Backlog

A backlog is the list of todos, in strict priority order.

You might be thinking: “Why not just use priority categories - P0, P1, P2?” Because categories defer the hard part. The ordering represents your best guess at how to proceed. Priority buckets are a way of postponing actionable prioritization.

Content Classes

This will vary with the stage of the project. In earlier phases, when product-market fit isn’t established, my backlogs lean toward fishing items. For a mature effort, they lean toward friction items. (See Fishing vs Friction.)

I’ll also consider Use Case, Operability, and Compliance and whatever subject-area tags or categories are relevant to the project. Domain Models and Mind Maps can reveal these.

In summary:

• Fishing vs. friction (consider the project stage)
• Use case, operability, compliance
• Project-specific tags and categories

How far out to plan?

I typically say a backlog should be like looking through fog: near items are clear, but things get cloudy further out.

• 3 weeks: clear, well-defined, strictly prioritized
• 6 weeks: clear in intention, though details may change
• 12 weeks: a sketch of a plan

Any backlog I make with more than 12 weeks of content is a fantasy. Sure, I’ll throw items in an icebox, but I don’t take seriously anything planned for three months out.

Backlogs should contain items that are ready to do. Roadmaps might have a year of ideas, but those are placeholders for tasks yet to be defined and prioritized.