Backlog Grooming, Backlog Refinement
Backlog refinement (formerly known as backlog grooming) is when the product owner and some, or all, of the rest of the team, review items on the backlog to ensure the backlog contains the appropriate items, that they are prioritized, and that the items at the top of the backlog are ready for delivery. This activity occurs regularly and may be an officially scheduled meeting or ongoing training. Some of the activities that arise during this refinement of the backlog include:
- removing user stories that no longer appear relevant
- creating new user stories in response to newly discovered needs
- re-assessing the relative priority of stories
- assigning estimates to stories that have yet to receive one
- correcting forecasts in light of newly discovered information
- splitting user stories that are high priority but too coarse-grained to fit in an upcoming iteration
In agile development, a backlog is a prioritized list of features, bug fixes, or other work items that must be completed to deliver a product or service. The backlog is a living document constantly updated as new requirements are identified, and old conditions are changed or removed.
The backlog is typically managed by the product owner, who is responsible for ensuring that the backlog reflects the customer’s needs. The product owner works with the development team to prioritize the backlog and ensure that the work is completed to meet the customer’s needs.
The backlog is essential to the agile development process because it helps ensure the development team works on the most critical work. The backlog also helps to keep the development team focused and on track.
There are two main types of backlogs in agile development: the product backlog and the sprint backlog. The product backlog is the list of work items that must be completed. The sprint backlog is the subset of the product backlog selected for the current sprint.
The product backlog is typically maintained in a tool such as Jira or Trello. The sprint backlog is generally held on a whiteboard or in a spreadsheet.
The backlog is an integral part of the agile development process. It helps to ensure that the development team is working on the most critical work, and it helps to keep the development team focused and on track.
Here are some of the benefits of using a backlog in agile development:
- Improved visibility: The backlog provides a clear and concise overview of all the work that needs to be completed. This helps to enhance visibility for everyone involved in the project, including the product owner, the development team, and the stakeholders.
- Better prioritization: The backlog allows the product owner to prioritize the work items based on their importance and urgency. This helps to ensure that the most critical work is completed first.
- Increased transparency: The backlog is a living document constantly being updated. This helps to increase transparency and accountability for everyone involved in the project.
- Improved communication: The backlog provides a common platform for communication between the product owner, the development team, and the stakeholders. This helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there are no misunderstandings.
The backlog is an essential part of the agile development process. It helps to improve visibility, prioritization, transparency, and communication. If you are using agile development, you should ensure you are using a backlog.