Stories Backlog: Scope Baseline with Adaptive Iterations

PMBOK v8 Definition

A backlog is an ordered list of work to be done, often written as user stories, and prioritized by the business to manage and organize an adaptive or agile project’s work. The backlog reflects the current project needs, including the product requirements and user stories, and contains a reprioritized plan for the remaining work. In projects using a hybrid approach, overall expectations are set with a scope baseline, schedule baseline, and cost baseline, whereas subteams may be working in iterations on the user stories contained in the backlog.

Why It Matters for the Exam

The PMI exam frequently tests your understanding of how backlog-based projects coexist with formal baselines, particularly in hybrid life cycles. Expect scenario-based questions where a project has fixed baselines at the program level but uses adaptive iterations at the team level-you must identify which artifacts (backlog vs. baseline) govern which aspects of scope, schedule, and cost.

Key Points to Remember (for the exam)

• Definition of Backlog: An ordered, prioritized list of work (user stories) that is continuously refined and reprioritized throughout the project.
• Types of Backlogs: Product backlog (prepared by product owner, includes requirements, features, epic user stories, and user stories representing overall scope and vision) and iteration backlog.
• Hybrid Projects: Overall expectations have a scope baseline, schedule baseline, and cost baseline, while subteams work in iterations on user stories in the backlog.
• Scope Refinement: In adaptive life cycles, scope is refined through different iterations rather than being fully defined upfront.
• WBS Equivalent: In agile projects, the WBS corresponds to the product backlog, where work items can be broken down into epics and user stories.
• Prioritization: The backlog is prioritized by the business to manage and organize work; it reflects current project needs and contains a reprioritized plan for remaining work.
• Tailoring Need: When subteams use different ways of working (adaptive iterations) within a project that has fixed baselines, there is an even greater need for a tailored approach to activities and processes.

Typical PMI Exam Example

Situation: A large organization is developing a new product. The program has an approved scope baseline, schedule baseline, and cost baseline. However, three subteams work in two-week iterations, each managing their own backlog of user stories. During a status review, the program manager notices the subteams are reprioritizing stories that affect the overall scope baseline.

Question: Which artifact governs the overall project scope, and which artifact governs the subteams' daily work?

Answer: The scope baseline governs overall project scope; the product backlog and iteration backlogs govern the subteams' daily work within each iteration.

PMI Exam Traps

• Trap: Confusing the backlog with the scope baseline in hybrid projects.

  • Reality: The scope baseline is the approved, fixed scope for the overall project; the backlog is a living, reprioritized list that may be refined iteratively within subteams.

• Trap: Assuming all projects with backlogs have no baselines.

  • Reality: Hybrid projects have scope, schedule, and cost baselines at the program level while subteams use adaptive iterations with backlogs.

• Trap: Thinking the backlog is static once created.

  • Reality: The backlog is continuously refined and reprioritized; it reflects current project needs and contains a reprioritized plan for remaining work.

• Trap: Confusing product backlog with iteration backlog.

  • Reality: The product backlog includes all requirements, features, epics, and user stories representing overall scope and vision; the iteration backlog contains only the work selected for a specific iteration.

Important PMI Connections

Quick Review Questions

1. In a hybrid project with a scope baseline and subteams using backlogs, which artifact controls the overall project scope?

2. What are the two main types of backlogs commonly used in adaptive and agile projects?

3. How does scope refinement differ between a predictive project (scope baseline) and an adaptive project (backlog)?

4. What is the relationship between the WBS in predictive projects and the product backlog in agile projects?

5. Why is tailoring particularly important in a project where subteams use adaptive iterations but the overall project has fixed baselines?

PMBOK v8 Reference

Section 2.2.3, Tailoring Considerations for Performance Domains Section 2.2.2, Scope Management (WBS corresponds to product backlog) Section 2.2.3.1, Examples (Example 1: New product development using backlog with user stories)