Concepts
They contain a list of all the tasks that need to be performed for the successful delivery of a product. However, merely having a backlog isn’t sufficient. It’s crucial to have a well-ordered product backlog to enhance the team’s understanding, transparency, predictability, and value delivery. Many techniques can be used for ordering a product backlog and here, we’ll discuss three such – MoSCoW, User story mapping and Business Value Point Analysis.
1. MoSCoW Method:
The MoSCoW method is a prioritization technique that stands for Must have, Should have, Could have, and Won’t have. This technique helps product owners and stakeholders distinguish between the absolute necessary, the desirable, the optional, and the not required at this time features.
- Must have: These are critical requirement items that must be completed to deliver a successful product. Without these, the product delivery would be counted as a failure.
- Should have: These are important but not necessary items that are not as critical. The project could still function without these but its delivery would be compromised.
- Could have: These are desirable items that are not necessary. If omitted, they will not affect the functionality of the product significantly.
- Won’t have: These are the least-critical or lowest-priority requirements.
This technique is particularly beneficial when dealing with a large number of requirements where it’s important to understand what needs to be prioritized for the project’s success.
2. User Story Mapping:
User Story Mapping allows product owners to visualize the work from the user’s perspective. In this technique, user stories are laid out visually on a board to create a ‘map’ of the user’s journey through the product. This enhances the comprehension of the system functionality and allows gaps to be easily identified.
This method involves three stages:
- First, identify your user’s main goals or activities. Place these in sequence from left to right on your board.
- Next, break down these activities into more specific tasks. These tasks should be arranged vertically under their respective activity, with the most vital tasks at the top.
- Finally, arrange these tasks in your project’s backlog by priority and timing, reflecting when you intend to deliver them in your release schedule.
User Story Mapping provides a clear visualization of the product backlog and links product backlog items with the user’s needs, showing the team the overall view of the product to keep their focus.
3. Business Value Point Analysis:
This is a technique where each product backlog item is assigned a “Business Value Point” (BVP). This value is subjective and based on the perceived worth of that item to the business. This could include things like customer satisfaction, revenue generation, cost savings, or strategic alignment.
To assign BVPs, start by assigning a value of 100 to a medium-sized item, and then compare all other items to this. Discuss with your team or stakeholders to decide whether other backlog items will bring more, less or the same value to the business, and adjust their BVPs accordingly.
BVPs could be used solely to order the backlog or used along with effort estimates to decide on a priority. Dividing the BVP by the estimated effort gives you a cost/value ratio, which can be used for comparison and ordering items.
These are just a handful of techniques that can be employed to order a product backlog. The technique you choose to use will significantly depend on the scope of your project, the size of your team, and the nature of the product you are creating.
In conclusion, all Product Owners should have a strong understanding of product backlog ordering techniques as it’s a fundamental part of managing and delivering a successful project. A well-ordered product backlog brings clarity and focus to the Scrum team, allowing them to deliver value more effectively.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: The Product Backlog should remain constant throughout a project and should not be allowed to change.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The Product Backlog is a dynamic document that must be updated sequentially according to changes in business requirements, feedback, and product development progress.
When using the Minimal Viable Product (MVP) strategy to order a Product Backlog, one of the focuses is to incorporate the most marketable features first. This statement is:
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: By employing the MVP technique, teams first target building features that will draw the most business value, thus making the product marketable early on.
Which of these techniques can be used for ordering a Product Backlog?
- (a) MoSCoW Method
- (b) User Story Mapping
- (c) Kano Model
- (d) All of the above
Answer: (d) All of the above
Explanation: All of these techniques serve different needs and can be used depending on the specific project requirements.
True or False: While using the User Story Mapping technique, teams focus on user experiences rather than on individual features.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The User Story Mapping technique emphasizes a user-centered approach that focuses on user experiences to identify and prioritize features.
Select the correct statement:
- (a) The Kano Model focuses primarily on customer satisfaction to order the product backlog.
- (b) In the MoSCoW method, the “Must have” category includes features that can be delayed until the very end.
Answer: (a) The Kano Model focuses primarily on customer satisfaction to order the product backlog.
Explanation: The Kano Model classifies features based on their potential impact on customer satisfaction. The MoSCoW method states that features categorized as “Must have” are non-negotiable and must be included first.
True or False: The Minimal Viable Product (MVP) technique and User Story Mapping technique have the same approach to order the Product Backlog.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: While both techniques are beneficial for backlog prioritization, the MVP technique focuses on key features for early marketability, whereas User Story Mapping concentrates on user experiences.
In terms of ordering a Product Backlog, what does the “W” represent in the MoSCoW method?
- (a) Won’t have
- (b) Wish to have
- (c) Would have
- (d) Will have
Answer: (a) Won’t have
Explanation: In the MoSCoW method, “W” stands for “Won’t have this time.”
True or False: User Story Mapping is a technique that provides a visual representation of the customer journey.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: User Story Mapping is indeed a technique that visually lays out user stories in a sequence that represents the user’s journey or experience.
Which of the following is not a category in the MoSCoW Method of Feature Prioritization?
- (a) Must-have
- (b) Could-have
- (c) Should-have
- (d) Won’t-have
- (e) Might-have
Answer: (e) Might-have
Explanation: The MoSCoW method uses four categories – Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, and Won’t-have.
The Kano Model includes which of the following categories for features?
- (a) Basic expectations
- (b) Performance expectations
- (c) Excitement expectations
- (d) All of the above
Answer: (d) All of the above
Explanation: The Kano Model uses all these categories to classify features for product backlog prioritization.
True or False: The Kano Model recommends avoiding what it terms “negative” features, as these are unlikely to provide customer satisfaction.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Negative features in the Kano model refer to those that could cause dissatisfaction and are better avoided or minimized in product development.
In the context of product backlog ordering, what does MVP stand for?
- (a) Maximum Valuable Product
- (b) Minimal Valuable Product
- (c) Major Viable Product
- (d) Minimal Viable Product
Answer: (d) Minimal Viable Product
Explanation: MVP stands for Minimal Viable Product. It’s a technique that prioritizes developing the minimal features that deliver maximum business value.
Great blog post! I found the MoSCoW prioritization technique really interesting.
Thanks for the detailed explanation of the techniques. I mostly use the Kano Model and it’s effective.
Can anyone share experiences of using MoSCoW vs. Kano Model? I’ve been sticking with Stack Ranking so far.
Interesting! I’ve used Value vs. Effort Matrix. Does anyone think it’s better than MoSCoW?
Helpful post. Could you elaborate more on how to incorporate Story Mapping?
I prefer Value vs. Effort Matrix as it gives a clear visual representation of priorities.
Anyone has real-life examples of using Stack Ranking?
Great read, thanks!