Product Backlog Problems: Why Your Hierarchy Is Broken

I'm making a point to be careful what I allow into my backlog. If realistically we're not going to do it, it doesn't belong in the backlog. There are a lot of things I want to do that are not in the backlog because I know realistically they're just not worth it. Even with AI where you are not using your monthly token allowance, there are still a lot of things not worth doing.

Just this week I was thinking about an idea that would improve builds, let's do that refactoring. However, as I started looking into the amount of work I would require to get it done, I realized that, yes, it would be an improvement to our builds, but the cost of getting the work done is greater than the improvement is worth, and so I'm not going to go forward with it. It's too bad there are a number of annoyances that I'm going to be living with because it's not worth fixing. But that is the reality of life. I need to do things that will ultimately satisfy our customers that keep coming back and paying us more money.

Just delete stuff you’re not going to do.

A strong whiff of AI writing.

Submarine article.

Also, back when I was still a PM I found most these kinds of tools to be a waste of time. Tools don't solve ownership.

I found just talking directly with my sellers and engineers in the same room would solve these backlog issues.

Every project, initiative, and task needed to be directly tied to enhancing customer satisfaction or tangibly driving revenue (1-2% of ARR).

If Eng could not justify why a refactor could help customer satisfaction or topline P/L, I'd deprioritize it. If sales could not justify why a checkbox feature would satisfy the majority of our customers or help our topline P/L, I'd deprioritize it and re-prioritize the refactor.

Just demand fucking ownership from everyone - PM, Sales, and Engineering - and complex projects can be easily executed.

Ownership also means trusting the people executing but also validating - I trusted my engineers, salespeople, and stakeholders and vice versa, but I always made sure to do my homework.

Backlogs will always expand - that's to be expected - but someone must groom them and own them. That's on the PM.

Who cares what tool you use - it could be JIRA or a Excel 95 spreadsheet. Just own shit and fucking execute.