Backlog Grooming

Photo by Hayffield L on Unsplash

Backlog grooming is a term I was introduced to about 6 years ago through the agile project management framework called Scrum. Your backlog refers to the list of things that you don't want to forget to work on; some of the things in your backlog are items that popped into your head during the week or came up because circumstances changed, while other things were a part of the plan all along.

We have a backlog because we can only do so much at a time. Each week, each day, we work on the most important things that will get us to where we are going while our backlog sits there keeping track of all the other things we want and/or need to do. What makes this process work, is that we only work on things for a set number of weeks; these set weeks are called sprints. At the start of each Sprint, we look pick out the things that we want to work on, and we leave everything else in the backlog. This is an important process because we need to accurately estimate how much time each task will take so we don't overload our schedule with unreasonable expectations. Estimating the time a task will take and what a specific task will look like, doesn’t happen at the start of the sprint, but rather in a separate meeting called Backlog Grooming.

During a Backlog Grooming meeting, the team sifts through all the items in the backlog to make sure they are still relevant. Sometimes, items just get deleted because the task made sense two weeks ago but now circumstances have changed, and it's no longer needed. Other times, the task is needed but it's too vague, so we discuss what exactly the task entails, how long it will take, and then we build out acceptance criteria so the entire team is on the same page with what finished will look like.

Backlog grooming, in my opinion, is one of the most important meetings in the Scrum framework. If we don't take the time to sift through the backlog and bring clarity to vague goals, then we won't be able to accurately build out a plan for our sprints. It is a time that is very easy to dismiss, but without it, we are likely to give our attention to the loudest or easiest tasks, rather than the ones that should be prioritized.

So, what is your backlog like? When was the last time you sat down—not just to make a to-do list, but to groom it? To ask:

• What still matters?

• What’s just noise?

• What’s vague and needs clarity before it can move forward?

Backlog grooming isn’t just a project management tool—it’s a mindset. It’s the practice of pausing long enough to make sure our energy is aligned with our priorities. Because without that pause, we risk chasing urgency instead of impact. And the things that matter most? They deserve more than a sticky note in the margins. So, take a moment. Sift. Clarify. Recommit. Your next sprint—whether in work or life—will thank you for it.