The Backlog

The backlog as pantry versus attic. Not every idea deserves permanent residence. Archive generously.

A backlog is a pantry, not an attic. It holds what you plan to cook soon, not everything that ever sounded good.

Keep it edible

Backlog hygiene

Time box grooming and stop when you reach diminishing returns.
Cull anything that has not been touched in a quarter.
Write titles that a new team member can understand in ten seconds.

Freshness tiers

Triage items into three buckets. Near term candidates, rough ideas worth keeping, and archives. Treat each bucket with an appropriate level of detail.

Three simple buckets

Now: top twenty, fully readable and sized.
Soon: next twenty, brief notes and owner to explore.
Later: the garden, seed ideas with one sentence each.

Grooming cadence

Short and regular beats long and rare. Ten to fifteen minutes twice a week keeps the list honest without draining energy.