About

The Product Backlog is a queue of Stories arranged in order of priority.  Stories tend to be high-level on the Product Backlog.  A subset is then selected for the team to actually do work on them.

This is the Product Backlog for the North Shore Agile Group.  It is focused on "growing and enhancing the North Shore Agile Group" and arose from discussion and activity from our August 2007 Meeting.  Photos of the actual cards we used appear at the bottom of the page.

The Product Backlog (wiki version)

During our meeting, several groups / themes appeared in the stories we generated. Stories are listed below their themes.

Theme: Learning

1. As a developer I can learn common Agile practices, methodologies, and tools and how to apply them so that I can improve my software development process.
2. As a geographcally dispersed member of a development team I can learn how to apply Agile techniques to our process.
3. As a non agile "manager" I can learn from NSA about what agile is.
4. As a member of a diverse grouprepresenting all stakeholders of successful development project we can learn from experts in all aspectrs of the project.
5. As a Project manager I can learn new ways to increase speed and quality.
6. As a solo developer I can learn how to apply Agile techniques to my process.
7. As a member of the successful Agile group I can reference the development of successful working system.
8. As a Product manager I can learn techniques to engage clients in the development cycle so I can bring software to market that resonates with the customer.
9. As a developer I can learn common project pitfalls so that i can try to avoid them in my projects.
10. As a Product manager I can bring cleints and developers together so I can produce products in a collaborative system.
11. As a buisness owner I can learn how Agile development can help me increase quality and improve time to market.
12. As a project manager I can learn about Agile and other development approaches so I can have my product compete better in my market.
13. As a manager I can listen and participate so I can take what I have learned and implement it.
14. As a member I have experienced many facets of an Agile S.D.L.C.

Theme: Access to Agile Resources

1. As a general manager, I can make contacts of people who understand agile development so I can call on them to introduce these concepts to my company
2. As an inhouse technical resource for Operations, i can network w/ others so I can bring in other technical views or talent to my workplace
3. As a memebr of the this group I can find a list of agile resources that I can use in conjunction w/ the group
4. As some one who produces software, i can compare notes w/ others about their development process (agile or not) so I can learn from them
5. As a new member, I can access resources to help me better undetrstand agile development
6. As a NSAgile nonmember (or member) I can tell others about monthly meetings, so I can reap the benefit of having more varied information to take away
7. As a member I can learn from real people to discuss and give / take help
8. As  NS Agile developer, I know who I can call for help on Agile techniques

Theme: Agile Networking

1. As a professional, I can connect w/ others in order to be a better software engineer
2. As a business person, I can proliferate Agile so that managers desire it
3. As a NSA member, I have endless opportunities to leverage the best of breed tools, principles, and practices in a real-to-life environment thus making my investment as a member worth its weight in gold
4. As a NSA member, I have a vehicle to quantify my craft (i.e. CSM) on the world
5. As a NSA member, I have an end-to-end network of Agile specialists, that are ready to deliver excellence and customer satisfaction to clients and teams

Theme: Group Environment

1. As a NS Agile member, I have a regular place to meet
2. As a group organizer, I want members to feel safe participating, so that members can learn
3. As an independent devloper, I can stay connected w/ others so I dont become a dinosaur

Theme: Publicity

1. "Group Experience" of writing stories is doc'd on web, w /our experieces, thougts, pics 
2. As a non member I can find out about this group without knowledge of the website
3. As a non-member working or living nearby I can find out about the group's meeting on the website to attend and contribute to the discussions.
4. As a manager I can publish anouncments on the website and mailing list so other members perceive the group as lively
5. As a member I can subscribe to the NS Agile's Meeting Calendar feed to ensure the meetings show on my calender software
6. As a member I can invite co-workers to the meetings so they can also start practicing agile and become members of the group

"Orphan" Stories (no theme)

1. As an N.S. Agile organizer I have some funds so that I can find space, food and other nice touches for the group
2. As a NSAgile member, I remember and am enthused about our goals from month to month (keep the focus)
3. As the group manager I share knowledge to build a better group then the Chicago Agile Group
4. As a member I am able to benefit from being part of a hands on effort that built a useful system

The Story Cards

Click the image to view it full-size

Group 1 ("Learning" theme)

Group 2 ("Access to Agile Resources," "Networking," and "Group Environment" themes)

"Orphan" Stories