The Forensic Product Backlog Analysis: A 60-minute team exercise to fix your Backlog. Identify what’s broken, find out why, and agree on practical fixes—all in five quick steps. There is no fluff, just results.
Want technical excellence and solve customer problems? Start with a solid Product Backlog.
January 27, 2025: The Advanced Product Backlog Management Course for Just $99!
Please note:
Zur deutschsprachigen Version: Geht die Ära des Scrum Masters zu Ende?
Shall I notify you about articles like this one? Awesome! You can sign up here for the ‘Food for Agile Thought’ newsletter and join 42,000-plus subscribers.
Join Stefan in one of his upcoming Professional Scrum training classes!
Your Product Backlog is a mission-critical team artifact. It’s not just a list of features or tasks—it reflects your team’s ability to create value for customers and your organization. (You may have heard this before, but we are not paid to practice “Agile” but to solve our customers’ problems within the given constraints while contributing to the organization’s sustainability.)
Like any critical system, the “garbage in, garbage out” principle applies: inferior Backlogs lead to inferior products.
Here’s a structured 60-minute Forensic Product Backlog Analysis that helps teams identify backlog issues and develop practical solutions. The format based on Liberating Structures encourages participation while keeping discussions focused and actionable. (The exercise is part of the Advanced Product Backlog Management Cohort of March 6-April 3, 2025.)
Each team member identifies five ways to make a Product Backlog low-quality and hamper the team’s potential to create value. This silent brainstorming ensures everyone’s voice is heard, not just the loudest participants. Take personal notes—you’ll need them in the next step. (Learn more about TRIZ.)
Form groups of 3-4 people. Each group merges their individual findings into a top-five list of Product Backlog anti-patterns. The key here is to rank these patterns from worst to least harmful. This step surfaces the most critical issues while building consensus through small-group discussions. (Learn more about 1-2-4-All.)
Cannot see the form?
Please click here.
Bring all groups together. The first team presents their ranked list of backlog anti-patterns. Each subsequent team adds their unique findings, creating a merged, ranked list. This step reveals patterns across different perspectives and helps build a comprehensive view of the challenges. (Learn more about White Elephant.)
With your consolidated list, analyze each major Product Backlog anti-pattern:
This structured forensic Product Backlog analysis prevents the discussion from becoming a complaint session and keeps the focus on actionable insights. (Learn more about 9 Whys.)
Choose the top three anti-patterns and develop specific countermeasures. The emphasis here is on practical, achievable steps that the team can implement immediately. Remember, small improvements are better than grand plans that never materialize. (Learn more about 15 % Solutions.)
The Forensic Product Backlog Analysis exercise works because:
The most valuable Product Backlogs emerge from teams regularly examining and improving their practices. This exercise provides a framework for continuous improvement, helping teams move from identifying problems to implementing solutions in a true Kaizen spirit.
Final Tip: Schedule this session when the team has high energy. The goal is to generate insights leading to improvements, not just create another routine meeting with an action item list no one will ever touch again.
Start with the Forensic Product Backlog Analysis as outlined, then adapt this exercise to your team’s needs. The format is flexible—what matters is the outcome: a clearer understanding of your Product Backlog’s health, concrete steps to improve it, and an improved alignment with stakeholders.
Remember: A strong Product Backlog is a prerequisite for delivering value. Make time to maintain and improve this critical team asset and invest in your team’s reputation and performance—the management and customers will notice.
Stefan Wolpers: The Scrum Anti-Patterns Guide (Affiliate advertisement at no cost to you.)
27 Product Backlog and Refinement Anti-Patterns.
Product Backlog Refinement: 14 First Principles
The Product Backlog: 14 First Principles to Help Your Scrum Team Succeed
Product Owner Anti-Patterns — 31 Ways to Improve as a PO.
Why Leaders Believe the Product Operating Model Will Succeed Where Agile Initiatives Failed.
Download the Scrum Anti-Patterns Guide for free.
Learn more about the Forensic Product Backlog Analysis with our Scrum training classes, workshops, and events. You can secure your seat directly by following the corresponding link in the table below:
See all upcoming classes here.
You can book your seat for the training directly by following the corresponding links to the ticket shop. If the procurement process of your organization requires a different purchasing process, please contact Berlin Product People GmbH directly.
I invite you to join the “Hands-on Agile” Slack Community and enjoy the benefits of a fast-growing, vibrant community of agile practitioners from around the world.
If you would like to join all you have to do now is provide your credentials via this Google form, and I will sign you up. By the way, it’s free.
Prepare yourself to for teh Forensic Product Backlog Analysis by studying the free Scrum Anti-Patterns Guide:
