Product Backlog Contents
Product backlog items can be functional requirements, non-functional requirements, and issues. The precision of the estimate depends on the priority and granularity of the Product Backlog item, with the highest priority items that can be selected in the first few Sprints being very granular and precise.
Any idea or requirement can be added to the Product Backlog - from the most grandiose feature request, to the smallest non-functional requirement. This makes the Product Backlog a very useful tool for calming business users; some business users can cause friction in meetings by demanding or championing new features - in traditional projects this can cause conflict because the Project Manager is trying to keep a handle on Scope, where as in Scrum the answer becomes "Great idea, we'll put it on the Product Backlog and prioritise against the rest of the Backlog". This technique allows the "Novelty value" of the hot new feature to dissipate so that a considered, rational business priority can be ascribed.
Summary:
- List of functionality, technology and issues
- Issues are placeholders that are later defined as work
- Emergent, prioritised, estimated
- More detail on higher priority backlog
- One list for multiple teams
- Product Owner responsible for priority setting
- Anyone can contribute backlog items
- Maintained and posted visibly
- Derived from the Business Plan, Vision Statement and any existing requirement documents which sometimes have to be created
