Grooming, also known as backlog refinement, is the process of reviewing and updating the product backlog regularly to ensure that it remains organized, prioritized, and relevant.
During this process, the product owner, the development team, and sometimes the Scrum Master collaborate to:
- Review and clarify the user stories or tasks in the backlog.
- Prioritize the items in the backlog based on factors such as business value, dependencies, and risk.
- Break down larger user stories or tasks (epics) into smaller, more manageable tasks.
- Estimate the effort required to complete each task, usually through story points or ideal hours.
- Remove any obsolete or duplicate items from the backlog.
Grooming helps the team to maintain a well-organized and easily understood backlog, ensuring that they can quickly and effectively plan for upcoming sprints. It also enables the team to have a better understanding of the requirements and reduces the risk of unforeseen issues during development.
Grooming is typically an ongoing activity throughout the project lifecycle and is often performed at regular intervals, such as weekly or biweekly meetings.