a·gen·tic a·gil·i·ty

What Does a Poor Product Backlog Look Like?

Learn how to recognise a poor product backlog in Agile and Scrum, including signs like lack of order, unclear priorities, and confusion among team members and stakeholders.

Published on
2 minute read
Image
https://nkdagility.com/resources/JqVrh-g-0f8
Subscribe

The Order of Product Backlogs

In the world of Agile and Scrum , a question I often encounter is, “What does a poor product backlog look like?”

Identifying a Poor Product Backlog

Spotting a poor product backlog, in my experience, is just imagining a backlog that feels unordered, where the critical items aren’t prioritised.  🚫 

When pivotal tasks get buried and there’s a lack of clarity, you’re in the territory of a poor backlog.

If your team can’t decipher the contents, and stakeholders are left scratching their heads, it’s definitely a red flag. 🚩

Unpacking an Ideal Product Backlog

Let’s flip the script.  🌟 

I think it’s crucial to shift the perspective and ask, rather than just highlighting the flaws, let’s flip the narrative.

So, What is a Stellar Product Backlog?

A good product backlog is a well-understood, meticulously ordered list.  ✅ 

A list where everyone — from developers to stakeholders — knows its contents.

Everyone is in sync.  They comprehend their roles, understand how to aid in their completion, and recognise their contribution to overarching organisational goals.

Let’s elevate your product backlog lists together if you’re keen to transition from a ‘poor’ to a ‘good’ backlog and unravel the intricacies of effective product management .

Remember, whether you’re a seasoned Agile pro or a newcomer, ensuring a well-maintained product backlog is pivotal.

Uh, poor product backlog is probably unordered. Probably the stuff that’s important is not at the top. Probably the team doesn’t understand what all the things are in the product backlog, and the stakeholders don’t understand it either.

What’s a better idea? A good product backlog looks like a well-understood, ordered list that everybody can get behind. Everybody understands what’s in there. Everybody understands what they need to do to get the things that are in there and how they can help and how it contributes towards the overall organisational goals.

Smart Classifications

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.

Subscribe

Connect with Martin Hinshelwood

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.

Our Happy Clients​

We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.​

MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltd. Logo

MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltd.

Lockheed Martin Logo

Lockheed Martin

Deliotte Logo

Deliotte

Boeing Logo

Boeing

Kongsberg Maritime Logo

Kongsberg Maritime

ALS Life Sciences Logo

ALS Life Sciences

NIT A/S

Milliman Logo

Milliman

Qualco Logo

Qualco

Brandes Investment Partners L.P. Logo

Brandes Investment Partners L.P.

Freadom Logo

Freadom

Slicedbread Logo

Slicedbread

Sage Logo

Sage

CR2

Microsoft Logo

Microsoft

Cognizant Microsoft Business Group (MBG) Logo

Cognizant Microsoft Business Group (MBG)

Hubtel Ghana Logo

Hubtel Ghana

Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company) Logo

Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)

Washington Department of Enterprise Services Logo

Washington Department of Enterprise Services

Washington Department of Transport Logo

Washington Department of Transport

Nottingham County Council Logo

Nottingham County Council

Department of Work and Pensions (UK) Logo

Department of Work and Pensions (UK)

New Hampshire Supreme Court Logo

New Hampshire Supreme Court

Ghana Police Service Logo

Ghana Police Service

Alignment Healthcare Logo

Alignment Healthcare

Philips Logo

Philips

Trayport Logo

Trayport

Workday Logo

Workday

New Signature Logo

New Signature

Boeing Logo

Boeing