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Glossary
Agile & Scrum

What is Product Backlog?

A Product Backlog is a prioritized list of work for the development team that contains every feature, enhancement, bug fix, and technical task required for the product. It acts as the master to-do list, ensuring the team always works on the most valuable items first as the product evolves.

When to use it

Teams use a product backlog to capture all incoming requests and ideas in one place, preventing them from being lost in chat logs or emails. It is essential during sprint planning to decide which items to move into the next work cycle. By maintaining a backlog, product owners can clearly communicate priorities and the future direction of the product to stakeholders.

Example

A SaaS team managing a video editing tool maintains a backlog of 45 items ranging from '4K export support' to 'fix dark mode contrast.' To prepare for Q3, the Product Manager uses RICE scoring to rank these items, moving the top 5 high-impact features to a 'Ready' state. When the next two-week sprint begins, the developers pull the top 3 items into their active board based on their available capacity. This process ensures the team stays focused on the highest-value work without being overwhelmed by the total volume of requests.

How Planet Roadmap helps with Product Backlog

Planet Roadmap provides a dedicated List view for backlogs, allowing teams to capture feature requests directly from a public feedback portal and drag them into priority order.

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FAQ

How is a Product Backlog different from a Sprint Backlog?
The Product Backlog contains all possible future work for the product, while the Sprint Backlog is a subset of those items specifically chosen to be completed during the current 1-4 week work cycle.
Who is responsible for maintaining the Product Backlog?
While the entire team can contribute ideas, the Product Owner is ultimately responsible for ordering the backlog, ensuring items are clearly defined, and deciding which requests provide the most value to the business.

Related terms

RoadmapUser StorySprintSprint PlanningBacklog GroomingEpicRICE ScoreICE ScoreProduct OwnerScrum

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