More About Backlog Grooming

Backlog Grooming or Backlog Refinement is basically the process of reviewing the squad’s backlog to ensure that it is up-to-date with the latest items and user stories. In other words, backlog grooming is done to ensure that the next few sprints worth of user stories are prioritized and prepared for the sprint planning.

It is usually done by the Product Owner but depending on the organization hierarchy, you can include Product Manager , Scrum Master and Technical Lead.

PO also prioritizes the items in a backlog for the upcoming sprint.

Backlog grooming usually takes 45 mins -1 hour .

While doing grooming, I consider below criteria

1. Eliminate the user stories which are no longer required
2. Update or create new user stories depending on the customer’s needs
3. Prioritize the user stories regularly and prioritize them for the upcoming sprint as well
4. Estimate all the user stories
5. Ensure the user stories meet the “definition of ready”
6. Split the user stories if they are too large / complicated

Outcome of the backlog grooming

1. Prioritized list of user stories
2. User Stories / Tasks at the top of the backlog to contain the highest level of detail
3. More manageable tasks after the large / complicated user stories are broken down further

To summarize the backlog grooming, it is important to groom the backlog to keep the backlog in check and to prevent the backlog from becoming a black hole.

If you have any feedback, please let me know in the comments.