Backlog Health Check
✅ Yes
❌ No
⚠️ N/A
Section 1: General Overview
Attribute | Assessment | Notes |
---|---|---|
Product Goal is defined and visible | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | e.g. Visible on the backlog tool homepage |
Items are linked to Product Goal or Roadmap | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Traceability to high-level goals |
Backlog reflects current customer/stakeholder needs | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Recent insights incorporated |
Tooling setup supports team collaboration | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | E.g., Jira, Trello, Azure Boards |
Section 2: Backlog Item Quality
Quality Check | Assessment | Notes |
---|---|---|
Items follow the INVEST principle | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable |
Items are written in user story format (if applicable) | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Who – What – Why |
Acceptance Criteria are defined | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Clear and testable |
Items are concise and not overly detailed | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | No novels in the backlog! |
Technical debt, bugs, enablers are clearly labeled | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Categorized appropriately |
Section 3: Refinement & Readiness
Refinement Indicator | Assessment | Notes |
---|---|---|
Regular refinement sessions happen | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Weekly/biweekly cadence |
DoR (Definition of Ready) is used | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Consistently applied |
Upcoming 2-3 sprints worth of items are Ready | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Smooth flow into Sprint Planning |
Stakeholders participate in backlog refinement | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Helps maintain alignment |
Backlog items are estimated (if needed) | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Use of Story Points or T-Shirt sizes |
Section 4: Prioritization & Value Focus
Prioritization Check | Assessment | Notes |
---|---|---|
Items are ordered based on business value | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Most valuable = top of the list |
Prioritization method is clearly defined (MoSCoW, WSJF, etc.) | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Consistency is key |
Stakeholders understand how prioritization is done | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Avoid surprises or mistrust |
Outdated or completed items are removed/archived | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Keep it lean and clean |
Value-based metrics are used (e.g., customer impact, ROI) | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Beyond velocity or deadlines |
Section 5: Backlog Churn & Hygiene
Hygiene Indicator | Assessment | Notes |
---|---|---|
Items aren’t moving sprint-to-sprint without closure | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Check for frequent spillovers |
Old/irrelevant items are regularly cleaned | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Backlog grooming is happening |
Backlog size is manageable (not 500+ items!) | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Quality over quantity |
Item history/changelog is maintained for traceability | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Helpful for compliance or audits |
Section 6: AI Usage (Optional Modern Add-On)
AI-Aided Practice | Assessment | Notes |
---|---|---|
ChatGPT/AI used to generate or refine stories | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Initial drafts or slicing |
AI used for sentiment analysis from stakeholder feedback | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Trend identification |
AI tools help track prioritization rationale | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | RICE/WSJF automation |
Tools like Miro AI or Notion AI are used in backlog workshops | ✅ / ❌ / ⚠️ | Collaboration boost |
Summary Scoring (Optional)
Section | Score (out of 10) |
---|---|
General Overview | |
Item Quality | |
Refinement | |
Prioritization | |
Hygiene | |
AI Usage | |
TOTAL (out of 60) |
✅ 50+ = Excellent!
⚠️ 35–49 = Needs Improvement
❌ Below 35 = High Backlog Risk Zone

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