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Incomplete PBI

Last post 02:46 pm August 10, 2022 by Chuck Suscheck
3 replies
08:45 am August 8, 2022

In the ongoing sprint, the team managed to complete 4 tasks out of 6 tasks for a PBI and due to external dependencies, the rest 2 tasks were incomplete. The team is suggesting to close the PBI and create a new PBI in the upcoming sprint to include only those 2 pending tasks. What is the best approach to follow?

Note: This specific PBI cant deliver any partial outcome.


03:45 pm August 8, 2022

Presumably the PBI, as it is framed right now, is of value to the Product Owner and he or she can account for it on the Product Backlog.

Why reduce transparency over that value by rewriting the PBI? Why not just re-estimate the item to reflect the work that the Developers now believe remains?


05:06 pm August 8, 2022

I agree with @Ian.  A Product Backlog Item is meant to convey a change that is needed to the Product.  By closing one where the initial improvement was not completed, you are removing the transparency of what it actually took to deliver it. 

In the Retrospective, I suggest that it be discussed how the external dependencies could have been better identified and handled so that this does not become a recurring situation. The only way this situation is a failure is if you do not learn from it so that it can be prevented in the future.  Not completing an item in the Sprint Backlog is not a failure or "wrong". Not learning from it is a failure.


02:46 pm August 10, 2022

I agree with the others.  Remember that producing value is the goal, not precision in tracking!

 


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