The Backlog Dilemma: Unveiling Your Product's True Potential

Let's face it: a significant portion of items in your product backlog are likely irrelevant.?

After two decades of experience with digital products, we at yuj have discovered that most backlog items are often added without sufficient validation and thorough questioning. Product backlogs usually become dumping grounds for features driven by various stakeholders' whims. This bloated backlog has serious implications for Product Owners, clients, users, and the organization itself.?

Implications of Product Backlog?

A disorganized backlog demotivates teams and leads to wasted time, money, and effort. According to Pendo’s feature adoption report, 24% of features are never used, and 56% are rarely used.??

Factors Leading to a Huge Product Backlog?

1. Low-Quality User Research: Without proper user research, we lack direction and our backlog fills with irrelevant features.?

2. Missing Prioritization: Without prioritization, a large number of low-value features clutter the backlog.?

3. Stakeholder Influence: Various stakeholders push their priorities without proper validation.?

4. FOMO: Fear of missing out on features competitors have often led to unnecessary additions.?

Finding Hidden Gems in the Product Backlog?

Amidst all the low-value features, how do we find valuable feature requests that can genuinely add value???

Here’s how to distinguish them:??

1. Interim User Research: One effective method is to go back to the users and understand their desires and problems. This research gives you a fresh perspective and helps identify which backlog items are genuinely important.?

?2. Rigorous Prioritization Mechanisms: To fix the prioritization problem, we recommend evaluating features based on several parameters:

Monetization: How much will a particular feature contribute to the client’s revenue??

User Usefulness: How useful is a feature to a user, and how will it impact their life??

Wide Applicability: How broadly applicable is the feature across the user base?

Implementing these mechanisms ensures that only the most valuable and impactful features make it to the top of the backlog.?

3. Two-Track Approach: Introducing a two-track approach can balance immediate development needs with long-term strategic goals. This method involves maintaining separate tracks for ongoing development (Track A) and backlog management or exploratory work (Track B).??

Track A (Development Track): This track focuses on implementing features that have been prioritized and are ready for development.?

Track B (Exploratory Track): This track is dedicated to user research, validation, and grooming of backlog items to prepare them for prioritization and eventual development.?

The two-track approach ensures that critical features are not missed and the product development process remains aligned with user needs and business goals.?

Summary:?

Most product backlog items are low-value and contribute little to the product. A bloated backlog often indicates inefficient processes, impacting team morale, product quality, and resources. By employing interim user research, rigorous prioritization, and a two-track approach, you can uncover valuable features that truly add value.?