tasks, such as Refactor the class to throw an exception or more user-centric Allow undo in text edit fields.
Additional stories describing the requirements can be done during the Sprint Planning Meeting.

Creating a Product backlog

  1. The Product Owner compiles all the requests and specifications on basis of the changes of the product, new functions and bug fixes.
  2. After the goals have been defined, the entirety is broken down into segments - Epics.
  3. Each segment should in part create business value and in part be sub-deliverable.
  4. A prioritized list is made at the same time. The Product Owner personally makes the decisions at this point in what order should the changes be made and delivered.

The result is a todo list arranged according to how the market's demands and customer's requests change over time.
When it is time to start a new Sprint, the Product Owner freezes the foremost items on the to-do list and summons the Scrum Team to a meeting.

Ordering the product backlog

The Product Backlog is normally ordered and grouped as described below:

  • Current Sprint as placed on the Selected Product Backlog
  • Probably next Sprint. Deliverables which Product Owner prioritizes as important and think is realistically to deliver for next Sprint.
  • Lower priority items. Deliverables which Product Owner think is valuable but less important than others.
  • Complete Items. Deliverables which are completely Done, but not released yet.
  • Released items. Deliverables which has been released.