A Bloated Backlog Signals Poor Management
A cluttered backlog signals poor product management, causing confusion and lost focus. Keep backlogs lean to highlight priorities and drive valuable, …
TL;DR; A backlog should guide strategic decisions and reflect the product vision, not just list tasks. Filling it with unchecked requests leads to loss of focus and unclear priorities. Review your backlog to ensure it highlights what truly matters for delivering value and supports your product strategy.

A great backlog isn’t just a list of tasks. It’s a strategic tool for delivering value.
Too many teams treat the backlog as a never-ending to-do list, filling it with requests, features, and ideas without considering their impact. The result? A mountain of work that grows endlessly, losing focus and clarity.
A well-crafted backlog reflects:
If your backlog doesn’t help you make better decisions, it’s just noise. The question isn’t how much you have in your backlog, it’s how much of it actually matters.
What does your backlog say about your product strategy?
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.

Akaditi

Alignment Healthcare

Big Data for Humans

MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltd.

DFDS

Trayport

Emerson Process Management

ProgramUtvikling

Deliotte

Graham & Brown

Ericson

Workday

Jack Links

Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)

YearUp.org

Bistech

SuperControl

New Signature

Washington Department of Transport

New Hampshire Supreme Court

Nottingham County Council

Ghana Police Service

Royal Air Force

Department of Work and Pensions (UK)

Slicedbread

Cognizant Microsoft Business Group (MBG)

Slaughter and May

Healthgrades

Boeing

Microsoft