backlog

Backlog

Create a prioritized, actionable backlog from user stories.

When to Use

• After user stories are defined
• When planning sprint/cycle work
• When reprioritizing existing work
• When onboarding to understand pending work

Dependencies

• user-stories.md - User stories must exist
  • Check: Stories defined in PRD or separate document

Book Triggers

Reference: [[books/systems-thinking.md]]

• Apply "Product Development Flow" queue theory
• Use economic prioritization (Cost of Delay)

Reference: [[books/startup-business.md]]

• Apply "Lean Startup" validated learning
• Use "Rework" simplicity principles

Prioritization Framework

1. Stack Ranking

Every item has exactly one position. No ties.

Why:

• Forces real decisions
• Eliminates "everything is priority 1"
• Clear execution order

2. Cost of Delay (CoD)

Consider what waiting costs:

3. WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First)

Priority = Cost of Delay / Job Duration

High CoD + Short Duration = Do first

4. Opportunity Cost

For every item in progress:

• What are we NOT doing?
• Is this the best use of capacity?

Backlog Structure

Item Format

### [ID]: [Title]

**Story:** [Link to user story]
**Type:** Feature / Bug / Tech Debt / Spike
**Size:** XS / S / M / L / XL
**Priority:** [Stack rank position]
**Status:** Backlog / Ready / In Progress / Done

**Description:**
[Brief description of the work]

**Acceptance Criteria:**
[Inherited from user story or defined here]

**Dependencies:**
- [Blocks/blocked by]

**Notes:**
[Any additional context]

Backlog Views

By Priority (Default):

1. [Highest priority item]
2. [Second priority]
3. [Third priority]
...

By Status:

## Ready (can be started)
- [Items ready for work]

## Blocked
- [Items waiting on something]

## In Progress
- [Active work]

By Type:

## Features
## Bugs
## Tech Debt
## Spikes

Backlog Refinement Process

Adding Items

1. Capture - Add new items to bottom of backlog
2. Clarify - Ensure description and acceptance criteria are clear
3. Size - Estimate effort (use story points or t-shirt sizes)
4. Prioritize - Stack rank against existing items

Grooming Sessions

Regular refinement to:

• Break down large items
• Update priorities based on new information
• Remove stale items
• Clarify acceptance criteria

Ready Definition

Item is "ready" when:

• Description is clear
• Acceptance criteria defined
• Dependencies identified
• Sized
• No blocking questions

Backlog Output Template

# Backlog: [Project/Feature]

**Last Updated:** YYYY-MM-DD
**Total Items:** [count]
**Ready for Work:** [count]

## Priority Stack

### 1. [Title]
- **Type:** Feature
- **Size:** M
- **Status:** Ready
- **Story:** [link]

### 2. [Title]
- **Type:** Bug
- **Size:** S
- **Status:** Ready
- **Story:** [link]

### 3. [Title]
- **Type:** Feature
- **Size:** L
- **Status:** Blocked (waiting on design)
- **Story:** [link]

---

## Icebox

[Items not currently prioritized but captured for future]

- [Item]: [reason it's iced]
- [Item]: [reason it's iced]

## Recently Completed

- [x] [Item] - YYYY-MM-DD
- [x] [Item] - YYYY-MM-DD

Output Location

projects/{project}/tasks/backlog.md

Or integrated with project management tool via communication.md skill.

WIP Limits

Apply Work-in-Progress limits:

When WIP limit reached:

• Finish something before starting something new
• Swarm on blocked items

Integration

With user-stories.md

• Stories flow into backlog items
• One story may become multiple backlog items

With communication.md

• Sync backlog with project management tool
• Updates flow both directions

With engineering

• Backlog is the source of truth for what to work on
• Engineers pull from top of stack

Quality Checklist

• All items stack-ranked (no ties)
• Ready items have clear acceptance criteria
• Blocked items have blockers documented
• Sizes assigned to all items
• No orphan items (all trace to stories/PRD)
• WIP limits respected

Anti-Patterns

• Everything is P1 - Stack rank forces real prioritization
• Huge backlog - Ruthlessly prune or icebox old items
• Vague items - If not ready, it's not ready
• Starting without finishing - Respect WIP limits
• Priority by loudness - Use CoD, not who's complaining
• Hidden work - All work should be in backlog