Product Backlog FAQs

Q1: What is a Product Backlog?

🧩 Core Definition:
A dynamic requirements list containing four key elements:

1. Feature requests → New functionalities
2. Bug fixes → Issue resolutions
3. Technical improvements → System optimizations
4. Other needs → Documentation/training, etc.

⚡ Agile Characteristics:

• Real-time updates: Adjust based on market/user feedback
• Strict prioritization: High-value items always stay on top

Q2: Who owns the Backlog? How is it maintained?

👑 Responsibility Matrix:

Role	Responsibilities
Product Owner	Final decisions & priority ordering
Team Members	Propose requirements & effort estimation
Stakeholders	Provide business needs feedback

🔧 Maintenance Process:

1. Weekly grooming → Update requirement descriptions
2. Monthly deep review → Remove outdated items
3. Real-time feedback → Adjust priorities

Q3: How to prioritize scientifically?

⚖️ Four-Dimensional Evaluation Model:

• Business value: 35%
• Implementation risk: 25%
• User impact: 25%
• Technical dependencies: 15%

🔥 Pitfall Avoidance:

• Beware of "gold-plated requests": Focus on core pain points first
• Keep technical debt below 15% of total backlog

Q4: What makes a well-written Backlog item?

📝 Four-Element Template:

1. User need: Sales director requires daily regional performance exports
2. Acceptance criteria:
   • Supports date range selection
   • Exportable to Excel
3. Effort estimate: 6 story points (≈1 person-day)
4. Suggested sprint

💡 Golden Rule:
Every item should be understandable by the team within 5 minutes

Q5: How to handle requirement changes?

🔄 Three-Step Change Process:

1. Impact assessment: Workload/dependency changes
2. Stakeholder confirmation: Key approvers sign off
3. Version tracking: Document change reasons

✅ Agile Advantage:
Enables quick response to changes in the next iteration

Q6: How to balance technical vs. business needs?

⚖️ Healthy Ratio:

Requirement Type	Recommended %
Business features	60%-70%
Technical optimizations	20%-30%
Bug fixes	10%-15%

🛡️ Technical Debt Management:
Monthly dedicated review meetings for optimization items

Q7: How do large and small Backlogs collaborate?

📦 Hierarchy Relationship:

📆 Execution Cycles:

• Product Backlog: Quarterly planning
• Sprint Backlog: 2-4 week deliveries

Q8: How to resolve priority conflicts?

🤝 Three-Step Mediation:

1. Value quantification: Compare ROI using calculators
2. Incremental validation: AB test high-conflict items
3. Stakeholder voting: Decision meetings with key roles

💡 Tool recommendation: Visualize sorting with value/complexity matrices

Q9: Which estimation method works best?

📏 Dual-Track Estimation:

Scenario	Recommended Method
Early planning	Story points (Fibonacci sequence)
Short-term sprints	Person-hours

✅ Pro Tips:

• Group estimation with 3+ participants
• Reference baseline stories (e.g., login feature = 3 points)

Q10: How to maintain Backlog health?

🩺 Health Checklist:

Metric	Healthy Range
Average item count	50±30 items
Items idle >90 days	<5%
Items with acceptance criteria	100%

⭐ Best Practice:
Weekly "15-minute lightning grooming" every Wednesday afternoon:

1. Review TOP10 item status
2. Remove expired items
3. Flag high-value new requests