Balancing backlog refinement prevents wasted effort and chaos. Aim for just enough detail so developers can plan sprints confidently without over-preparing or guessing.
Too much refinement wastes time. Too little refinement leads to chaos. The key is knowing where to draw the line.
Scrum teams often fall into one of two traps:
The goal isn’t perfection—it’s readiness. Your backlog should be refined just enough that developers can confidently pull work into a Sprint without endless clarification.
It’s about finding the Goldilocks zone: Not too much, not too little. Just enough.
How do you know if you’ve found it? Your Sprint Planning should be focused on commitment, not discovery.
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.
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Schlumberger
Boxit Document Solutions
Bistech
Philips
Brandes Investment Partners L.P.
Xceptor - Process and Data Automation
Lockheed Martin
Lean SA
Jack Links
New Signature
Milliman
Workday
Healthgrades
Qualco
Teleplan
Higher Education Statistics Agency
Alignment Healthcare
Sage
New Hampshire Supreme Court
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
Ghana Police Service
Royal Air Force
Washington Department of Enterprise Services
Nottingham County Council
NIT A/S
Boxit Document Solutions
Qualco
Hubtel Ghana
Slicedbread
Slaughter and May