Bolstering the Backlog

Home  >  Articles  > 
Bolstering the Backlog

Ryan Shriver

July 20, 2009





One of the fundamental concepts in agile methods is that of a prioritized list of features for the team to develop against. This list of features is typically called a backlog and the roles with the backlog are simple: the “customer” prioritizes the work to do and the “team” agrees to work in priority order. Working in this manner allows the customer to change their mind and reprioritize dynamically while ensuring the team is always working on the highest priority items.
While it is common to prioritize features in a backlog, what is less common is to prioritize the stakeholders and their desired results. Creating a Results Backlog that clearly defines success--with measurable business objectives--will ensure the team stays focused on solving the right problem, not just the problem right.
The Product Backlog
Scrum, the most popular agile method, uses a Product Backlog to capture the set of features to be developed in future product releases.



Please login/register to read the entire article.





sponsored announcements and special offers
CA Technologies' Innovation Management survey is a study into the barriers to innovation success and the measures companies are taking to improve performance. Each survey respondent will receive a complimentary copy of the report containing the survey's results. Please participate now!

Build and deploy interactive reports and dashboards — without any hidden costs. Our in-the-cloud free trial lets you see for yourself — no download required. SAP Crystal Reports Server 60-day Free Trial

Enable Agile Process; Support Agile Teams
CollabNet announces ScrumWorks Pro 4.4. As intuitive as Scrum itself, this version offers improvements in estimation and integration to CollabNet TeamForge. Improve your Scrum team's performance, enable tracking, view reports instantly, and effectively manage your Agile projects. Request a Trial

Enterprise hardware and software evolve faster than your customers can consume new versions and features. Overcome this gap: learn how professional services can boost product consumption and speed repurchasing in TSIA/Compuware white paper. Read now

Packaged Services Success: Join us on Sept 8 for this Free Webinar as RTM Consulting and Tenrox discuss the competitive and financial benefits of Leveraging Automation to meet the Rising Demand for Productized Professional Services. EARN 1 PDU. Register Here Today to receive a Free White Paper.



"Words are the most powerful drug used by mankind."
- Rudyard Kipling