Overview of Agile Product Backlog Hierarchy
What is the Product Backlog? (Overview)
Product Backlog is a core artifact in Agile that consolidates all information such as requirements, estimation, progress status, communication, and so forth. Understanding and managing the Product Backlog correctly is critical for success. In order to create a great product, you must manage the Product Backlog in a great way. This article focuses on a hierarchy of the Product Backlog as it provides an overview and is a good starting point for Product Backlog management.
Overview of the Product Backlog hierarchy
The Product Backlog consists of four layers: Theme, Epic, User Story, and Task. (Some say it is five layers. However, four layers are simpler, enough, and more commonly based on my research and experience.) The diagram below provides an overview of the Product Backlog hierarchy.
The theme describes a long-term product strategy that spans several months to years. Epic is a huge value and requires a huge investment that takes more than a Sprint to several months. User Story is the smallest value that will be delivered each Sprint. Taks is a breakdown of the User Story that can be finished in a few days. As you can see, each layer of PBI is categorized based on the term to take. The table below…
