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Product Backlog

5 minutes 5 Questions

In Scrum methodology, a product backlog is a prioritized list of desired product features, fixes, and improvements. This backlog provides a central source for all requirements to be done on a product and is usually maintained by the product owner. It allows for greater transparency and understanding of what needs to get done and when. Each item in the product backlog (known as a user story) includes a description, priority, and estimate of effort. During release planning, the Scrum team and the product owner will use the product backlog to determine which features will be included in the upcoming release. The selection of features is based on their relative priority and the team's capacity.

Guide on Product Backlog

What is Product Backlog: The Product Backlog is a prioritized list of tasks and requirements that the product needs. These items are ordered from highest to lowest priority and can be thought of as the to-do list for the product.
Why is Product Backlog important: The Product Backlog helps to keep the project organized and tracks what needs to be done. It is a dynamic document that evolves with the project and is continuously updated, making it essential for efficient project management.
How Product Backlog works: The Product Owner is responsible for creating, prioritizing, and updating the Product Backlog. During the Sprint Planning meeting, the team decides what tasks from the backlog are to be completed in the next Sprint based on their priority and the team's capacity. As the project evolves, so does the backlog, with new tasks being added, completed tasks being removed, and the priority of tasks being reassessed.
Exam Tips - Answering Questions on Product Backlog: Understanding the concept of the product backlog is key to answering related exam questions. Memorize its definition, know who the responsible person for it is (Product Owner), and how it fits into the Scrum process. Always relate the backlog to the idea of 'what needs to be done'. Double-check your understanding on how and by whom backlog items are prioritized and the relationship between backlog, sprints, and sprint planning meetings.

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Question 1

Continuous changes to Product Backlog items by the stakeholders is affecting the Development Team's focus and morale. How should the Scrum Master intervene?

Correct Answer: The Scrum Master should work with the Product Owner and stakeholders to manage their input and communicate how changes can impact the team's work

The Scrum Master's role in this situation is to protect the team from disturbances while helping manage the process. Therefore, the Scrum Master should work with the Product Owner and stakeholders to manage their input and communicate how changes can impact the team's work. This is based on the core Scrum principles of transparency, inspection, and adaptation, which are meant to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of the work to be done. This answer respects these principles while helping to maintain the team's morale and focus. The other options are not appropriate for a Scrum Master: denying any future changes from stakeholders would hinder the collaborative spirit of Scrum, letting the team adjust without intervening doesn't provide them the protection they need, and asking the team to work overtime to accommodate changes goes against sustainable development, which is one of the Agile Manifesto values.

Question 2

As a Scrum Master, you notice that the team is taking up vast volumes of technical debt each Sprint due to underestimations in the Product Backlog. What would be your recommendation?

Correct Answer: Allocate time for addressing technical debt in the Backlog and support the team for better estimation practices

As a Scrum Master, guiding the team for better estimation practices and allocating time for addressing technical debt in the Product Backlog would be the best possible recommendation. This strategy helps in proper planning and ensures that the technical debt won't pile up, endangering future development. Ignoring the technical debt does not make it go away but rather accumulates it, making it much harder to handle in the future. Handling tech debt in a completely different project would cause confusions and inconsistencies. Asking the team to work extra hours to tackle the technical debt is against the Agile principles as it could lead to team burnout and reduce the efficiency of the team in the long run.

Question 3

You're presented with a Product Backlog that has been ordered in a very unclear manner. There seem to be no clearly defined priorities. How should the Scrum Master handle this?

Correct Answer: Guide the Product Owner towards effective techniques for ordering the Product Backlog

In Scrum framework, the Scrum Master's role includes helping the Product Owner to understand how to arrange the Product Backlog efficiently to maximize value. This is done by offering comprehension and practices in Agile Product Management. Rather than ordering the backlog themselves, which steps on the Product Owner's responsibilities and could create a misalignment between what the team is working on and what the stakeholders need, the Scrum Master helps the Product Owner to clarify their priorities. Letting the development team choose items according to their preference may lead to priority items being left on the backlog, while focusing only on the top items is not practicable because priorities might change over the course of the project.

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