BACKLOG REFINEMENT - TIPS AND TRICKS
KAI STEVENS
PRODUCT OWNERSAT
HEIN SOUMAN@KSZITTERD@HEINSOUMAN
A PRODUCT OWNER CAN BE LONELY
LET THE PO FIGURE IT OUT AND THEN WE WILL REFINE
REFINEMENT IS A PO SHOW / PARTY
DEV’S: JUST TELL US WHAT TO MAKE AND WE WILL MAKE IT
REFINEMENT IS ALL ABOUT…
HAVING TWO WAY TRAFFIC
CREATING SHARED UNDERSTANDING
§ 1-on-1 refinement
§ Detailed refinement
§ Explorative refinement
DIFFERENT KINDS OF REFINEMENTS
4
1-ON-1 REFINEMENT
§ PO PAIRS WITH ONE DEVELOPER
§ FIGURE OUT COMPLEX REQUIREMENTS
§ OR CLEAR UP QUESTION MARKS DURING THE SPRINT
§ EVERY DAY
§ NO TIME LIMIT
§ PO-ER SHOULD BE APPROACHABLE FOR DEVELOPER(S) TO START 1-ON-1
4
DETAILED REFINEMENT
§ PO PAIRS WITH AT LEAST 2 DEVELOPERS
§ PREPARE THE NEXT SPRINT
§ OR CLEAR UP QUESTION MARKS DURING THE SPRINT
§ AS OFTEN AS NEEDED (OFTEN 3x PER SPRINT)
§ MAX 1 HOUR DURATION
4
EXPLORATIVE REFINEMENT
§ PO PAIRS WITH THE ENTIRE TEAM
§ IMPROVE THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
§ ONCE IN A WHILE (IE. EVERY RELEASE, EVERY QUARTER)
§ NO TIME LIMIT
§ EXAMPLE: AGILE ESTIMATION GAME
YOU REFINED WELL WHEN:
§ Sprint planning is peanuts
§ Implementing the wrong thing seldom happens
§ Any team member can pick up almost any item
§ Quality of the product is stable
§ Estimated story points turned out to be realistic regarding complexity and implemented solutions
