Introduction Product Backlog Vs Sprint Backlog
In agile ways of working, backlogs play a crucial role in organizing the work and prioritizing tasks. Backlogs are the only source of truth that helps the development team understand the list of activities / work that it needs to undertake for successful delivery of the project. Backlogs provide the direction towards which the team aims at working and assures teams efficiency and clarity.
There are two types of backlogs in Agile: the Product Backlog and the Sprint Backlog. Understanding the differences, purposes, and management of these backlogs is essential for any Agile team to deliver value consistently i.e. in iteration and frequently. This blog will delve into the relationship and difference between the Product Backlog vs Sprint Backlog, providing examples, comparisons, and insights into their effective management.
We will explore these below pointers and more in this blog:
- We will understand what is a backlog
- Interdependence between product vs sprint backlog
- Difference between sprint and product backlog
- Effective product vs sprint backlog practices
- How to ensure that sprint vs product backlog interdependence is properly managed
- Who is responsible for sprint vs product backlog management
- Few tools to help product vs sprint backlog management
What is a Backlog?
Let us first try to get an understanding of what is a backlog, what it comprises and how and when it is derived.
In Agile terminologies, backlogs are lists of tasks that help teams manage their work and prioritize what needs to be done. A backlog is always constructed in a way that high priority items appear on top of the list and low priority on bottom. Backlogs are dynamic in nature meaning they evolve with time and as the team gets more clarity about the product, or the market changes, or the customer expectation evolves or because of any other reason.
A Backlog consists of epics, stories, features, enhancements, a specific request from customer, a feedback from the customer, a request from sales, any R&D initiative, any new idea to be implemented, support / production issues, internal bugs raised by tester.
At the end of the discovery session, where all the stakeholders, product owner and development team (developers and testers) discuss and identify the what’s and why’s of the product, the team comes out with the list of ideas regarding the product/ service to be developed. The team looks at this list as the source of requirements and direction towards developing the product and hence calls it product backlog. This list usually consists of big actionable items, which cannot be picked as is and delivered in an iteration (ideally in 2-3 weeks). The development team (SM, Product Owner and developers and testers) then breaks those ideas into doable/ actionable items which can potentially be developed and delivered to the customer for their feedback in one iteration, and calls it a sprint backlog.
Now, let’s dive deep and understand each of these backlogs better and list down interdependency and differences between product backlog vs sprint backlog..
Product Backlog
Product Backlog is a comprehensive list of features, enhancements, bug fixes, tasks and requirements for the entire product, with focus on the vision of the product. This list is generally raw and not too detailed. It is arranged in a high to low priority manner i.e. the highest priority work/ item is on the top of the list and the one with least priority at the bottom. It is dynamic in nature and evolves as the product grows and market demands change. It is owned and controlled by the Product Owner, meaning any changes to product backlog including its content, availability, and ordering is done by the product owner.
Let’s take a few Product Backlog examples –
Imagine you are developing a new e-commerce platform. The Product Backlog might include items such as:
- User login and authentication
- Product search functionality
- Shopping cart implementation
- Payment gateway integration
- User reviews and ratings
- Return / Replacement tracking
- Mobile app development
Each item in the Product Backlog is referred to as a Product Backlog Item (PBI). These items are prioritized based on business value, user needs, dependencies, complexity, market fit and uniqueness it offers and many other factors. This is again decided by the product owner.
Sprint Backlog
Spring Backlog is derived from the Product Backlog by breaking the big ideas in to doable items that the team commits to completing within a specific sprint / iteration. The items in the sprint backlog are more focused and detailed, outlining the actual tasks and work items that need to be picked for achieving the sprint goal.
While the way product backlogs reflect the vision of the product, sprint backlog works on the sprint goals (goal should be different for each sprint), focusing on completing one or more tasks (based on the team’s capacity) with highest priority in the product backlog.
In other words, it represents a forecast by the Development Team about what functionality will be included in the next increment and the work needed to deliver that functionality. Sprint Backlog is owned by the development team and is completed in a designated time called sprint.
Let’s take a Sprint backlog Example:
Continuing with the e-commerce platform example, if the team decides to focus on the user login and authentication feature for the next sprint, the Sprint Backlog might include:
- Designing the login page
- Implementing backend authentication logic
- Setting up OAuth for social media logins
- Testing the login functionality
- Creating user documentation for login features
These tasks are detailed and broken down to be achievable within the sprint duration, usually two to four weeks.
We have covered both the product backlog vs sprint backlog example above. To know more about story slicing or breaking down the requirement, please refer to our blog on user stories and techniques to split them.
Difference Between Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog
Below table summarizes the key differences between Product Backlog vs Sprint backlog.
| Feature | Product Backlog | Sprint Backlog |
| Scope | Entire product vision | Specific sprint goal |
| Ownership | Product Owner | Development Team |
| Content | All known tasks, features, enhancements, bug fixes | Selected Product Backlog items for the sprint |
| Priority | Ordered by Product Owner based on business value and user needs | Determined by the Development Team |
| Flexibility | Dynamic and evolves over time | Fixed for the duration of the sprint |
| Detail Level | High-level | Detailed and specific to the sprint |
| Update Frequency | Continuously updated | Updated daily during the sprint |
| Purpose | Long-term product planning and prioritization | Short-term task execution and delivery |
| Examples | User login, payment integration, mobile app | Design login page, implement authentication, test login |
What Does an Effective Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog Look Like?
Effective Product Backlog
An effective Product Backlog should be:
- Prioritized: Items are ordered based on their importance, business value they generate, their market fit and uniqueness, competitive edge, etc.
- Refined: Regular grooming sessions ensure that items are well-defined and understood.
- Visible: Transparent to all stakeholders, allowing for feedback and updates to the development team and other stakeholders.
- Adaptable: Flexible to incorporate changes based on new insights or market demands.
- Estimable: Items should be detailed enough to be estimated for effort and time and picked for sprint backlog.
- No Dependencies: For the backlog to be pulled in the sprint backlog, all the dependencies should have been identified and resolved.
- Groomed: The backlog item should be well groomed and should contain all the details for the development team to pick the product backlog item to the sprint backlog.
Effective Sprint Backlog
An effective Sprint Backlog should be:
- Clear: Contains well-defined tasks that the team understands and can execute.
- Actionable:Tasks are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
- Aligned and Focused: Aligned with the sprint goal and not overloaded with too many items.
- Estimated: All the tasks should be well estimated including the scope and efforts needed to close the task.
- Contain Design Assets: All the design related documents should be attached to the backlog item, making it easy for the development team to execute.
- Clear Acceptance Criteria: All the backlog items should have well defined acceptance criteria with all test scenarios mentioned, bringing clarity and transparency to all the team members.
- Clear DOD: The stories in sprint backlog should have clear DOD (Definition of Done) so that team know when to mark the backlog as “done” or “completed”.
- Owned: The Development Team takes full ownership of the Sprint Backlog items hence each item should be owned by one of the development team members.
- Visible: Transparent to the entire team, displayed on a task board for easy tracking.
- Updated: Regularly updated to reflect the current progress and any adjustments needed.
- INVEST: All the stories in sprint backlog should be based on INVEST technique i.e. they should be :
- Independent – There should be no pending dependencies
- Negotiable – Scope can be negotiated by the product owner and development teams
- Valuable – Should add value when delivered as an iteration
- Estimable – Should have enough details to estimate
- Small – Small enough that they can be developed and tested during a sprint.
- Testable – Should be testable once developed
How Do the Product Backlog and the Sprint Backlog Work Together?
The Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog are interdependent components of Agile project management. The synergy between these backlogs ensures that the team remains focused on delivering incremental value while adapting to changing requirements and priorities. Below are the pointers on how they work in tandem.
- Planning: During sprint planning, the team selects items from the Product Backlog to include in the Sprint Backlog based on priority and capacity.
- Execution: The Development Team works on the Sprint Backlog items, which are again pulled from the Product backlog for the completing tasks to achieve the sprint goal.
- Review: At the end of the sprint, the team reviews the completed work and updates the Product Backlog based on feedback and new insights.
- Iteration: This process repeats in each sprint, with the Product Backlog serving as the foundation for future sprint planning and the Sprint Backlog guiding daily work. Our ultimate aim is to deliver each big item in the product backlog by breaking it down to small deliverables adding value with each iteration.
What Tools Can You Use to Manage Your Backlog?
Several tools can help manage your Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog effectively. Below are some of the Agile project management Tools which provide features like task prioritization, progress tracking, collaboration, and reporting to ensure that backlogs are managed efficiently and effectively.
- BusinessMap: If you are looking for a tool, which is a combination of project and portfolio management tools, Objectives and Key results (OKR) tools, and work management tools, businessmap is your tool to go for.
- JIRA: A powerful tool for tracking and managing Agile projects, offering features for backlog management, sprint planning, and reporting.
- Asana: A project management tool that helps teams organize work, set priorities, and track progress.
- Azure DevOps: Provides a suite of tools for planning, developing, and managing Agile projects.
- Monday.com: A versatile work operating system that allows for customizable workflows and backlog management.
- VersionOne: An enterprise Agile management tool that supports backlog management, sprint planning, and collaboration.
Are Consulting Firms Helping Teams About Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog?
Yes, consulting firms play a significant role in helping teams manage their Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog while understanding the difference between product backlog and sprint backlog, their interdependence and how to refine them. They offer:
- Training: Providing workshops and training sessions on Agile methodologies and best practices for backlog management
- Coaching: Offering hands-on coaching to guide teams in effectively using backlogs to drive their development process
- Process Improvement: Analyzing current practices and recommending improvements to enhance backlog management and overall Agile practices
- Tool Implementation: Assisting with the implementation and customization of tools for managing backlogs and Agile projects
- Facilitation: Facilitating backlog grooming sessions, sprint planning, and retrospectives to ensure productive and efficient meetings
Agile Project Management Consulting firms bring expertise and experience that can help teams overcome challenges, streamline processes, and achieve better outcomes in their Agile projects.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog and the interdependence is crucial for Agile teams to succeed. The Product Backlog provides a long-term vision and prioritization for the product, while the Sprint Backlog focuses on short-term execution and delivery. By effectively managing both backlogs, teams can ensure continuous delivery of value by receiving feedback from the customer and adapting to changing requirements, and maintain a clear focus on their goals.
Using the right tools and leveraging the expertise of consulting firms can further enhance the management of backlogs. Ultimately, the key to success lies in maintaining clear communication, continuous improvement, and a collaborative approach to backlog management.
At Benzne Consulting, as an agile transformation consulting company, our key focus is on curating business context driven agile transformation journeys for our clients which are aligned with their core business goals. We will be glad to discuss and explore how we can add tremendous value to your business and your agile transformation.
This brings our blog on “Product Backlog vs Sprint Backlog: Key Differences” to an end. We sincerely hope this was helpful in understanding the difference between sprint and product backlog. In case you need to talk to us or want us to share any feedback, please reach out to us at “consult@benzne.com”
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Frequently Asked Questions About Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog
1.What is the difference between product backlog refinement and sprint backlog?
Product Backlog Refinement is an ongoing process to ensure that the product backlog is clearly understandable, detailed and prioritized for the development team to pick the work. Product Backlog Refinement includes:
- breaking large items to smaller, manageable tasks.
- high level estimation of effort required
- ensuring clarity and understanding of the task amongst the development team.
Product Backlog Refinement ensures a backlog wich is ready for sprint planning
Sprint Backlog is a plan of action for a specific sprint, which is limited to the work to be completed within a single sprint. Creating a sprint backlog includes:
- selecting item form the product backlog based on priority and team’s capacity
- breaking down selected items into doable tasks
- estimating the effort required for each task
- creating a sprint goal
Sprint backlog outlines the specific work to be done during a sprint to achieve the sprint goal
| Feature | Product Backlog Refinement | Sprint Backlog |
| Scope | Entire product lifecycle | Single sprint |
| Purpose | Ensure backlog clarity and prioritization | Define sprint goals and tasks |
| Timing | Ongoing process | Occurs at the beginning of each sprint |
| Participants | Product owner, development team, and potentially stakeholders | Development team and product owner |
Product backlog refinement is an ongoing and proactive process that ensures the product backlog is well-prepared for sprint planning and all the team members understand the work to be delivered with their priority. The sprint backlog, on the other hand, is a plan, derived from the product backlog, that outlines the specific work to be done during a sprint to achieve the sprint goal.
2.Who is the owner of sprint backlog vs product backlog?
Sprint backlog is owned by the development team while product backlog is owned by the product owner. This is the product backlog and sprint backlog difference from ownership perspective.
3.What is the main purpose of sprint backlog vs product backlog?
The main purpose of Product backlog refinement is to ensure that all the team members have clarity and complete understanding the work to be picked for completing the product to be delivered, while Sprint backlog is a list of work picked by development team based on their capacity, which they aim to complete in a specific sprint and hence achieve the sprint goal.
4.How long is sprint planning?
All the sprint ceremonies in scrum are timeboxed to ensure maximum output and no deviation from the agenda of the meeting. For a 2 week sprint, the sprint planning should not exceed more than 4 hours.
5.What is the product backlog responsible for?
The product backlog is responsible for all the work items which a team needs to complete in the entire product lifecycle.
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