One Backlog means one direction.

Question good to ask:

a. How many backlogs do you have in your company?

b. How many products are you building?

c. How many teams are building your products?

d. Are backlogs connected to the products?

e. Are backlogs connected to each other?

Answers good to have:

• The number of backlogs should equal the number of products (a=b)

• Backlogs should be directly connected to the products (d = TRUE)

• If there is one product but more than two teams, backlogs should be interconnected (if b=1 and c>2 then e = TRUE)

These questions and answers aim to establish a clear, efficient, and effective product development process. The intent is to ensure that each product has a dedicated backlog and product owner to avoid confusion, ensure clear direction, and streamline the decision-making process. The questions also touch on the importance of understanding the company's direction, decision-making on priorities, and team collaboration, which are crucial for adaptive organisations.

So, each product should have one backlog and one product owner. Does this not imply chaos? It should not. However, while this concept might seem simple, it's actually quite complex and requires some preparation. Take a closer look at your product and backlog structure. If it's understandable and seems reasonable, that's great. If not, and more questions arise, write them down and discuss them with others:

• Why does our backlog structure look like this?

• Who is making decisions about priorities or the order of the backlog?

• Is the company's direction reflected in the backlogs or the work to be done?

• How are we deciding on priorities across different backlogs or teams?

• How are dependent teams communicating and collaborating with each other?

For more insights, I'm happy to discuss further. Feel free to comment or contact me.