A Great Backlog Is More Than Task Lists
Learn how an effective backlog guides product strategy, prioritises value, and supports decision-making, rather than serving as a simple list of tasks …
TL;DR; A backlog packed with every idea signals indecision, not good product management. Overloaded backlogs make it hard to prioritize, confuse stakeholders, and slow teams down. Keep your backlog focused on the most valuable upcoming work and regularly remove items your team cannot realistically address.

A bloated backlog is not a sign of good product management. It’s a sign of indecision.
If your backlog reads like an archive of every idea that’s ever been considered, you’re setting your team up for failure. The backlog is not a dumping ground for every possibility, it’s a lean inventory of unrealised value.
A cluttered backlog creates noise. It obscures priorities, confuses stakeholders, and forces teams to wade through irrelevance. The best backlogs? They are sharp, clear, and reflect only the next most valuable work.
If your backlog has more items than your team could complete in a year, it’s time to clean house.
What’s stopping you?
Each classification [Concepts, Categories, & Tags] was assigned using AI-powered semantic analysis and scored across relevance, depth, and alignment. Final decisions? Still human. Always traceable. Hover to see how it applies.
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.

Teleplan

Graham & Brown

Jack Links

Genus Breeding Ltd

ProgramUtvikling

Hubtel Ghana

Illumina

Slicedbread

Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd

Sage

Akaditi

Big Data for Humans

Xceptor - Process and Data Automation

Deliotte

Slaughter and May
NIT A/S

Higher Education Statistics Agency
Boxit Document Solutions

New Hampshire Supreme Court

Washington Department of Enterprise Services

Ghana Police Service

Royal Air Force

Nottingham County Council

Department of Work and Pensions (UK)

Microsoft

Genus Breeding Ltd

Emerson Process Management
CR2

New Signature

Philips