This practice is part of: Product Ownership.

What is It?

• Having a conversation to provide clarity surrounding the detail or conditions of satisfaction for work items in the backlog
• Identifying priority for work items in the backlog
• Sometimes called “Backlog Grooming”

Why use it?

• Drive team shared understanding of work items in regards to:
  • Scope of work in the backlog
  • Conditions of satisfaction
  • Prioritization of what to do first

How often should it occur and for how long?

• The simple answer is as often as is necessary
• Typically its advised that 1 hour of refinement should suffice for each week of the sprint

Advice

• Although typically occurring as a team meeting, backlog refinement can occur throughout the sprint with the required parties. However information gained in this meeting must be adequately radiated to those who need it.
• Product owners are also not necessarily required for a backlog refinement. The key is to have those who have sufficient knowledge to talk through a backlog item and answer questions. This may come in the form of a Product owner, Stakeholder, Developer etc