How can you keep your product backlog current in an agile project?

Low priority items get pushed to the end of the backlog, this backlog keeps growing over time. Teams feel discouraged to clean it up, or not have the time due to new priorities from stakeholders. To address this, I've found that extending a refinement session every 2 to 3 PIs can help. Start with a 2-hour session initially and adjust the duration based on the number of backlog items and based on how much you clean up in that session. During the session, the SCRUM team goes through the backlog bottom to top, reviewing old items first. Ignore the urge to keep items in the backlog! if you are unsure wither you need to keep the item or not then in most cases you don't. This approach ensures that your backlog remains fresh and up to date.

In my experience it’s easiest to keep the backlog small by only allowing Must have items to get onto it. Everything else just clutters the backlog and needs a constant check during refinement. And when anything that did not make it to the backlog in the first place might become a must have later on and still enters it. Also forcing the business users to rethink their priorities and requests.

A backlog is not a wishlist. Items get stale. Refine the priority items. Don't spend much time on lower priority items. Be realistic and remove items if they're not going to get done. Let go, if the need arises for the item later it can be looked at with a fresh perspective.

Ich finde die Idee ein Backlog wie die "Offen Spalte" beim Naked Planning zu behandeln, recht zielführend: Beim Naked Planning darf ich die Offen-Spalte lediglich mit maximal 7 Aufgaben befüllen. Die Anzahl 7 hat Arlo Belshee gewählt, weil dies die Menge an Dingen ist, die ein durchschnittlicher Mensch in seinem Kurzzeitgedächtnis speichern kann. Niemand im Team arbeitet an mehr als einer Aufgabe. Erst wenn diese aus Sicht der Kunden erledigt ist, darf sich das Teammitglied der nächsten Aufgabe zuwenden. Sobald eine Aufgabe erledigt ist, kann der Kunde eine neue Aufgabe hinzufügen.

Backlog refinement is a very crucial task along with assigning priority following the discussion with PO... In my view it is good to have clear consensus with the team and PO that the backlog length and priority will be maintained and renewed However Obselete backlog items( 0lder than 2 to 3 sprints or months ) can be deleted and if required fresh backlog items can be created.

I find having weekly sync meetings with your stakeholders insures you are always up to date with their needs and expectations. Communication and feedback are key to help your team always deliver value!

A practical tool for effective backlog management for non-product engineering squads can be MS teams - task board. Easy to setup and manage and no separate licensing cost - easy to use also specially in Orgs where MS teams have been adopted as the global collaboration tool. For product engineering teams, apart from what has been mentioned, there is also a module in Service Now that can be used effectively for backlog management.

One strategy that I follow when writing a user story that keeps it small, is to manage it not to be longer than one working day based on my knowledge of the project and the development team.

In our project we normally split the jira if the story point is more than 5. Also we make sure that particular story can be completed with in the iteration or the sprint

Keeping the product backlog current is a shared responsibility but primarily owned by the Product Owner. The Product Owner should actively seek and incorporate inputs to maintain its relevance. Regular backlog refinement sessions are essential. If a story becomes too large or vague, it should be split or redefined to maintain its "small" and "estimable" attributes. A Product Goal, as introduced in the 2020 Scrum Guide, can act as a North Star. It helps ensure the backlog remains focused on the overarching objective. If the market shifts, the Product Goal might be adjusted, influencing the backlog content.

By following these practices, your backlog stays focused and efficient. - Prioritize based on needs and goals. - Remove duplicates and obsolete items. - Respond to customer feedback promptly. - Regularly groom and refine items. - Limit the backlog to the next few sprints.

Managing a cluttered backlog in a new role? Here's how I cut through the chaos: 1. Establish an 'Archive' or 'Parking Lot' project space in your task system, like JIRA. 2. Draw a timeline; archive tasks older than 12 months and unstarted. Decide within a day, based on your industry norms. 3. Use bulk updates to move pre-12-month tasks to the 'Parking Lot.' 4. Inform stakeholders they have a few weeks to reclaim essential tasks; otherwise, they'll remain archived. 5. Remember, indecision contributes to clutter. 6. Assemble a 'Clutter Patrol'—a cross-functional team. Hold bi-weekly meetings to prune the backlog By taking these steps in my last venture, we not only cleaned up the backlog but also made the process engaging and collaborative.

Stop the "project" mentality and start thinking about "product". After all these years, I have yet to find a definition of "Agile Project". What is an Agile Project?

A few action items: - sensible labels - quick filters that correspond to the labels - a “sprint” section used to highlight tickets being scoped to separate active backlog from static backlog