{"id":11232,"date":"2022-01-18T19:09:34","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T01:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/threecloud.wpengine.com\/?p=11232"},"modified":"2024-02-28T07:47:44","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T15:47:44","slug":"taming-the-backlog-pt-1-diagnosing-an-unhealthy-product-backlog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/resources\/taming-the-backlog-pt-1-diagnosing-an-unhealthy-product-backlog\/","title":{"rendered":"Taming the Backlog\u00a0Pt. 1: Diagnosing an Unhealthy\u00a0Product\u00a0Backlog"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The product,\u00a0or team-level,\u00a0backlog\u00a0serves many purposes and\u00a0is the\u00a0single\u00a0most important artifact for Agile teams. It\u00a0essentially\u00a0serves as\u00a0a\u00a0development\u00a0team\u2019s\u00a0to-do list,\u00a0based on end user\u2019s\u00a0needs, their\u00a0experience, and desired business outcomes. Any and all work\u00a0a\u00a0team executes on is managed through their backlog\u00a0and, as\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/business-functions\/organization\/our-insights\/revisiting-agile-teams-after-an-abrupt-shift-to-remote\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">a recent McKinsey article points out<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">, a refined backlog can even help teams navigate change, like abrupt transitions in and out of the workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">On the other end of the spectrum, when organizations get\u00a0the product backlog wrong\u00a0it\u00a0inherently adds complexity and risk, which are contrary to overall agility.\u00a0In short:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">A neglected backlog<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0obscures the most important and valuable work to be done, causing confusion among the team.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">An ignored backlog<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fmisses\u00a0some of the work that the team executes\u00a0on without visibility outside the team, slowing delivery of high priority features and capabilities.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">An unhealthy backlog <\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">makes communication challenging and can result in delivery of the wrong outcome.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Never fear. You\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">can<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0tame\u00a0your backlog, and Polaris can help.\u00a0In this\u00a0new\u00a0series, we\u2019ll\u00a0look at\u00a0three\u00a0considerations\u2013ownership, contents, and prioritization\u2013that are central to\u00a0demystifying and reclaiming your\u00a0team\u2019s to-do list.\u00a0In this\u00a0first\u00a0post, we\u2019ll dive into\u00a0common\u00a0issues of ownership\u00a0along with a\u00a0few other\u00a0characteristics of unhealthy backlogs.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Top\u00a0Anti-Patterns\u00a0of Backlog Ownership<\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scaledagileframework.com\/product-owner\/#:~:text=The%20Product%20Owner%20(PO)%20is,or%20components%20for%20the%20team.\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Product Owner\u00a0title<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0is\u00a0extremely\u00a0intentional.\u00a0The most important artifact for an Agile team requires clear ownership\u00a0and, without\u00a0it, excessive risk and waste await your team. The best-case scenario\u00a0for backlog ownership\u00a0is a single, dedicated Product Owner who\u00a0works with\u00a0a single Agile team. Another acceptable scenario is\u00a0a\u00a0single Product Owner\u00a0who is\u00a0part of two teams, time allowing. Beyond these two acceptable scenarios, you step into the territory of\u00a0anti-patterns of backlog ownership. The most common\u00a0of these\u00a0are:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">Multiple Product Owners for a\u00a0Single\u00a0Team\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">This\u00a0scenario\u00a0creates competing priorities within the team itself, potentially causing\u00a0internal\u00a0discord, and certainly splitting\u00a0focus and increasing\u00a0time spent on context switching.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">Product Owner by\u00a0Committee\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">In the committee model,<\/span><strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">priorities are debated and agreed to by a small group\u2013usually the Product Manager, Engineering Lead, and a Business Lead. This approach seems manageable,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u00a0begins to break down when it\u2019s time to write and refine stories. That\u2019s\u00a0assuming the group\u00a0even\u00a0agrees on prioritization.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">No Product Owner\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">This scenario creates the most chaos and waste. Team members must use considerable time understanding work requests and confirming priority. It also opens the door to the team having to capture new work requests directly from stakeholders.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">The\u00a0value of a true, single\u00a0Product Owner is underestimated\u00a0too often.\u00a0Your\u00a0Product Owner is the person who is accountable for synthesizing customer needs and business requests into valuable, actionable stories within\u00a0your\u00a0backlog. It is\u00a0already\u00a0not an easy job.\u00a0The anti-patterns\u00a0above\u00a0will\u00a0quickly\u00a0cause\u00a0a\u00a0workflow to break down at the most critical point\u2013when\u00a0your\u00a0team must commit to completing the work.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Without a single decision-maker to guide them and own the backlog,\u00a0teams spend critical time\u00a0filling the gaps. Competing priorities put pressure on them\u00a0to negotiate directly with stakeholders, which\u00a0can\u00a0lead\u00a0a\u00a0team to commit to too much work. Unclear stories and acceptance criteria require the team to gather or assume context, resulting in delays or delivery of\u00a0the wrong outcome.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Organizational respect for the Product Owner and their decisions is a must for success. Shared responsibility for the backlog by the team is a positive sign of a collaborative and healthy team.\u00a0 That said, the Product Owner remains accountable for backlog management, whether certain tasks are delegated or not. When fully empowered and trusted with decisions regarding priority and the user experience, a Product Owner will maximize the value a team can deliver and drive the outcomes your business depends on.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: bold;\">More Characteristics of an Unhealthy Backlog<\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Product backlogs are not well-kept for a wide variety of reasons\u00a0that extend beyond unclear ownership. Defects may be automatically added to a product backlog through error handling processes.\u00a0The product backlog\u00a0might be\u00a0made accessible to anyone in a company with the ability to add whatever items they want.\u00a0\u00a0Backlog items lack appropriate\u00a0detail\u00a0and acceptance criteria\u00a0in general.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When these dynamics are present, it\u2019s\u00a0too easy for\u00a0the\u00a0backlog to become a \u2018junk drawer\u2019 or \u2018cluttered closet\u2019 filled with every possible thing a team should consider working on.\u00a0You\u2019ll know this has happened when your\u00a0product backlog:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Feels too big.<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Years\u2019 worth\u00a0of items that are low priority clog the backlog making it difficult to find items at times.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lacks epics and features.<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Without a clean hierarchy of items,\u00a0dependencies can remain hidden until emerging once work on the item begins in earnest.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Gets\u00a0too technical.<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0This means there has been a loss of focus on the end user and their experience.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Is not prioritized effectively<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. If a team member finishes a story and goes to the backlog for their next story, are you confident that they would select the highest priority item?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Is not sized or estimated appropriately<\/span><\/strong><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. This manifests in new teams naturally and in larger initiatives that span more than a calendar quarter.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If any of these characteristics remind you of a particular backlog, it likely needs some attention\u00a0and refinement.\u00a0Luckily,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">3Cloud experts can review your backlogs and discuss opportunities to improve the value they provide to your team and organization. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/get-started\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Reach out\u00a0today<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0to\u00a0get started. And stay tuned for upcoming posts in our\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Taming the Backlog<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0series, where we\u2019ll dive into what contents and prioritization look like in the healthiest product backlogs.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The product,\u00a0or team-level,\u00a0backlog\u00a0serves many purposes and\u00a0is the\u00a0single\u00a0most important artifact for Agile teams. It\u00a0essentially\u00a0serves as\u00a0a\u00a0development\u00a0team\u2019s\u00a0to-do list,\u00a0based&mldr;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":11477,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[381,292],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-app-experience","category-app-innovation","topics-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/56"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3cloudsolutions.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}