Scrum Backlog

In the Scrum method of agile software development the single most important artifact is the product backlog. The product backlog is a list of all the requirements necessary for a system, project, or product. In essence, it is a comprehensive to do list, prioritized by the business value each piece of work will generate. But from a philosophical standpoint, the scrum backlog is what drives the business-by breaking down the big-picture story into manageable increments of work called Product Backlog Items (PBIs).

During the sprint planning meeting, the Scrum team negotiates with the Product Owner about what work they will take on during the next iteration. At this point, the Product Owner moves PBIs from the product backlog (basically, everything the company needs to do) into the sprint backlog, which is limited to the work to be completed in the next iteration.

Sprint Cs

So what does a product backlog look like? That depends on whether a Scrum team uses manual agile or an agile tool to monitor development progress. With manual agile, a team would create a list of its backlog items on a dry erase board, Post It notes, or a taskboard. This works great for teams who all work in the same office or room because every team member can easily consult the product backlog, the sprint backlog, and the status of its stories.

When Scrum teams are geographically dispersed, however, they often require a tool to help them manage their agile software development. There are a number of tools on the market designed to bring un-collocated teams together with a virtual taskboard. My company, Danube, makes a product called ScrumWorks Pro, which provides users with a Web-based task management interface that replicates the look and feel of a physical taskboard. The tool also offers deeper, more detailed views of the product and sprint backlogs, organized in adjacent panes and easily modified with drag-and-drop prioritization.

Although the team is responsible for completing the work, only the Product Owner can prioritize work in the scrum backlog or, with the team's consent, add work to the sprint backlog.

Scrum Backlog