As a seasoned Scrum practitioner with years of experience in Agile development methodologies, I have a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in managing a product backlog. The ordering of the product backlog is a crucial aspect of the Scrum framework, as it directly impacts the team's ability to deliver value to stakeholders in an efficient and effective manner. Let's delve into how the product backlog should be ordered, keeping in mind the latest insights from the Scrum community.

The Role of the Product Owner
The Product Owner is the guardian of the product backlog. They are responsible for maintaining the backlog's order, ensuring that the items reflect the current priorities and goals of the stakeholders. The Product Owner must have a clear vision of the product's direction and be able to articulate this vision to the team.

Prioritization Based on Value
The primary criterion for ordering the product backlog is value. The Product Owner must prioritize items based on their potential to deliver the most value to the stakeholders. This value can be measured in various ways, such as revenue generation, customer satisfaction, market share, or strategic alignment with the company's goals.

Consideration of Dependencies
Another important factor in ordering the backlog is the consideration of dependencies between backlog items. Some features or user stories may be prerequisites for others, and these dependencies must be taken into account when ordering the backlog to ensure that the team can work efficiently.

Risk Management
Risk is another critical factor. Items that are high risk but have the potential for high reward might be prioritized higher to manage risk proactively. Conversely, items with lower risk and lower value might be pushed down the backlog.

Frequency of Reassessment
The product backlog is not a static list. It should be reviewed and reordered frequently, ideally during each Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective. Changes in market conditions, stakeholder needs, and project progress can all necessitate a reassessment of priorities.

**The Scrum Guide's Emphasis on 'Ordered'**
The new Scrum Guide uses the term 'ordered' for the Product Backlog, which reflects a long-held understanding by many leaders in the Scrum community. The term 'ordered' implies a deliberate and thoughtful arrangement of the backlog items, rather than a simple list. This change underscores the importance of the ordering process and the Product Owner's role in it.

The Use of a Prioritization Framework
A Product Owner might use a prioritization framework such as MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have), Kano Model (must-be, one-dimensional, attractive, and indifferent qualities), or simply a numerical scoring system to help in ordering the backlog.

Inclusion of Non-Functional Requirements
Non-functional requirements (NFRs) such as performance, security, and usability are also crucial and should be included in the backlog. They should be prioritized based on their importance to the product's success.

Transparency and Communication
Finally, the ordering process should be transparent. The Product Owner should communicate the rationale behind the ordering to the Development Team and stakeholders to ensure everyone is aligned and understands the priorities.

In conclusion, ordering the product backlog is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of the product, the market, and the stakeholders' needs. It is an ongoing activity that should be revisited frequently to ensure the backlog remains relevant and aligned with the product's goals.

read more >>

The new Scrum Guide instead uses the term ordered for the Product Backlog. This reflects a long-held understanding by many leaders in the Scrum community. Let's clarify the reason for the change. To prioritize a list means to order its items by their importance relative to each other.read more >>