Product Backlog

5 minutes 5 Questions

The Product Backlog is a crucial element in Scrum methodology. It refers to a prioritized list of everything that is needed in the product and is the single source of requirements for changes to be made to the product. It's owned by the Product Owner, who is responsible for its content, availabilit…

PSM I: Scrum Framework Fundamentals - Product Backlog Guide

What is the Product Backlog?
The Product Backlog is a dynamic, ordered list of everything deemed necessary for the product, and is the single source of work for the Scrum team. It's owned and refined by the Product Owner.

Why is it important?
The Product Backlog is a crucial tool for transparency and prioritization, charting the course of the project. It sets direction and ensures everyone on the team understands what work needs to be done.

How does it work?
The Product Backlog evolves over the life of the project; items can be added, removed, or reordered as per the Product Owner's discretion and team's input. During the Sprint Planning, items from the Product Backlog are chosen to be a part of the Sprint Backlog based on their priority and the team's capacity.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Product Backlog
1. Remember that the Product Backlog is dynamic and changes over the life of the project.
2. The Product Backlog is always ordered by priority, start your answer with most important items first.
3. Only the Product Owner can change the Product Backlog's order.
4. Product Backlog items become more detailed as they get closer to implementation.
5. Clarify that during a Sprint, no one can force the Scrum team to work on anything not in the Sprint Backlog, which is derived from the Product Backlog.
6. Detailed knowledge about Story Points and the concept of Backlog Refinement can also be beneficial.

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PSM I - Product Backlog Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Product Backlog

Question 1

While working on a sprint, the Development Team realizes that the Product Backlog's top priority item requires a skill they don't have. What should they do?

The Development Team decides to split the work among themselves, each member spending designated time to self-study and acquire the required skill before the end of the sprint. Instead of addressing the skill gap, the team opts to swap the high-priority backlog item with a lower-priority item they are more confident in completing without consulting the Product Owner. The team collaborates with the Product Owner to reprioritize the Product Backlog, considering bringing in a consultant or other support to address the skill gap. The Development Team directly hires an external expert to teach them the necessary skill, bypassing any consultation with the Product Owner or Scrum Master.

Correct Answer: The team collaborates with the Product Owner to reprioritize the Product Backlog, considering bringing in a consultant or other support to address the skill gap.

Scrum promotes self-organizing teams and emphasizes collaboration and communication over contractual negotiation. When a skill gap is identified, the team should collaborate with the Product Owner (and potentially the Scrum Master, for facilitation) to find the best way forward. This might include reprioritizing backlog items or seeking external help but should always be a collaborative decision. The incorrect approaches bypass this collaborative aspect, either by making unilateral decisions or not addressing the fundamental issue of the skill gap, which could impact the product's value delivery.

Question 2

The product backlog is getting long and the team is losing sight of the larger goals due to the many smaller user stories. What should be done to address this?

The Scrum Master should facilitate a change in the Scrum process to allow for longer sprints in order to accommodate the completion of more user stories within a single sprint. The product owner should work with the team during product backlog refinement to group related user stories into themes or epics, ensuring alignment with the larger goals. The Product Owner should regularly schedule meetings with stakeholders to redefine the product goals and eliminate any user stories from the product backlog that do not align with the new vision. The team should implement a voting system to democratically choose which user stories to focus on, ignoring the product backlog's priority set by the Product Owner.

Correct Answer: The product owner should work with the team during product backlog refinement to group related user stories into themes or epics, ensuring alignment with the larger goals.

In Scrum, it is the responsibility of the Product Owner to ensure the product backlog is clear, visible, and transparent to all. Grouping related user stories into higher-level themes or epics helps maintain focus on the larger goals and ensures the work aligns with the product vision. The other options either undermine the roles within the Scrum Team, deviate from Scrum principles by not recognizing the Product Owner's sole responsibility for the product backlog's content and priority, or suggest practices not aligned with Scrum.

Question 3

While in the middle of a sprint, the Product Owner wants to introduce a new user story into the existing Product Backlog that's crucial for the market competitiveness. What should be the best course of action?

The Development Team should assess the impact of the new user story on the current sprint and decide if they can accommodate it without altering the sprint goal, which may extend the sprint duration. The Product Owner should immediately negotiate with the Development Team to replace an equivalent effort story in the current sprint with the new user story. The Scrum Master should call for an emergency meeting with stakeholders to decide if the sprint goal is still valid. The Product Owner can add the item to the Product Backlog and discuss its priority during the next Sprint Review, or sooner if necessary.

Correct Answer: The Product Owner can add the item to the Product Backlog and discuss its priority during the next Sprint Review, or sooner if necessary.

According to the Scrum Guide, while the Product Owner is responsible for the Product Backlog, including its content, ordering, and availability, changes within the sprint are more restrictive. The sprint goal should remain intact, and the scope may be renegotiated between the Product Owner and Development Team as more is learned. However, adding new work that disrupts the sprint goal is not advisable. The primary mechanism for adjusting work is through the refinement process and planning for future sprints—not by altering the current sprint's scope arbitrarily. The correct answer underlines the Product Owner's ability to prioritize work for upcoming sprints, maintaining the integrity and focus of the current sprint.

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