Episode 7 – fuel to the fire
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When we create a backlog we are generating a list of work for the team. But it is not just a list of work. Critically, a backlog is an ordered list of work. The intent is that the items at the top of the list are those which should be done first. Those further down should be done later. In a well-managed backlog, the team can work through the list of work in order, knowing that this will deliver the most value.
This podcast is AI-generated based on material from the “Agile Plays” website and book.
Transcript
Welcome back, deep divers. Today, we're taking a deep dive into a topic that's well, let's just say it could be a bit dry. But stick with us because understanding this can be a game changer, really. We're talking about backlogs. Yeah.
Backlogs. Not the most glamorous term, I'll admit. Right. But think about it. When you're building something amazing, whether it's software, a marketing campaign, even just planning your week, having a clear understanding of what needs to get done and in what order can make all the difference.
Right? Absolutely. And that's where the backlog comes in, this thing we call the backlog. Exactly. A backlog, it's essentially a prioritized list of all the work, all the tasks, everything that needs to be done to achieve a specific goal.
Okay. So it's a list, but it's more than just a to do list. Right? Yeah. Way more.
It's a living, breathing document, a constantly evolving road map. It's not just about what needs to be done. It's about understanding the why behind each item, the value it brings, and how it fits into the bigger picture. So how is that different from just a regular old to do list? I mean, I love my to do list.
But Well, think of it this way. A to do list is static. You write it down and well, there it is. But a backlog is dynamic. It's constantly being refined and reprioritized based on new information, feedback, and changing circumstances.
That makes sense. So you're saying a backlog needs to be flexible, able to adapt to the real world, which, let's face it, is rarely predictable. Precisely. So how do you actually keep a backlog up to date? What are some practical tips for keeping it, you know, from becoming this monster that's just out of control?
Well, regular review is key. Like, set aside time maybe once a week with your team to go through the backlog. Are the items still relevant? Are the priorities still correct? So it's a team effort.
This isn't just, like, one person, the backlog master dictating everything. Right? Definitely not. It's a collaborative process. The team needs to be involved in shaping the backlog.
That's really important because they're the ones who are gonna be doing the work. And how do you decide, like, what goes at the top of the list? What's the most important thing to tackle first? That's where prioritization comes in. There are different frameworks you can use, but one that I find really helpful is the Moscow method.
Moscow, like the city. Nope. Although that would be an interesting way to prioritize, wouldn't it? Yeah. Must see the Kremlin.
Exactly. But, no, in this case, Moscow stands for must have, should have, could have, won't have. It's a way of categorizing backlog items based on their importance and urgency. Okay. So must have are the things that absolutely, positively have to get done.
Right? Yes. Those are the critical items that are essential for achieving your goals. Then you have the should haves, which are important but maybe not as urgent. And then could have are, like, nice to haves but not essential.
Exactly. And then, of course, you have the won't haves. Those are the things that, well, you've decided not to do, at least not right now. So you're saying that it's okay to say no to some things even if they seem like good ideas? Absolutely.
In fact, saying no is essential for maintaining a healthy backlog. It's about focusing your energy on the things that will truly move the needle, the things that will have the biggest impact. I like that. So as you go down the backlog, are the items always, like, super detailed, or is there room for, you know, those bigger, less defined ideas? That's a great point.
As you move down the backlog, the items tend to be larger, more strategic, and less well defined. So, like, at the top, you've got those really clear, actionable tasks that the team can jump on right away. Right. Those are the ready to go items. Okay.
And then further down, it's more like, hey. We should probably explore this area sometime in the future, but maybe the details aren't ironed out yet. Exactly. Those are more, like, big strategic themes or potential opportunities, but they need more exploration and refinement before they can be broken down into actionable tasks. Okay.
That makes a lot of sense. So how do you know when an item, one of those top items, is actually ready to be, like, pulled off the shelf and worked on by the team? Is there, like, a a secret handshake or something? Well, a secret handshake would be cool, but there's something even better, the definition of ready. Definition of ready.
Okay. What is that exactly? It's a set of criteria that a backlog item needs to meet before it can be considered truly ready for the team to start working on it. So it's like a quality control check point. Yes.
Exactly. It ensures that the item is well defined, understood by everyone, and has all the necessary information and resources attached to it. So no more starting work on a task only to realize halfway through that, oh, we're missing this crucial piece of information. Exactly. The definition of ready helps to prevent those kinds of frustrating and costly surprises.
It's like having a clear blueprint before you start building a house. Okay. I like that analogy. So having this definition of ready, it can actually save time and headaches in the long run. Absolutely.
It reduces confusion, rework, and those moments where the team is just spinning their wheels because they don't have what they need to move forward. I can see how that would be incredibly valuable, especially as teams and projects grow. And that brings us to the next level of complexity, scaling. Scaling. Oh, sounds intriguing.
It is. But that's a story for the next part of our deep dive. So scaling backlogs. It's, a little like, trying to, you know, herd cats. Right?
Like, you've got all these different teams, all these different moving parts, and you gotta keep them all, you know, moving in the same direction. Okay. I could see. Yeah. That could get a little, chaotic.
So how do you, like, wrangle all those cats or, you know, backlogs? Well, it starts with understanding, you know, the bigger picture. Right? It's not just about managing individual backlogs in isolation. It's about connecting them, like weaving them together into a cohesive whole.
So it's like a like a tapestry, all those threads coming together to create something, you know, beautiful. Exactly. And the key to creating that beautiful tapestry is, you know, the value stream. Ah, yes. The value stream.
We talked about that a little bit in the last part. Can you, like, remind us again what that is exactly? Sure. The value stream, it's essentially the the end to end process of, you know, delivering value to your customer. Like, it starts with an idea and then goes through all the steps, all the stages until that idea becomes a real product or service, something that the customer actually, you know, wants and uses.
Okay. So it's the whole shebang from start to finish. Right. And when you're scaling Yeah. You need to make sure that all your different backlogs, those from different teams and different departments, that they're all aligned with, you know, that overall value stream.
Okay. So instead of just, like, focusing on each team's little silo of work, you gotta zoom out and make sure that everyone is rolling in the same direction. Precisely. It's about, you know, creating that flow. So how do you, like, practically do that?
How do you make sure that all these different backlogs are actually in sync with each other? Well, communication is key. Like, regular communication between the different teams, that's super important. Right? You gotta have those conversations.
You gotta share information. You gotta make sure that everybody's on the same page. Okay. So it's like instead of everyone working in their own little bubble, you gotta break down those walls and create a, like, more collaborative environment. Exactly.
And visual tools visual tools can be really helpful here. You know? Like like those Kanban boards we talked about earlier. Yes. Exactly.
Those can be a game changer because, you know, they allow you to see visually how the work is flowing, how the different backlogs are connected, and where those, you know, bottlenecks might be. Oh, that's cool. So, like, you could have a big board that shows the overall value stream, and then each team could have their own smaller board that shows their specific part of the process. Yeah. Exactly.
And then you can link those boards together visually to show how, you know, how it all fits together, how the different pieces are interconnected. I like that. It's like like a puzzle. You know? You can have all the pieces in the right place for the picture to make sense.
Exactly. And speaking of puzzles, you know, one of the biggest challenges when you're scaling backlogs or even just managing a single backlog for that matter is, well, it's that pesky problem of, you know, work in progress. Work in progress. Okay. Remind me again.
What's that all about? Work in progress or WBP. It's basically, you know, all the work that's been started but hasn't been finished yet. And the thing is, the more work in progress you have, the slower your overall flow is gonna be. Oh, okay.
So, like, if you have a ton of things that you're working on at the same time, it's gonna take longer to get any of them done. Yes. Exactly. It's like it's like having, you know, 20 tabs open in your browser. You're constantly switching back and forth.
You're never really giving any one thing your full attention, and in the end, you just end up feeling, you know, scattered and unproductive. Ugh. Yeah. I hate that feeling. So if having too much work in progress is a bad thing, how do you, like, how do you avoid that trap?
Well, there are a few things you can do. 1 is to, you know, set limits on how much work in progress each team or each individual can have at any given time. Okay. So, like, you're basically saying, hey. You can only have 3 things on your plate at once.
Yeah. Finish those before you start anything new. Exactly. And another key is to, you know, focus on finishing things. Like, celebrate those wins.
Celebrate those moments when a task is actually, you know, completely done. Yeah. I like that. It's easy to get caught up in the, you know, the starting of new things, but sometimes you gotta, like, stop and appreciate what you've actually accomplished. Absolutely.
And here's the thing. You know, a lot of organizations, they're really good at punishing, like, late delivery. Right. Like, oh, you missed the deadline. Bad, bad, bad.
Yeah. Exactly. But they're not so good at rewarding, you know, early delivery. So, like, if you finish something ahead of schedule, it's like, okay. Great.
Now go start something else. Yeah. Exactly. And that creates this this culture of, you know, busyness, this culture of always having a full plate, and it actually works against, you know, efficient flow. So how do you change that?
How do you create a culture that actually rewards focus and, you know, getting things done? Well, it starts with leadership. Right? Leaders need to set the tone. They need to make it clear that, you know, delivering value is more important than just, like, looking busy.
So it's about, like, shifting the mindset from, you know, just checking things off a list to actually making a real impact. Exactly. And one way to do that to really empower teams to focus on delivering value is to embrace, you know, the concept of self managing teams. Okay. Self managing teams.
I gotta admit, this sounds, I don't know, a little bit like like letting the inmates run the asylum. You know? Yeah. I get that. I mean, it's it's definitely a different way of thinking about leadership and teamwork, but, you know, it can be incredibly effective.
So, like, how does it actually work? Do these teams just, like, do whatever they want? No rules, no oversight? No. No.
It's not about, you know, anarchy. It's about trust and empowerment. Okay. So there are still, like, guardrails in place. Absolutely.
But the guardrails are more about, you know, setting clear goals, defining the boundaries, and then giving the team the freedom to figure out the best way to achieve those goals within those boundaries. So it's like, you know, giving them the destination, but letting them choose their own route. Exactly. And that can be really powerful because it allows teams to tap into their creativity, their ingenuity, and their, you know, their collective wisdom. I can see how that could be motivating.
Like, you know, feeling like you actually have a say in how things are done, that you're not just like a cog in a machine. Mhmm. But, you know, what about accountability? Like, if there's no manager breathing down your neck, how do you make sure that people are actually, you know, pulling their weight? That's a great question, and it's one of the things that, you know, people often worry about when they first hear about self managing teams.
But the thing is accountability doesn't go away. Just it just shifts. Okay. So instead of being accountable to, like, a boss, you're accountable to your team. Exactly.
It becomes a shared responsibility. The team sets its own goals. It tracks its own progress, and it holds each other accountable for, you know, for delivering results. So it's like, you know, peer pressure, but in a good way. Yeah.
Exactly. And it can be really effective because, you know, nobody wants to let their team down. Right. And you're more likely to, like, you know, step up and do your best when you feel like you're part of something bigger than yourself. But I gotta ask, like, is this is this kind of approach right for everyone?
I mean, some people just they thrive on structure. They like having a boss tell them what to do. Yeah. That's true. And, you know, self managing teams, they're not they're not a magic bullet.
They're not gonna be the right fit for every organization or every team. Okay. So it's not like a like a one size fits all solution. Exactly. It really depends on the culture, the context, the type of work being done, and, you know, the people involved.
But, you know, for the right teams in the right environment, it can be it can be transformative. Okay. I'm starting to get it. So connecting this back to, you know, backlogs and all the stuff we've been talking about, like, how would a self managing team actually, you know, manage their backlog? Would they even have a backlog?
Oh, absolutely. In fact, backlogs become even more important in a self managing team environment. Really? Why is that? Because the backlog becomes the team's you know, it's their road map.
It's their guide. It's their way of, you know, staying aligned and focused on their goals. So instead of the manager, you know, dictating what goes on the backlog and what the priorities are, the team itself takes ownership of that. Exactly. The team decides what needs to be done.
They prioritize the work. They track their progress, and they make adjustments along the way as needed. That makes sense. It gives them, like, you know, more control That makes sense. It gives them, like, you know, more control over their own destiny.
Exactly. And it allows them to be more responsive to, you know, to change to new information and to, you know, to the evolving needs of the customer. So it sounds like, you know, this whole self managing teams thing, it's it's not just about, you know, who's in charge. It's about creating a different way of working, a more collaborative, a more agile, and, you know, ultimately, a more fulfilling way of working. Absolutely.
And, you know, at the end of the day, it's about it's about unleashing the potential of the team. You know? Yeah. Empowering them to do their best work. Well, deep divers, we've covered a lot of ground today.
From those humble to do lists to those super powered self managing teams, we've explored how backlogs can be used to, you know, to bring clarity, to drive focus, and to, you know, to ultimately deliver amazing results. And we've seen how the principles of backlog management, they can be applied, you know, far beyond the world of software development. Whether you're leading a team, managing a project, or just, you know, trying to get more done in your own life, there's something here for everyone. Absolutely. So as you go forth, armed with this newfound knowledge, remember to embrace the power of the backlog, to prioritize ruthlessly, and to, you know, to never underestimate the power of a truly engaged and empowered team.
And until next time, keep exploring, keep learning, and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible. That's it for this deep dive. Catch you next time.
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