Concepts
Defending the order of a Product Backlog is a critical expertise a Certified Scrum Professional-Product Owner (CSP-PO) must master. Each item in the Product Backlog delivers a specific set of value, and the order of these items should reflect their relative importance or urgency. Effectively defending the prioritization of the Product Backlog can contribute to a product’s success by ensuring high-priority items are completed first.
Understanding the Product Backlog
The Product Backlog is an ordered list consisting of everything required in the product or system being created. This can include features, functions, requirements, enhancements, and fixes. It is a living document, subject to continual changes and evolution as the product and market conditions change.
Role of a Product Owner in Product Backlog Management
The Product Owner has various responsibilities when dealing with Product Backlogs. Key amongst these include – defining and clarifying the items, arranging the items, ensuring the items are visible and transparent, and optimizing the value of the team’s work. The Product Owner will need to actively ‘defend’ the order and prioritization of the backlog against other stakeholders’ requests.
Prioritizing the Product Backlog
The Product Owner prioritizes the Product Backlog based on several factors:
- Business Value: what impact will this feature provide to business operations or to customers?
- Cost: what are the estimated development costs for this item?
- Risk and Dependencies: does this feature depend on other work to be completed first? Are there significant risks associated with it?
- Market and Stakeholder’s feedback: stakeholders’ feedback is important for ensuring value delivery.
| Factors | Description |
|---|---|
| Business Value | The impact the feature provides to the business |
| Cost | The estimated development costs for the item |
| Risk and Dependencies | Interdependencies and potential risks associated with the feature |
| Market, Customers, Stakeholders feedback | Feedback regarding the value of the feature |
Defending the Product Backlog’s Order
When stakeholders desire to see items worked on not in alignment with the predetermined priorities, the Product Owner needs to defend the existing order, justifying the new order based on factors of business value, cost, risk, dependencies, and stakeholder feedback. For example:
- If Stakeholder A wants Feature X to be developed first despite it having lower business value than Feature Y, the Product Owner can articulate that while Feature X is important, Feature Y has a higher value to the business and should be considered first.
- If there are dependency or risk issues with some parts of the requested items, the Product Owner can underline that taking care of these dependencies before working on higher-risk or dependent tasks makes more sense.
- The Product Owner can also point out trends, market feedback, or any other market insights that may indicate that the currently prioritized features provide more value.
There may be times when the Product Owner must reassess and change the order. But even in these cases, the same principle applies: the order stays aligned with the items that deliver the highest value for the company and its customers.
Conclusion
By effectively managing and defending the order of the Product Backlog, a Product Owner can ensure a project’s success. It involves regularly reassessing business value, cost, risk, and dependencies while being open to stakeholder feedback. This process aids in ensuring that the development team prioritizes the right features at the right time, achieving the best value for the organization and its customers.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: Items at the top of the Product Backlog typically have a higher priority.
• True
• False
Answer: True
Explanation: Items are placed in the Product Backlog based on priority. More important items are at the top, while lower priority items are down the list.
Who is responsible for ordering the items in the Product Backlog?
• A) The Scrum Team
• B) Stakeholder
• C) Product Owner
• D) Scrum Master
Answer: C) Product Owner
Explanation: While stakeholders and team members may influence the Product Backlog, it is the responsibility of the Product Owner to order it.
True or False: Stakeholder’s business value consideration is not crucial in defining the order of the Product Backlog.
• True
• False
Answer: False
Explanation: Stakeholder’s business value consideration is crucial to defining the Product Backlog’s order, as they provide the perspective of the customer or user.
In Product Backlog ordering, what factor is not typically considered?
• A) Risk
• B) Customer value
• C) Dependencies
• D) Team member birthdays
Answer: D) Team member birthdays
Explanation: Things like risk, customer value, and dependencies between items are considered when ordering the backlog. Team member birthdays, though perhaps morale-boosting, are not a factor in backlog ordering.
The order of the Product Backlog is defined and fixed at the beginning of the project.
• A) True
• B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: The order of the Product Backlog is fluid and can be changed or adjusted throughout the project based on new insights, changes in business value or stakeholder feedback.
True or False: The Product Owner should defend the order of the Product Backlog even if it doesn’t align with stakeholder or business value anymore.
• True
• False
Answer: False
Explanation: The Product Owner should always strive to maximize business value. If the order of the Product Backlog no longer aligns with this, adjustments should be made accordingly.
Stakeholders’ influence on the Product Backlog is only limited to:
• A) Prioritizing features
• B) Setting deadlines
• C) Both
• D) Neither
Answer: C) Both
Explanation: Stakeholders can influence the Product Backlog by providing input on the value of features as well as setting business-driven deadlines.
Involving stakeholders in refining the Product Backlog can lead to:
• A) An increased understanding of product benefits
• B) Decreased team morale
• C) Improved quality of product features
• D) A & C
Answer: D) A & C
Explanation: Involving stakeholders in backlog refinement can increase understanding of product benefits and improve feature quality, as they provide unique business insights that help shape the product’s development.
The order of the Product Backlog should minimize dependencies and risks.
• A) True
• B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: To maximize the smooth development process, the Product Backlog should be ordered in a way that minimizes dependencies and mitigates risks.
True or False: Changes in market conditions should not affect the order of the Product Backlog.
• True
• False
Answer: False
Explanation: Any changes in market conditions should influence the order of the Product Backlog to maximize business value and respond proactively to business conditions.
The Product Owner defends the order of the Product Backlog based on the principle of:
• A) Maximizing business value
• B) Enforcing authority
• C) Prioritizing stakeholders’ interests
Answer: A) Maximizing business value
Explanation: The Product Owner’s primary task is to maximize business value in the development process, hence they defend the order based on this principle.
In Scrum, the process of reordering the Product Backlog is referred to as:
• A) Reprioritization
• B) Refining
• C) Rebalancing
• D) Resequencing
Answer: B) Refining
Explanation: The term ‘refining,’ in Scrum, is used to denote the process of prioritizing and reordering the Product Backlog.
Great insights on defending the Product Backlog order! It’s always a challenge but worth the effort.
I agree! Prioritizing based on ROI and stakeholder value is crucial. Does anyone use specific techniques to communicate this effectively?
Interesting post, but I think it overlooked the importance of technical debt. How do you justify backlog prioritization when stakeholders push for new features over tech debt?
Thanks for this post. It’s very helpful. Keep up the good work!
For CSP-PO, understanding the business value is key. How often do you re-evaluate the backlog to ensure it aligns with business priorities?
Definitely appreciate the blog post!
I think the blog missed the challenge of aligning cross-functional team priorities. Who has tips for addressing this?
Thanks. Very informative post.