Product backlog prioritisation by business value and MVP scope
Key Takeaway
Put the highest-value work at the top of the product backlog. Keep the first sprint to a minimum viable product (MVP), and reorder the backlog as user feedback comes in.
A product backlog is one ordered list of all the work a team might do. Prioritizing it means putting the highest-value items at the top, so the team builds them first. A minimum viable product (MVP) keeps the first sprint to just enough features to satisfy early customers and get feedback. Bigger requirements move to later sprints, and the team keeps refining the backlog as it learns.
The product backlog
The product backlog holds more than new features. All of these kinds of work sit in the same list, so they compete with each other for priority:
- New features
- Support or maintenance work
- Nonfunctional requirements
- Research