Product backlog

As explained in BDD in Action, Second Edition

A product backlog is an ordered collection of proposed work items, such as features, requirements, and improvements, for a product; it may be maintained electronically.

A product backlog is an ordered collection of proposed product work: features, requirements, improvements, or larger epics. It turns business opportunities and problems into work that delivery teams can plan and deliver. Strategic planning repeatedly reshapes the backlog as stakeholders and delivery teams reassess value, assumptions, and risks. section 4.1.1 section 5.1

Refine backlog items collaboratively so that upcoming work is understandable and actionable:

• Add detail, estimates, and order; identify key examples and acceptance criteria. section 5.1
• Split larger features into smaller features or stories when they are difficult to discuss or plan. section 5.1
• Discuss release and iteration goals, while revisiting the backlog regularly through team sessions, research, and discovery preparation. section 5.1
• Use Impact Mapping, Pirate Canvases, or high-level Feature Mapping to connect proposed work with value and delivery coordination. section 4.1.1 section 5.1

From business need to traceable acceptance criteria

A frequent-flyer product can place “Authentication” in the backlog, then link smaller items for email-password access and Google or Facebook single sign-on. BDD feature files record acceptance criteria, while issue identifiers connect each item to the backlog and test results. section 16.3

Figure 5.1 The vocabulary around Agile requirements can be a little confusing at times.

Use the vocabulary map to distinguish related Agile requirements terms before refining features, epics, and stories. section 5.1

Teams may use a physical board for visibility and communication, while an issue-tracking or Agile project-management system provides a digital backlog. Electronic records support metrics, attachments, and links to BDD tools; Serenity BDD can update issue status from executed tests. section 16.3

How BDD in Action, Second Edition covers it

How deep it goes

Explains ordering, refinement, estimation, acceptance criteria, decomposition, cadence, and digital integration without prescribing a specific backlog product.

Examples

Uses authentication features, sign-on scenarios, acceptance criteria, physical boards, digital issue cards, burndown charts, and linked feature files.

What it assumes

Assumes awareness of product goals and delivery teams, while introducing backlog refinement, Agile requirements vocabulary, and BDD traceability.

What you can do after

Operate/configure a backlog by ordering, refining, splitting, estimating, linking, and tracking work through delivery evidence.

How it connects

Connects strategic planning, Impact Mapping, Pirate Canvases, Product Backlog Refinement, Scrum, acceptance criteria, BDD, Cucumber, JIRA, and Serenity BDD.

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Related concepts

• backlog refinement meetingconfigured by · A backlog refinement meeting is a collaborative session for clarifying, detailing, estimating, prioritizing, and preparing items in a product backlog.
• featurehas part · A feature is a distinct capability, behavior, or characteristic provided as part of a product, service, or software system.
• living documentationused by · Living documentation is documentation maintained or validated as a system evolves so that it remains aligned with the system, behavior, design, or decisions it describes.
• epichas part · An epic is a large unit of related work representing a broad goal or outcome that can be decomposed into smaller work items.
• Cucumberused by · Cucumber is a behavior-driven development tool that executes human-readable specifications by connecting structured scenarios to automated step definitions.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of BDD in Action, Second Edition. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.