How to manage product backlog/user stories
- by Andrew Stephens
We're about to start a new project using Agile (using TFS), and I have a couple of "good practice" questions regarding the product backlog:-
When we first start adding users stories, is it a good idea to put them in (say) a "Backlog" iteration, or just leave their iteration blank? Obviously when the time comes to start work on a US it would be moved into the appropriate iteration backlog.
When breaking an epic down into smaller USs, would I simply close the original epic, as it's no longer required? Or should I create the new USs as children of the epic? (it's then someone's responsibility to close the epic once all child USs have been completed).
Lastly, should the product backlog list all USs regardless of status, or only those that have not been started (i.e in my proposed "Backlog" iteration)?
I realise these questions aren't life-or-death, but it would be nice to know how other people manage their product backlogs so we can organise things properly from the start.
