G. H.

Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur

(A n A u to n o m o u s I ns t it u tio n )
Department of Information Technology
Agile Scrum Master(Elective-VI)

by Dr. Ashlesha Nagdive Ph.D (IT)

Unit 1:
● Agile practices and Principles

A g ile p rin cip le s a re a set o f g u idin g v a lu es a n d con c ep ts th a t u n de rlie th e A g ile M a n ifesto , a

fo u n da tion a l doc u m en t for A g ile softw a re de ve lop m e n t. T he se p rin c ip le s p ro vide a fra m e w ork
fo r te am s a nd org a niza tio n s to ad op t A g ile p ra ctic es and a ch ie ve m ore a da p tive ,
cu sto m er-fo cu sed , a n d c ollab ora tiv e w a ys o f w ork in g . H ere a re th e 1 2 A g ile p rinc ip les:

1. CustomerSatisfaction through Early andContinuousDelivery of Valuable Software: The primary measure

of progress is delivering working software that provides value to the customer. Agile teams prioritize
delivering valuableincrementsof the product frequently.
2. Welcome ChangingRequirements, Even Late in Development: Agile processes harness change for the
customer's competitive advantage. Teams are prepared to accommodate changing requirements
throughouttheproject.
3. DeliverWorkingSoftwareFrequently, withaPreferenceforShortTimescales: Agile teams aim to deliver
small, functional increments of the product frequently, typically every few weeks, to gather feedback and
adapt to changing needs.
4. Collaboration between Business People and Developers: Close collaboration between business
stakeholders (e.g., product owners) and development teams is essential to ensure shared understanding
andalignment on project goals.
5. BuildProjectsaroundMotivatedIndividuals, Trust Them,andGive ThemtheSupportandEnvironmentThey
Need: Agile teams are self-organizing and empowered. Trusting individuals to make decisions fosters
motivation and creativity.
6. Use Face-to-Face Communication When Possible: While not always feasible, face-to-face
communication is highly effective for conveying information and building strong working relationships.
Agileteams aim for rich, direct communication.
7. Working Software is the Primary Measure of Progress: Progress is measured by the software's
functionality, not just documentation or plans. Workingsoftwaredemonstratestangible results.
8. Maintain a Sustainable Pace of Work: Agile processes promote a steady and sustainable workflow.
Teamsshould avoid overloadingteam members to preventburnout.
9. Continuous Attention to Technical Excellence and Good Design: High-quality software development
practices, including code reviews, testing, and design, are integral to Agile. Technical excellence ensures
the long-term maintainability of the product.
10. Simplicity: Agile values simplicity in design and implementation. Teams strive to do the simplest
thingthat could possibly work to meetcustomer needs.
11. Self-OrganizingTeamsMake the BestArchitectures, Designs, andDecisions: Teams that are closest to
the work are best positioned to make decisions about architecture, design, and implementation.
Hierarchical decision-makingisminimized.
12. Reflect Regularly on Effectiveness and Adjust Accordingly: Agile teams regularly inspect and adapt
their processes. Retrospectives provide a forum for teams to identify areas for improvement and make
adjustments.

These Agile principles guide organizations and teams in delivering value to customers through iterative
development, collaboration, adaptability, and a focus on individuals and interactions. Agile methodologies
like Scrum, Kanban, and Extreme Programming (XP) operationalize these principles, helping teams and
organizations implement Agile practices effectively. The goal is to respond to change, deliver customer
value, and continuouslyimproveprocesses and products.

● Elaborate Agile Lean Principles.

A g ile Le an p rin c ip les re p re sen t a b len d of c on ce p ts from b oth th e A g ile an d Le a n

m eth o dolog ie s. T h ey p rov ide a c om p re h en siv e a p p ro a ch to p ro du ct dev elop m e n t,
em p h asizing c u stom er v alu e, w a ste red u ctio n , a n d co ntin uo u s im p rov em e nt. Be low a re th e
k ey A g ile Lea n p rin cip le s:
1. Customer-Centric Value: F o cu s on de liv erin g v a lu e to t he cu stom e r. U n d ersta n d th eir
n ee ds a n d p rio ritiz e fe atu re s a n d ta sk s th at p rov id e th e h ig h e st v a lu e.
2. Value Stream: Iden tify a n d a n a lyz e th e va lu e strea m , w h ic h is th e en d -to -e n d p ro ce ss
fr om c on ce p t to d elive ry. T h is he lp s in ide n tifyin g a re a s of w a ste an d op p ortu n ities fo r
im p rove m en t.
3. Flow: S triv e for a sm ooth , un in terru p te d flow of w o rk th rou g h th e d ev elo p m en t p roc ess.
M in im ize de la ys a n d h a nd offs b etw e en sta g es.
4. Pull System: U se a p u ll-b a se d a p p roa ch , w h ere w o rk is p u lle d b ase d o n a ctu a l dem a n d
ra th er th an b e in g p u she d on to t he te a m . Th is h elp s p rev en t o ve rloa din g a n d im p ro ve s
resp on siv en e ss.
5. Continuous Improvement (Kaizen): F oste r a c u ltu re o f co n tin u ou s im p ro ve m en t.
En c ou ra g e tea m s to re g u la rly reflec t on th e ir p ro ce sses, id en tify a rea s for e n h an c em e nt, an d
im p lem e nt ch a n g e s.
6. Optimize the Whole: F oc u s on o p tim izin g th e en tire v a lu e strea m ra th er th a n ju st
in dividu a l c om p on e n ts. C on side r th e en d-to-en d p roc ess a n d h ow e a ch p a rt c on trib u tes to
de liv erin g v a lu e.
7. Empowered Teams: E m p ow e r tea m s to m a k e dec isio n s a n d t ak e ow n e rsh ip o f th eir
w o rk . En co ur ag e se lf-o rg a n iz a tion a n d tru st in th e te am 's a b ilitie s.
8. Respect for People: Tre a t in div id ua ls w ith re sp ec t a nd rec og n iz e th e ir ex p e rtise an d
co n trib u tion s. C rea te a n en v iron m e n t w h e re te a m m em b e rs fee l v a lu ed a n d e m p ow e red .
9. Eliminate Waste (Muda): Id en tify a n d elim in a te ac tiv itie s or p roce sses th a t do n ot a dd
v alu e to th e cu stom e r. Th is in clu des u nn e ce ssa ry do cu m en ta tio n , w a iting tim e , a n d re w ork .
10 . Amplify Learning: E n cou ra g e a lea rn in g c u ltu re w ith in th e org a niza tio n . E m b ra ce
ex p e rim en ta tion , fe ed b a ck , an d a da p ta b ility to im p rov e p roc esse s a n d o ut com e s.
11 . Decentralized Decision-Making: P u sh de cision -m ak in g a u th ority to th e low e st
a p p rop riate le ve l. A llow th ose clo sest to th e w ork to m a k e de cision s, red u cin g b o ttlen e ck s a n d
de la ys.
12 . Optimize for Flow Efficiency: F oc u s on o p tim izin g th e flo w of w ork th rou g h th e sy stem ,
ra th er th a n op tim izin g in divid u al ta sk s. T h is in v olv es m in im izing h an d ov ers a n d en su rin g
w o rk m ov es sm o oth ly from on e stag e to th e n ex t.
13 . Visual Management: U se v isu a l to ols (e .g ., K a nb a n b o a rds) to p ro vid e tra nsp a ren cy
a n d m a k e it e a sie r to m o n itor p rog ress, iden tify b ottle n ec k s, a n d m a n a g e w ork .
14 . Limit Work in Progress (WIP): Pla ce co nstra in ts on th e a m ou n t of w o rk th a t ca n b e in
p ro g ress a t a n y g iv en tim e. Th is p r ev en ts o ve rloa d in g an d h elp s m a in tain a m a n a g e a b le flow
of w o rk .

B y co m b in in g th e p rin cip le s of A g ile a n d L ea n , A g ile Le a n p ra ctices a im to c rea te a m ore

efficie n t, va lu e-driv en , a n d a da p ta b le a p p roa ch to p ro du ct dev elop m e n t. Th e se p rin cip le s
g u id e tea m s a n d org a n iza tio ns in de liv erin g h ig h er q ua lity p rod u cts, red u cin g w a ste , an d
co n tin u ou sly im p rov in g th eir p roc esse s.

● Agile Process Models

Agile process models are a set of iterative and incremental software development approaches that
prioritize flexibility, collaboration, and customer feedback. These models aim to deliver high-quality
software in a more responsive andadaptive manner compared to traditional, sequential methodologies
like Waterfall. Agile methodologies emphasize individuals and interactions, working software,
customer collaboration, andresponding to change.

Here are some of the mostwell-known Agile process models:

1. Scrum: Scrum is one of the most widely used Agile frameworks. It involves cross-functional teams
working in time-boxed iterations called sprints, usually lasting two to four weeks. Scrum includes roles such
as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team, and it relies heavily on ceremonies like daily
stand-up meetings, sprint planning, sprint review, and sprint retrospective.
2. Kanban: Kanban is a visual management method for software development. It focuses on
visualizing the work process on a Kanban board, which helps teams manage and optimize their workflow.
Unlike Scrum, Kanban does not have predefined time-boxed iterations; work is pulled as capacity allows. It's
especiallyuseful for teamswith variable workloads.
3. Extreme Programming(XP): XP is a software development methodology that emphasizes practices
like test-driven development (TDD), continuous integration, pair programming, and frequent releases. XP
aimstoimprovesoftware quality andresponsiveness to changing requirements.
4. Lean Software Development: Lean principles, inspired by lean manufacturing, have been applied to
software development. This approach seeks to eliminate waste, optimize processes, and deliver value to
customers as efficiently as possible. Lean encourages small batch sizes, quick feedback loops, and
continuous improvement.
5. Dynamic Systems Development Method(DSDM): DSDM is an Agile framework that provides a set of
principles and practices for rapid software development. It includes iterative and incremental development,
timeboxing, and focuses on prioritizing the most important featuresfor delivery.
6. Crystal: Crystal is a family of Agile methodologies developed by Alistair Cockburn. Each "color" of
Crystal represents a different level of formality and is suited to different project sizes and criticalities.
Crystal emphasizesearlyand frequent deliveryof workingsoftware.
7. Feature-Driven Development (FDD): FDD is an Agile approach that focuses on building software
through a feature-centric approach. It involves breaking down the system into discrete, well-defined
featuresand managing their development individually.
8. Adaptive Software Development (ASD): ASD is an Agile approach that emphasizes collaboration,
continuous learning, and adapting to changes in requirements. It involves three phases: speculation,
collaboration, and learning, andit encourages frequent reassessmentand adaptation.
9. Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe): SAFe is an Agile framework designed to scale Agile principles and
methods to large organizations. It provides guidance on how to coordinate and align multiple Agile teamsto
work togethereffectively.
10. Nexus: Nexus is a framework for scaling Scrum to large organizations. It helps multiple Scrum
teamswork together to deliver integrated software at scale.

Each of these Agile process models has its strengths and weaknesses, and organizations may choose the
one that best fits their specific needs, project size, and culture. Many organizations also customize Agile
approaches to create hybrid models that combine elements from multiple methodologies. The key to
success in Agile development is the commitment to collaboration, adaptability, and delivering value to the
customer earlyandfrequently.

● Incremental and Iterative Product development in Agile

A g ile m e th o d a n d m e th o d o lo g y is a p a rtic u la r a p p ro a c h to p ro je c t m a n a g e m e n t

t ha t is u tiliz e d in s o ftw a re d e ve lo p m e n t . I t is a c o m b in a tio n o f it e ra tive an d

in c re m e n ta l w o rk se q u e n c e s w it h a fo c u s o n p ro c e s s a d a p t a b ilit y a n d c u s t o m e r

s a tis fa c t io n t hro u g h th e ra p id d e live ry o f t h e w o rk in g p ro d uc t. U n lik e th e

t ra d it io na l w a te rfa ll m o d e l, w he re e a c h s t e p o f t h e s o ft w are d e v e lo p m e n t

life c y c le (S D L C ), is d o n e se q u e n t ially a ft e r t h e c o m p le tio n o f th e p re v io u s s t e p ,

a g ile p ro m o te s t h e id e a o f o ve rla p p in g p h a s e s .

A g ile m eth odolog y p rom ote s itera tive d eve lop m e nt w ith in cre m en tal re lea ses. To

u n dersta nd m ore ab ou t h ow a g ile is a n in crem en ta l a n d itera tive m eth od, let u s first

u n dersta nd m ore a b o ut inc rem en ta l a n d ite ra tiv e d eve lop m en t m e th od s.

Iterative Process

A n itera tiv e p ro cess m a k es p ro g ress th rou g h su cce ssive re fin e m e nt. T h e de ve lop m en t tea m

de velop s th e first cu t of th e system , k n ow in g in ad va n ce th a t som e/m a ny p a rts are in com p lete.

T he tea m th en ite ra tiv ely en ha n ce s tho se p a rts u n til th e p rodu ct is sa tisfac tory. W ith ea ch

itera tio n, c usto m e r fe edb a ck is tak e n in to a cco un t a n d th e so ftw a re is im p rov ed th rou g h th e

a ddition of g rea ter de tail.F or exa m p le , let u s ta k e a n ex a m p le o f sea rc h fu nc tion a lity on a

w e b site. In th e first ite ration , a sim p listic se a rch scree n ca n b e b uilt. In th e n e xt ite ra tio n,

a dva n ce d sea rch c riteria c an b e a dde d.

 Incremental Process

A n in cre m e nta l p roce ss in volv es d eliv erin g c om p on en ts of th e softw are in p a rts. Ea ch

in cre m e n t rep rese nts a c om p le te su b set of fu n ctio na lity a nd is fu lly code d a n d teste d.F or
ex a m p le, for a n e-com m erce store, initially, p a ym en t ca n b e sup p orted on ly via credit a nd deb it
ca rds. In the n ext re lea se, p aym e nt v ia w a lle ts ca n b e su p p orted.

Agile:Theincrementalanditerativemethod

Agilemethod combinesboth incrementaland iterativemethodology.It is iterative

becauseit plansfortheworkof oneiteration tobeimproved uponin subsequent
iterations.It isincremental becausecompleted workisdeliveredthroughout the
project.

D u rin g a dev elop m en t “ itera tion ” w he re w e b u ild seve ral fea ture s som e m a y b e
itera tin g to im p rove , m odify o r rem ov e ex isting fun c tion ality, w h ile o th e rs m a y b e
in cre m e n ta lly a ddin g n e w fu n ction a lity.

Scrum

is o ne o f th e im p le m e nt a tio n s o f a g ile m e t h o d o lo g y in w hic h in c re m e n ta l b u ild s a re

d e live re d to c u s to m e rs in it e ra tive c y c le s o f 2 to 4 w e e k s .

S c ru m T e a m s a re s e lf-o rg a n iz in g a n d c ro s s -fu n c t io n a l t e a m s o f 7 + / - 2 m e m b e rs .

T h e re a re t h re e ro le s in a s c ru m te a m viz. P ro d u c t O w n e r, S c ru m M as t e r an d

D e ve lo p m e n t te a m m e m b e r.
Scrum Artifacts

V ario us arte fa cts of scru m a re:

1. P ro du ct B ac k log

2. S p rin t b a ck lo g

T he a b ov e a rtefac ts con ta in a list of Ep ics a n d U ser S torie s ordere d b y th e ir p riorities. Th e

p rod uc t b a ck log con ta in s a list o f a ll th e stories th a t a re a va ilab le a n d n ee d to b e de velop ed .
T he sp rin t b a ck log co nta in s th e list of sto ries th a t th e tea m p lan s to ta k e up in a p a rticu la r
sp rin t.

Scrum Events

T he sp rin t sta rts w ith sp rin t p la n n in g , in w hich the top p rio rity sto ries from th e p ro du ct b a ck log
w h ich ca n b e ta k en u p b y th e tea m in th e c urre nt sp rin t a re a dded to the sp rin t b a ck log . Eve ry
da y a sm all a ctiv ity ca lle d da ily sta n du p is d on e to tra ck th e a m ou n t of w ork left. A t th e en d of
th e sp rin t, the re is a sp rin t re vie w /dem o to th e p rod uc t ow n er to en su re th a t a ll th e a c cep ta n ce
crite ria a re m et a n d th e deliv ery is as exp ecte d. A fter th a t, the re is an oth er ac tivity na m ed sp rin t
retrosp ectiv e, in w h ic h th e sp rin t is review e d a nd op p o rtu n itie s for furth er im p rove m e n t are
disc usse d.

Unit 2:

● Project Strategies in Agile Scrum Master

In A g ile, p a rticu la rly in th e S c ru m fra m ew ork , p ro ject stra teg ies re vo lve a rou n d flex ib ilit y,
co lla b ora tion , an d ite ra tive d ev elo p m en t to de liv er va lu e to cu stom e rs. H e re a re som e k ey
stra teg ies fo r m a n ag in g p rojec ts in A g ile u sing th e Sc ru m fra m e w ork :
1. Product Vision and Roadmap: Sta rt b y e sta b lish ing a clea r p rodu c t vision a n d a
h ig h -le ve l ro ad m a p . Th is h elp s th e te a m u nd ersta n d t he lo ng -t erm g o a ls a n d direc tion o f th e
p ro ject.
2. Product Backlog: C rea te a p ro du ct b a ck lo g , w hich is a p rioritize d list of a ll th e fea tu re s,
en h a nc em e n ts, a n d b u g fix es th a t n e ed to b e a dd ressed in th e p roje ct. T h e p ro du ct ow n e r is
resp on sib le for m a in ta in in g an d p rioritiz in g th is b ac k lo g .
3. Sprint Planning: B rea k the w ork in to sm a lle r, m a n a g ea b le u n its ca lle d sp rin ts (u su a lly
2 -4 w ee k s). D u rin g sp rin t p la nn ing , th e te a m sele cts item s from th e p rodu c t b a c k log to w o rk
on d u rin g t he u p c om in g sp rin t.
4. Cross-Functional Teams: Fo rm cross-fun c tion a l te a m s con sistin g of d ev elop e rs,
test ers, de sig n ers, a n d ot he r n ece ssa ry role s. T h ese tea m s a re resp on sib le for de liv erin g
p o ten tia lly sh ip p a b le in c rem e nt s of th e p rod uc t a t th e en d of ea c h sp rint.
5. Daily Stand-up: H o ld da ily sta n d -u p m e etin g s ( a lso k n ow n a s d a ily sc rum s) w h ere
tea m m em b ers sh a re w h a t th ey w ork ed on yeste rda y, w h a t th ey p la n to w ork on tod a y, an d
a n y im p edim en ts th e y a re fa cin g . T h is fosters co lla b o ra tion a n d k ee p s e ve ryon e in fo rm ed.
6. Sprint Review: A t th e en d o f ea c h sp rin t, co n du ct a sp rin t re vie w m ee tin g to sh o w ca se
th e w ork com p lete d d u rin g th e sp rin t to st ak e h old ers a n d g a th er fe edb a ck .
7. Sprint Retrospective: A fte r th e sp rin t re view , h old a sp rin t ret rosp e ctiv e to re flec t o n
th e tea m 's p er form a n ce , id en tify a re a s fo r im p ro ve m en t, a n d m ak e a dju stm e nts to th e p ro ce ss.
8. Continuous Delivery: Str ive for c on tin u ou s d elive ry of p oten tially sh ip p a b le in crem e n ts
a t th e en d of ea ch sp rin t. T h is a llow s for ea rly a nd fr equ e nt relea ses, w h ich ca n le a d to fa ste r
fe ed b a ck an d qu ic k er a da p ta tio n to c h a ng es.
9. Adaptation: E m b ra ce c ha n g e a n d a da p t to ev olvin g c ust om er n ee ds o r m a rk e t
co n dition s. A g ile p rojec ts p r ioritize re sp on din g to ch a n g e ov er follow in g a rig id p lan .
10 . Transparency: M a in ta in tra n sp a ren c y b y sha ring in form a tion a b ou t th e p roje ct's
p ro g ress, issu es, an d im p e dim e n ts. T his en a b les in form e d d ec isio n-m a k in g a nd tru st a m on g
tea m m e m b e rs a n d sta k e h olde rs.
11 . Empowerment: E m p ow er tea m s to m a k e de cision s a b ou t h o w to b est ac h iev e th eir
sp rin t g oa ls. Tru st th eir ex p ertise a n d le t th em se lf-o rg a n iz e.
12 . Metrics and Improvement: U se m e tric s su c h a s v elo city , b u rn-d ow n ch a rts, a n d lea d
tim e to tra ck p rog ress a nd iden tify are a s for im p rov em e n t. C on tin u ou sly se ek w a ys to
en h a n ce th e tea m 's p e rform a n c e.
13 . Scaling Agile: F or larg er p rojec ts or org a n iz a tion s, c on sid er sc a lin g A g ile u sin g
fr am e w ork s lik e S A F e ( S ca le d A g ile F ra m ew o rk ), L eS S (L a rg e -S c ale S c rum ), or N e xu s to
co ordin at e m u ltip le S cru m te a m s w ork in g o n a co m m o n g o al.
14 . Customer Feedback: A ctive ly se ek a n d in co rp ora te c usto m er fee db a c k th rou g ho u t th e
de ve lop m en t p ro cess. T h is en su re s th at th e p rod u ct a lig n s w ith cu sto m er ex p e cta tio n s an d
n ee ds.
15 . Documentation: F oc u s o n lig h tw e ig h t do cu m en ta tio n a n d e m p h a size w ork in g
softw a re ov er co m p re he n siv e doc u m e n ta tion . D ocu m e n tation sho u ld serv e th e p u rp o se of
en a b lin g colla b ora tion a n d u n d ersta n din g , n ot ju st for its ow n sa k e.
16 . Technical Excellence: P rio ritiz e tec h n ica l e xc ellen ce a n d m a in ta in a su sta in a b le p a ce
of w o rk to p rev en t b u rn ou t a n d m ain ta in h ig h -qu a lity ou tp u t.

● T shaped people in Agile scrum master

In A g ile a n d S c ru m t e a m s , p e o p le w it h a " T -s h a p e d " s k ill s e t a re h ig h ly va lu e d . T h e

c o n c e p t o f a " T -s h a p e d " p e rs o n re fe rs to a n in d ivid u a l w h o p o s s e s s e s a c o m b in a tio n
o f b ro a d a n d d e e p s k ills . H e re 's w h a t it m e a ns :
1. Broad Skills (The Horizontal Bar of the "T"): Th e s e a re s k ills t h a t c o ve r a w id e
ra n g e o f a re a s o r d o m a in s . In a n A g ile t e a m c o n te xt , th is m ig h t in c lu d e s k ills s u c h a s
c o m m u n ic a t io n , c o lla b o ra tio n , a d a p ta b ilit y , a n d p ro b le m -s o lv in g . T h e s e s k ills e n a b le
t e a m m e m b e rs to w o rk e ffe c t iv e ly w it h o t h e rs , e m b ra c e c h a n g e , a n d ta c k le v a rio u s
c h a lle n g e s t h a t m a y a ris e d u rin g t h e p ro je c t.
2. Deep Skills (The Vertical Stem of the "T"): T he s e a re s p e c ializ e d s k ills o r
e x p e rtis e in a s p e c ific a re a . I n A g ile , t h is ty p ic a lly re fe rs to a p e rs o n 's p rim a ry ro le o r
a re a o f s p e c ia liza t io n , s u c h a s a s o ftw a re d e ve lo p e r, t e s t e r, d e s ig n e r, o r b u s in e s s
a n a ly s t. D e ep s k ills a re what a llo w te a m m e m b e rs to c o n t rib u t e s p e c ia liz e d
k n o w le d g e to t h e p ro je c t .

T h e id e a b e h in d a T -s h a p e d p e rs o n in A g ile t e a m s is t h a t th e y c a n p e rfo rm t h e ir
s p e c ia lize d ro le (th e v e rt ic a l s t e m ) w h ile a ls o c o lla b o ra tin g e ffe c t iv e ly w it h o t h e rs a n d
c o n t rib u t in g t o d iff e re n t a s p e c t s o f t h e p ro je c t (t h e h o riz o n t a l b a r) . T h is c o m b in a tio n
o f s k ills fo s t e rs c ro s s -fu n c t io n a l te a m w o rk a n d e n s u re s th a t te a m m e m b e rs a re no t
o v e rly s ilo e d in th e ir ro le s . I t p ro m o te s a s e n s e o f o w n e rs h ip , s h a re d re s p o n s ib ility , a n d
a d a p ta b ilit y w it h in t h e t e a m .

● Product backlog characteristics in Agile

In A g ile, p a rtic ula rly in th e S c rum fra m ew ork , th e p ro du ct b a ck log is a c ritic a l a rtifa ct t ha t

p lay s a ce n tra l ro le in m a n a g in g th e w ork to b e do n e o n a p ro je ct. T h e p rod u ct b a ck lo g h a s

sev era l k ey ch a ra cte ristic s:

1. Dynamic: T he p rod uc t b a ck lo g is dyn a m ic a n d co n tin u ou sly ev olvin g . It's n ot a fix ed o r
sta tic d ocu m e nt. A s th e p rodu c t e vo lve s a n d sta k eh o lde rs p rov ide fee db a ck , n ew ite m s c a n
b e a dd ed, e xistin g item s c a n b e rep rioritize d, a n d item s ca n b e rem o ve d o r refin ed . Th is
dyn a m ic n a tu re allow s th e tea m to a da p t to c ha n g in g re qu ire m en ts a n d p rio ritie s.
2. Prioritized: Item s in th e p rodu c t b a c k log a re p rio ritiz ed b a se d on th e ir im p orta n ce to
th e p ro du ct's su cce ss. T h e p r odu ct o w n er is resp on sib le fo r defin in g a n d m a in ta in in g th e
p riority of b a ck log item s. H ig h er-p riority item s ar e typ ica lly a t th e top of th e b ac k log a n d a re
a dd ressed soo n er th a n low e r-p riority ite m s.
3. User-Centric: T h e p rod u ct b a ck lo g foc use s o n de liv ering v a lu e to u se rs or cu stom e rs.
Ea c h item in th e b a ck lo g sh ou ld rep resen t a u se r ne ed , fea tu re , en h a n cem e n t, or b u g fix th a t
co n trib u te s to th e o ve rall p rodu c t's v a lu e p rop osition .
4. Detailed: W h ile th e p rodu c t b a ck log item s d o n ot n e ed to b e ov erly de ta ile d, th ey
sh ou ld c on ta in en o u g h in for m a tion for th e d ev elo p m en t te a m to u n d ersta n d w h a t n ee ds to b e
do n e. T his m ig h t in clu d e a b rief de scrip tion , a c cep ta n ce crite ria , a n d a n y n e ce ssary
a tta ch m e nts or re fe ren c es.
5. Estimable: Ba c k log ite m s sh ou ld b e clea r a n d w ell-defin ed en o u g h fo r th e tea m to
estim a te th e effo rt re qu ired to com p lete th e m . T e a m s often u se tec h niqu es lik e story p oin ts or
rela tiv e sizin g to e stim a te th e c om p lex ity o f b a ck lo g item s.
6. Emergent: A s th e tea m le ar ns m o re a b ou t th e p rodu c t a n d its u se rs, n ew ide as an d
in sig h ts m a y e m erg e . T he se ca n re sult in t he a dd itio n of n ew b a ck log item s o r c ha n g es to
ex isting on e s. Th e b a c k log is r esp o nsive to em er g in g requ irem en ts an d k n ow ledg e.
7. Cross-Functional: T h e p rod u ct b a ck lo g in clud es ite m s th a t requ ir e con trib u tion s fro m
m u ltip le discip lin e s, su c h a s dev elop m e n t, de sig n, test in g , an d o th ers. T h is en c ou ra g e s
cro ss-fu n ction a l c olla b ora tio n w ith in th e te a m .
8. Visibility: T h e p rodu c t b a ck log is visib le to th e e n tire A g ile te am , inc lu din g th e p rodu c t
ow ne r, S cru m M a ster, a n d d ev elo p m en t te a m m e m b e rs. T h is tra n sp a re n cy e nsu re s th a t
ev ery on e is a w a re of th e w ork to b e d on e a n d th e p riorities.
9. Dependencies: T h e p ro du ct b a ck lo g m a y in clud e de p e n den c ies b etw e en b a c k log
ite m s. T h ese dep en de n cie s sho u ld b e ide n tified a n d m a n a g ed to en su re th a t w o rk c a n
p ro g ress sm ooth ly a n d e fficien tly.
10 . Refinement: B a ck log refin e m e n t, also k n ow n a s b a ck lo g g roo m in g , is a n o ng oin g
p ro ce ss w h ere th e t ea m rev ie w s, c la rifies, a n d p rep a res b ac k log ite m s fo r u p co m in g sp rin ts.
T h is h e lp s e n su re th a t item s a re re ad y for im p le m e n ta tion w h en th e y a re sele cte d for a sp rin t.
11 . Sprint-Bound: W hile the p ro du ct b a ck log c on ta in s a ll th e w ork to b e don e on th e
p ro du ct, on ly a su b se t of th ese item s is se lec ted for ea c h sp rin t du rin g sp rin t p la n n in g . Th e
sp rin t b a ck log is d eriv ed fro m th e p rod uc t b ac k log for e a ch sp rin t.
12 . Evolutionary: A s th e p rod uc t p rog resse s a n d c u stom er fee db a c k is rece iv ed, th e
p ro du ct b ac k log ev olv es. Item s m a y b e re p rio ritiz ed o r m odifie d b a se d on th e ev olvin g
u n de rstan d in g o f use r n ee ds an d m a rk et d yn a m ics.
13 . Owned by the Product Owner: T h e p rodu c t ow ne r is resp on sib le for m an a g in g th e
p ro du ct b a c k log . T h ey m a k e d ec ision s a b o ut w ha t to p rioritiz e, w h a t to in clu de, a n d h ow to
refin e ite m s. H ow e ve r, th e en tire A g ile tea m c olla b ora tes in b a c k log refin em e n t a n d sp rin t
p lan n ing discu ssio ns.
14 . Measurable: Ba c k log ite m s m a y in c lu de a cc ep ta nc e criteria or su cc ess crit eria th a t
a llo w th e tea m to m e asu re w h e th er a n item h a s b ee n su cce ssfu lly c om p leted .

O v era ll, th e p rodu c t b a ck lo g is a c en tra l e lem e n t o f A g ile p rojec t m a n a g e m en t, serv in g a s a

livin g d ocu m e n t th a t g u ides th e te a m 's w ork a n d e nsu re s alig n m e nt w ith t he p rod u ct's v isio n
a n d g o a ls. It is a dyn a m ic a n d a da p ta b le t ool tha t su p p orts A g ile p rinc ip les su c h as cu stom e r
fo cu s, c olla b ora tio n , a n d re sp on sive ne ss to ch a n g e .

● Product backlog characteristics in Agile

In A g ile dev elop m e nt, a p ro du ct b a c k log is a p rioritize d list of fea tu re s, u se r storie s,

en h a n ce m en ts, b u g fix es, a n d oth e r ite m s th a t re p re sen t th e w o rk th a t n e ed s to b e don e on a
p ro du ct. T h e p rod u ct b a ck lo g se rve s a s a d yn am ic a n d ev olv in g doc u m en t th a t h e lp s the A g ile
tea m p la n , p rio ritiz e, a n d e xe cu te th e w o rk du rin g t he de ve lop m e n t p ro cess. H ere are som e
k ey ch a ra cte ristics o f a p rodu c t b a c k log in A g ile :

1. Dynamic: Th e p ro du ct b a c k log is n ot a sta tic do cu m en t. It ev olv es ov er tim e a s n ew

id ea s, req u irem e n ts, a n d fee db a c k em e rg e. Item s c an b e a dde d, m od ified, o r rem ov ed b a sed
on c h a n g in g p rio ritie s a n d n e eds.
2. Prioritized: Item s in th e p rodu c t b a c k log a re p rio ritiz ed b ase d on th e ir b u sin ess va lu e ,
cu sto m er n ee ds, a nd oth er re lev a n t fa cto rs. T h e m ost im p orta n t a nd va lu a b le ite m s sh o uld b e
a t th e top of th e b a ck lo g , a llow in g th e tea m to fo cu s o n de liv erin g th e hig h est va lu e first.
3. User-Centric: Item s in th e b a ck log a re ofte n u ser sto ries o r u ser-ce n tric fea tu re s. T h ey
a re w ritten fro m th e p ersp ect ive of e nd -u se rs or cu stom e rs a n d d escr ib e w ha t th e p rodu c t
sh ou ld do to m e et th eir ne ed s.
4. Estimable: Ite m s in th e b a c k log sh o u ld b e su fficien tly w ell-d efin ed a n d c le a r so th a t
th e d ev elo p m en t te a m ca n estim a te th e e ffort req u ired to im p lem e n t th em . Th is he lp s in
p lan n ing a n d sc h edu lin g w ork in iter ation s o r sp rin ts.
5. Small and Independent: Id ea lly, b a ck lo g ite m s sh o uld b e sm a ll a n d in de p en d en t of
ea c h o th er. Th is a llow s for g rea te r fle xib ility in p rio ritiz a tion a n d ex ec ut ion . S m a ller ite m s a re
ea sier to estim a te a n d ca n b e c om p le ted w ithin sh orte r tim e fra m e s.
6. Emergent: T h e b a ck lo g is n ot fix ed or fu lly defin ed a t th e b e g in n in g of th e p rojec t. N e w
ite m s c an em e rg e a s th e tea m lea rn s m o re a b ou t the p rodu c t, m a rk et, a n d c u stom er n ee ds.
It's essen tia l to em b ra c e c h a n g e an d a da p t th e b a ck lo g a cc ord in g ly.
7. Cross-Functional: Th e b a c k log in clu des item s tha t requ ire v a riou s sk ills a nd ex p e rtise
to im p le m en t. It's n ot lim ite d to just dev elop m e n t ta sk s b u t m a y a lso in clud e d esig n , testin g ,
do cu m en ta tio n , a n d o the r a c tivities n ec essa ry to de liv er a com p lete p rodu c t.
8. Detailed When Necessary: W h ile h ig h -p riority ite m s m a y h a ve de ta ile d d escrip tio n s
a n d a cc ep ta n c e criteria, lo w e r-p riority item s m a y h a ve less de ta il. T he lev el of de ta il in c rea se s
a s item s m ov e c lose r t o th e top o f th e b a c k log a n d b e co m e ca n dida tes for dev elop m e n t in
u p c om in g itera tion s.
9. Owned by the Product Owner: T h e P rod u ct O w n er is resp o n sib le for m an a g in g an d
p rioritizin g th e p rodu c t b a c k log . T h e y w or k clo sely w ith stak e h old ers to u n derst an d
req u irem e n ts a n d e n su re th e b a c k log reflec ts th e h ig h e st b u sin e ss v a lu e.
10 . Visible and Accessible: T h e p ro du ct b a ck lo g is typ ic a lly a sh a re d a n d v isib le art ifa c t,
often m a in ta in ed ele ctro nica lly u sin g tools lik e J ira or T rello. Th is v isib ility h elp s th e e n tire
tea m stay a lig n ed an d in form ed a b ou t up co m in g w ork .
11 . Subject to Continuous Refinement: T h e b ac k lo g is su b jec t to con tinu o u s refin em e n t,
w h ic h in volve s c la rifyin g req u irem e n ts, a dd in g m ore d eta il, a n d en su rin g th a t th e top ite m s a re
rea d y for d ev elo p m en t. T h is p roce ss h e lp s m a in ta in th e b a ck lo g 's h ea lth .
12 . Used for Sprint Planning: D u rin g sp rin t p la n n in g m e etin g s, the tea m se lec ts a su b se t
of item s from th e p ro du ct b ac k log to w or k o n d u rin g th e u p c om in g sp rin t. Th e se ite m s
b e co m e p a rt of th e sp rin t b ac k lo g .

O v e ra ll, th e p ro d u c t b a c k lo g is a c ritic a l t o o l in A g ile d e v e lo p m e n t , e n a b lin g t e a m s to

d e liv e r va lu e in c re m e n ta lly w h ile re m a in in g re s p o n s iv e t o c h a n g in g b u s in e s s n e e d s
a n d c u s to m e r fe e d b a c k

● User stories in Agile

U s e r s t o rie s a re a c o m m o n te c h n iq u e u s e d in A g ile s o f tw a re d e v e lo p m e n t t o c a p tu re
a n d d e s c rib e u s e r re q u ire m e n ts o r fe a t u re s fro m t h e p e rs p e c tiv e o f a n e n d -u s e r o r
c u s t o m e r. T h e y s e rve a s a s im p le a n d e ffe c t ive w a y to c o m m u n ic at e a n d d o c u m e n t
w h a t a s o f tw a re s y s t e m s ho u ld d o a nd w h y . U s e r s t o rie s a re t y p ic ally w ritt e n in a
s p e c ific f o rm a t a n d a re a n e s s e nt ia l p a rt o f A g ile m e t h o d o lo g ie s s u c h a s S c ru m a n d
K a n b a n . H e re a re t h e k e y c o m p o n e n t s a n d c h a ra c t e ris t ic s o f u s e r s t o rie s in A g ile :

1. Format: U s e r s t o rie s a re t y p ic a lly w ritt e n in a s p e c ific fo rm a t , w h ic h c o n s is t s o f

a s h o rt , s im p le s e n te n c e t ha t fo llo w s th e te m p la te : "A s a [u s e r ro le ], I w a n t [a n a c tio n ]
 s o t ha t [b e n e fit /v a lu e ]." Fo r e x a m p le : " A s a c u s to m e r, I w a n t to b e a b le to v ie w m y
o rd e r h is t o ry s o t h a t I c an t ra c k m y p u rc h a s e s ."
2. User Role: T h is p a rt o f t h e u s e r s t o ry id e n t ifie s th e u s e r o r s ta k e h o ld e r w h o w ill
b e n e f it fro m o r in te ra c t w ith th e fe a tu re . It h e lp s p ro v id e c o n t e xt fo r th e d e v e lo p m e n t
tea m .
3. Action: Th e a c t io n d e s c rib e s t h e s p e c ific fu n c tio n a lit y o r b e h a v io r t h e u s e r is
re q u e s t in g . It 's a c o n c is e a n d c le a r s ta t e m e n t o f w h a t th e s o ft w a re s h o u ld d o .
4. Benefit/Value: T h is s e c t io n e xp la in s t h e re a s o n b e h in d th e u s e r's re q u e s t a n d
t h e v a lue it b rin g s t o t h e m o r th e b u s in e s s . It h e lp s p rio ritiz e u s e r s to rie s b a s e d o n
t h e ir im p o rt a n c e .
5. Conversation: U s e r s t o rie s e n c o u rag e c o n ve rs a t io n a n d c o lla b o ra t io n b e t w e e n
t e a m m e m b e rs , in c lu d in g d e ve lo p e rs , p ro d u c t o w n e rs , a n d s t a k e h o ld e rs . T he u s e r
s t o ry is n o t in t e n d e d to b e a d e t a ile d s p e c ific a t io n b u t ra t h e r a s t a rtin g p o in t fo r
d is c u s s io n s a nd c la rific a tio n s .
6. Acceptance Criteria: T o a d d m o re d e t a il t o a u s e r s t o ry , a c c e p ta n c e c rite ria a re
o f te n in c lu d e d . T h e s e a re s p e c ific c o n d itio n s th a t m u s t b e m e t f o r t h e u s e r s t o ry t o b e
c o n s id e re d c o m p le t e . A c c e p t a n c e c rit e ria he lp d e fin e th e b o u n d a rie s o f t h e u s e r s to ry
a n d p ro vid e a c le a r d e f in it io n o f " d o n e ."
7. Estimation: D e v e lo p m e n t te a m s o ft e n e s t im a t e th e e ffo rt re q u ire d to
im p le m e n t a u s e r s t o ry u s in g te c h n iq u e s lik e s t o ry p o in ts o r t im e -b a s e d e s t im a t e s .
T h is h e lp s w it h p rio rit iza t io n a n d s p rin t p la n nin g .
8. Prioritization: U s e r s t o rie s a re ty p ic a lly m a in t a in e d in a p rio rit iz e d p ro d u c t
b a c k lo g . T h e p ro d u c t o w n e r is re s p o n s ib le fo r p rio rit iz in g u s e r s t o rie s b a s e d o n
b u s in e s s v a lu e , c u s to m e r fe e d b a c k , a n d o t h e r fa c t o rs .
9. Small and Independent: U s e r s to rie s a re id e a lly s m a ll in sc op e and
in d e p e n d e n t o f e a c h o t h e r. T h is a llo w s fo r in c re m e n ta l d e ve lo p m e n t a n d d e live ry o f
v alu e . S m a lle r u s e r s t o rie s a re e a s ie r t o e s tim a te a n d fit in t o s h o rt e r it e ra tio n s o r
s p rin t s .
10 . Negotiable: U s e r s t o rie s a re n e g o t ia b le , m e a n ing t h e y c an b e re f in e d a n d
m o d ifie d b a s e d o n fe e d b a c k a n d e vo lv ing re q u ire m e n ts . T h e g o a l is to m a in t a in
fle x ib ilit y a n d a d a p t t o c h a ng in g n e e d s .
11 . Vertical Slices: U s e r s t o rie s s h o u ld a im t o d e liv e r a ve rt ic a l s lic e o f fu n c t io n a lit y ,
m e a n in g th a t t h e y e n c o m p a s s a ll la y e rs o f t h e s o ft w a re s ta c k (e .g . , u s e r in t e rfa c e ,
b u s in e s s lo g ic , a n d d a t a la y e r) n e c e s s a ry t o p ro v id e v a lu e to th e us e r.
12 . Testable: U s e r s t o rie s m u s t b e t e s t a b le , m e a n in g t h a t it s h o u ld b e c le a r h o w
t h e d e v e lo p m e n t te a m c a n v e rify t h a t th e s t o ry h a s b e e n s u c c e s s fu lly im p le m e n t e d
b a s e d o n t h e a c c e p t a n c e c rit e ria .

U s e r s t o rie s a re a c ru c ia l to o l fo r A g ile te a m s t o c a p t u re re q u ire m e n t s , e ns u re

a lig n m e n t b e tw e e n d e ve lo p m e n t a n d b u s in e s s g o a ls , a n d d e liv e r s o ft w a re t h a t m e e t s
u s e r n e e d s . T h e y p ro m o t e c o lla b o ra t io n , fle x ib ilit y , a n d a c u s t o m e r-c e n t ric a p p ro a c h t o
s o f tw a re d e ve lo p m e n t .