Iteration backlog

5 minutes 5 Questions

The Iteration Backlog, also known as Sprint Backlog in Scrum, is a set of items that the team plans to work on during the current iteration or sprint. These items are carefully selected during the iteration planning meeting, based on their priority in the product backlog and the team’s estimated ca…

Guide to Iteration Backlog

Definition: Iteration backlog, a key Agile tool and artifact, is a list of tasks identified by the Agile team to be done during an Agile iteration. It is derived from the product backlog, and it is established and agreed upon during the iteration planning meeting (IPM).

Importance: Iteration backlog serves a crucial role in Agile methodology. It provides a clear picture of what needs to be worked on during an iteration, thus maintaining focus towards achieving the iteration goals. Additionally, it ensures that work is broken down into manageable chunks, promotes team accountability, and enables progress tracking.

How it Works: Before each iteration begins, the team holds an IPM where they select items from the product backlog that will make up the iteration backlog. Once the iteration starts, the team works to complete each item on the iteration backlog. The team updates the backlog as work is completed, or if new work is identified during the iteration.

Exam Tips - Answering Questions on Iteration Backlog:

Understand the Purpose: Know that the main purpose of iteration backlog is to keep the team focused on the tasks that they committed to complete in a specific iteration.
Relationship with Product Backlog: Remember that the iteration backlog is derived from the product backlog.
Dynamic Nature: Keep in mind that iteration backlog is not set in stone. It changes as new work is identified or completed items are removed.
Understand its Role: Understand that iteration backlog promotes self-organization, accountability and visibility into the work planned for an iteration.

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PMI-ACP - Iteration backlog Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Iteration backlog

Question 1

As an Agile project manager, your team has a habit of over-committing in iterations. What strategy can you use to prevent this issue?

Add additional team members to handle the excess work. Coach the team to only include work in the Iteration Backlog that they believe they can genuinely finish in the upcoming iteration. Micro-manage the team to ensure they finish all work in the iteration. Allow the team to over-commit as it will likely push them to work harder.

Correct Answer: Coach the team to only include work in the Iteration Backlog that they believe they can genuinely finish in the upcoming iteration.

The best strategy as an Agile Project Manager to deal with a team habit of over-committing in iterations is to 'coach the team to only include work in the Iteration Backlog that they believe they can genuinely finish in the upcoming iteration'. This way, the team is encouraged to commit to what is achievable and realistic for them under the given timeframe, thus reducing the possibilities of over-committing. The second answer suggests allowing them to over-commit, which may not be productive in the long run as it may lead to burnout and the inability to meet deadlines. The third answer proposes adding more members to handle the excess work, but this does not solve the root of the problem which is over-committing, and may in fact introduce more complexity to the project. The fourth answer proposes micro-managing which is not a good practice in Agile Project Management as it distracts from the values of self-organization and responsibility within the team.

Question 2

You are the Product Owner of a team implementing Agile. During an iteration, a critical feature request comes from the client that must be included in the current release. The Iteration Backlog is almost full. What's the best course of action?

Negotiate the scope of the Iteration Backlog by explaining the situation to the team and seeing what can be displaced to accommodate the new request. Ignore the client's request as iteration backlog cannot be changed. Add the request to the product backlog and consider it in the next iteration. Force the team to include it in their current iteration without adjusting the other workload.

Correct Answer: Negotiate the scope of the Iteration Backlog by explaining the situation to the team and seeing what can be displaced to accommodate the new request.

In Agile, you embrace change, even late in development if it's for the client's competitive advantage. The best course of action when a critical new feature request comes in is to negotiate with the team about the scope of the Iteration Backlog. This collaborative approach aligns with Agile principles, whereby requirements and solutions evolve through collaborative effort. You can discuss with the team what can be displaced or pushed to the next iteration to accommodate the new request. Forcing the team to just include it in their current iteration without making other adjustments could lead to burnout, affect the quality of work and damage team morale. Similarly, outrightly ignoring the client's request because the Iteration Backlog is already set is not practicing Agile. Just adding the request to the Product Backlog to be considered in the next iteration might not work either if the client insists that it must be included in the current release.

Question 3

You are working as an Agile coach for a new project. The team is having difficulty in breaking down items into tasks during an iteration. What should be your approach?

Do the break down for them to save time. Guide them in how to break down items into smaller, manageable tasks. Ask them to negotiate with the product owner for fewer items in the iteration. Suggest postponing the iteration until the team is able to handle this properly.

Correct Answer: Guide them in how to break down items into smaller, manageable tasks.

The best approach in this scenario would be to guide the team in how to break down items into smaller, manageable tasks. As an Agile coach, your role is to foster self-organization and cross-functionality within the team instead of solving the problem for them, therefore, doing the breakdown for them would not be the right approach. Negotiating with the product owner for fewer items in the iteration could be seen as a way of avoiding the issue, and it goes against the principles of Agile, which encourage teams to break down items so they can be completed within an iteration. Finally, postponing the iteration until the team can handle it properly is also a poor solution. It is better to resolve any issues within the iteration rather than delay the project.

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