Product Backlog Refinement

In the Scrum Guide, Product Backlog Refinement is mentioned but is not defined as an explicit event. However, this activity enables the Product Owner and the Development Team to refine items on the Product Backlog, which can include splitting items, decomposing them into smaller items, reordering the Product Backlog and sizing items by the Development Team. The general guidance is for the Development Team not to spend more than 10% of their capacity with Product Backlog Refinement activities, however the Product Owner can refine the Product Backlog as often as needed. When Product Backlog items are refined to sufficient detail that they can be “Done” within a Sprint, they are deemed to be “Ready”.

Practical Tips

High Level	The Product Backlog Refinement can be used as a high level strategic activity to consider the overall objectives of the product and which items will yield the most value.
Value	The *true* value of the delivery of product Increments may not be immediately obvious when work starts, however, over the time the value in the work can begin to become clear, which will then act as a catalyst to reorder items, create new ones and trade-off old items to narrow down on where the value is.
Adaptation	It may be useful to consider Product Backlog Refinement as an adaptation of the scope with respect to the transparency and inspection from the other Scrum events.
Maintenance	Keep the Product Backlog fresh and constantly maintained with the current understanding of the product. Avoid leaving it to fester with initial assumptions and be prepared to make some bold adjustments as the feedback data becomes available.
Activities	Some Product Backlog Refinement activities may include the following: Reordering existing items to match the current appreciation of the product with respect to the Team’s capacity Adding new items that may supersede old items or introduce new ideas or understanding of the product Discarding old items that may no longer be relevant or have since been superseded Splitting items into something smaller that is more easily consumed by the Team, particularly if it is close to the next Sprint Merging items that seem to be more cohesive as a single item rather than as separate ones
Include The Customer	For best results inviting the customer or stakeholders to Product Backlog Refinement sessions can help to provide additional context and positioning for items.