Product Backlog
The product backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product, serving as the single source of requirements and the primary artifact for managing scope in agile projects.
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Practice it freeExplanation
In agile approaches, the product backlog replaces many of the traditional scope documents used in predictive project management. It is an evolving, prioritized list of features, functions, requirements, enhancements, and fixes that constitute the changes to be made to the product. The product owner is responsible for the backlog, including its content, availability, and ordering.
The product backlog is never complete. As long as the product exists, the backlog exists. Items at the top of the backlog are more refined and detailed (often as user stories with acceptance criteria), while items lower in the backlog may be less defined. This progressive elaboration is known as backlog refinement or grooming, and it is an ongoing activity throughout the project.
The product backlog supports scope management in agile by providing transparency into what work remains, enabling the team to select work for each iteration based on priority and capacity, and allowing the product owner to adjust priorities as business needs change. Unlike a fixed scope baseline, the backlog embraces change and evolves continuously.
Key Points
- •Ordered list of all known product requirements
- •Owned and prioritized by the product owner
- •Continuously refined through backlog grooming
- •Replaces traditional scope documents in agile approaches
Exam Tip
The product backlog is the single source of requirements in Scrum and agile. The product owner is solely responsible for managing it. This is a key concept for agile exam questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
User Stories
A user story is a short, simple description of a feature or requirement written from the perspective of the end user, following the format: "As a [role], I want [goal], so that [benefit]."
Story Points
Story points are a unit of measure used in agile to estimate the overall effort, complexity, and uncertainty involved in completing a user story or product backlog item.
Definition of Done
The definition of done (DoD) is a shared understanding within the agile team of the criteria that must be met before a product backlog item or increment is considered complete and ready for release.
Product Scope
Product scope is the features and functions that characterize a product, service, or result delivered by the project.
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Power/Influence Grid
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Part of
Scope Management
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