What Is Backlog Refinement?

• 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 Do Backlog Refinement?

• 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 to do Backlog Refinement?

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

Tips for Remote Working

• This is perhaps the one of the most difficult to do remotely to keep the team engaged, especially if there hasn’t been a proper preparation by the Product Owner and Engagement Lead.
• Ensure the Product Owner is prepared and has the necessary details and research done prior to the group getting together.
• You can rotate role for leading the sessions to increase the team engagement with less passive behaviours and reduce tiredness on a single person acting as lead.
• Organise multiple small sessions instead of a single long one for remote refinement, otherwise the session becomes tedious and people lose focus.
• Use the virtual tools available to make as interactive as possible.
• Use online tools to share the product backlog.
• Share definition of done and ready with the team and keep them on display during the meeting.

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

Want to get better with Backlog Refinement remotely? Here's a game to help you and your team practice it 💻 🙏

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