This article is designed to present the Product Backlog in Scrum as quickly as possible and is necessarily terse. I assume that the reader has a basic understanding of Scrum. If you’re new to Scrum, this video by Lyssa Adkins explains Scrum in ten minutes.

The Product Backlog

The Product Backlog is an ordered list of features, functions, requirements, enhancements and defects that constitute the changes to be made to the product to which the Product Backlog relates. Items in the Product Backlog are referred to as Product Backlog Items (PBI).

Each PBI contains a description, order and estimate. It may optionally contain a group descriptor, if more than one Scrum Team is using the Product Backlog.

The Product Owner has sole responsibility for the Product Backlog and orders the PBIs as they see fit (normally on the basis of value, risk, priority and necessity). PBIs at the top of the Product Backlog are considered in more detail as they will be the first items to move in to the Sprint Backlog and development.

The Product Backlog is the only source of requirements for changes to be made to a product. It is a living artifact and is constantly groomed by adding new requirements, removing unneeded requirements and refining existing requirements.