Backlog Refinement

Last updated on 2026-06-05 | Edit this page

Overview

Questions

  • How do we refine the backlog?

Objectives

  • Be able to add new tasks, based on changes in requirements and priorities from the Stakeholder(s).
  • Know how to re-prioritise a list of requirements using GitHub Project labels and fields.

7.1. Introduction

To recap from Agile Fundamentals course in Backlog Refinement Chapter you learnt.

The main goals of backlog refinement are to help you:

  • Keep the product backlog prioritised so the most important items are at the top.
  • Break large stories into smaller, more manageable pieces.
  • Ensure top-priority stories are clearly defined, with actionable acceptance criteria, and are ready for Sprint Planning.
Challenge

Challenge 1: Refine your Backlogs (7 minutes)

  • In your teams, look at the Issues in the Product Backlog and see if you need to add any further ones based on what you now understand of the product, technical challenges and any new requirements.
  • Check if the priority levels of each Issue has changed:
    • This might be based on any new Issues that have been added.
    • It may be based on things you learnt during the previous Sprint.
    • It may be based on external factors or new risks you have identified.
  • Don’t forget to assign tasks to Epics, where appropriate. For a reminder of what Epics are and how to incorporate them in your project, see the Requirements episode
Callout

7.2. Handling Mid-Sprint Requirement Changes : This section should be covered only once during the course, in Sprint 3 you can introduce it during sprint 3 development phase.

7.2. Handling Mid-Sprint Requirement Changes

Changes to the Sprint Backlog, if it modifies the Sprint Goal, are not permitted during a Sprint. However, in a research environment, where it is common for urgent and unforeseen tasks to arise at short notice, Product Owners may raise urgent new Issues. The Development Team, as owners of the Sprint Backlog, may choose to add new Issues to the sprint if they cannot wait for the next sprint. However, the Development Team must ensure these Issues have an effort estimate and the total volume of work within the sprint remains constant. This essentially means that for every X story points added, X is removed by removing an Issue from the sprint backlog.

Challenge

Challenge 2: Have any mid-sprint changes to requirements been announced? (10 minutes)

If the Stakeholders (course organisers) have announced any changes to requirements, then either:

  • Add new Issues to the current Sprint, as described above

OR

  • Stop the current active Sprint! This will remove all issues from the Sprint Backlog (but they remain in the Product Backlog).

Callout

There are a number of terms used to mean Backlog Refinement.

Others are “Backlog Enhancement”, “Backlog Grooming” or “Backlog Pruning”.

Our Product Backlog is once more up to date with the latest set of requirements from the Stakeholder(s) broken down into Issues. We are now ready to do the Sprint Planning meeting, where we will select the next subset of Issues to go into the Sprint Backlog.

Key Points
  • Adding and prioritising Issues is an ongoing task, known as Backlog Refinement. (AKA “Backlog Enhancement”, “Backlog Grooming” or “Backlog Pruning”.)
  • The Backlog needs to be fully refined and up-to-date before each Sprint Planning session begins.
  • Mid-sprint changes to the Sprint Backlog are permitted if it doesn’t change the sprint goal but sometimes in a research environment, the current sprint just needs to be stopped and a new sprint planned as changes in direction can be dramatic!