Backlog Refinement Mentality

1 minute read

It is the ongoing effort by the whole team needed within each sprint to refine items in the backlog to be ready to ready for future sprints. There are a number of key activities:

  • splitting bit items
  • clarifying items
  • estimating size

Overall Product Backlog Refinement

In this refinement mode, team or representative(s) with product owner will be involved. The normal motivation for an overall PBR event is when the group may want to divide related items into (for example) two major areas and have (for example) four teams work on one area, and another four teams work on another area.

The key point for Overall refinement is Short. Do quick and lightweight item clarification for basic understanding.

Multi-team Product Backlog Refinement

Multi-team PBR is the most important event in LeSS to drive effective Sprints with well-aligned, coordinated, and adaptive teams. Multi-team PBR is when multiple teams are (literally) in the same room at the same time doing PBR. Attendees include all members of all participating teams, and may also include subject-matter experts, users, customers, and the Product Owner. Big workshops are better with a skilled facilitator, and this is a great adjunct role for a Scrum Master.

Single team Product Backlog Refinement

In LeSS, Single team PBR is not encouraged and should be rare. Since LeSS wants to encourage the group learning, weakens coordination and alignment, and reduces adaptiveness.

Splitting

Traditionally, people tend to split of big features into all-at-once in equal piece at the beginning. In LeSS, we split the big feature and take a bite to start.

Another technique is using Impact Mapping to find out the impact of each choices. Story Mapping is also used in initial backlog refinement. There are many games available in the market for the team to try it out too.

Important Mentality

During the refinement session, many think a lot, especially engineers in my experience. People tend to spend a lot of time talking about technology instead of the problem that needs to be solved. The best solution for the problem is “do minimum work that fulfils the requirements”

You May Also Enjoy