📦 Backlog Grooming

Keeping the backlog clean, prioritized, and ready for execution.

What is backlog grooming?

Regular refinement of the product backlog to ensure items are clear, estimated, and prioritized. Also called backlog refinement.

Grooming cadence

• Weekly: 1 hour per week for the team
• Before sprint planning: Ensure the top of the backlog is ready
• Quarterly: Prune stale items and realign with strategy

Grooming activities

1. Clarify — Rewrite vague items with clear descriptions and acceptance criteria
2. Estimate — Size items using story points or t-shirt sizes
3. Prioritize — Reorder based on value, urgency, and dependencies
4. Split — Break large items into smaller, deliverable pieces
5. Remove — Delete items that are no longer relevant

Definition of Ready

A backlog item is "ready" for sprint planning when:

• [ ] Clear description and user story
• [ ] Acceptance criteria defined
• [ ] Dependencies identified
• [ ] Estimated by the team
• [ ] Small enough to complete in one sprint
• [ ] Design / mockups available (if applicable)

Backlog hygiene rules

• If an item has been in the backlog for > 3 months untouched, question its relevance
• Limit backlog size — aim for 2-3 sprints worth of refined items
• Tag items by theme, epic, or initiative for easy filtering
• Keep the top 10 items always sprint-ready
• Archive, don't delete — you may want the history