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Prakash Hinduja (India) How do differentiate between a Product Backlog and a Sprint Backlog?

Last post 08:15 am August 22, 2025 by Nicholas Gabrichidze
4 replies
11:03 am August 11, 2025

Hi I am Prakash Hinduja Visionary Financial Strategist, born in Amritsar (India) and now lives in Geneva, Switzerland ( Swiss ).

how do you usually differentiate between the Product Backlog and the Sprint Backlog? I’d love to hear your thoughts or any tips you have on managing them effectively. Thanks!

Regards

Prakash Hinduja Geneva, Switzerland (Swiss) 


11:16 pm August 11, 2025

What does the Scrum Guide say about this? What does each backlog give transparency over, and what commitments are associated with them?


10:59 am August 13, 2025

To differentiate between Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog:

Product Backlog is the list of all features, requirements and tasks need for the entire product life cycle.

Where as Sprint Backlog is the list of only features, tasks and items committed by the development team to complete during that specific Sprint duration.

Clearly Sprint backlog is the subset of Product Backlog.

 

Both being dynamic and living documents, the Product backlog is adjusted as per the feedback from the customers, current market need and new insights whereas the Sprint Backlog is adjusted as per the previous sprint output,team capacity and development team feedback.

 

PBR is focused on the entire product development and Sprint backlog is focused on the sprint goal for that particular sprint period.

 

Product backlog owned by Product Owner and Sprint Backlog is owned by Development team.

 

Precisely speaking, Product Backlog is the "WHAT" and Sprint Backlog is the "HOW".

Hope this gives a slight understanding.

 


03:36 am August 22, 2025

Here is the Clear Definition of Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog:

Product Backlog: Product Backlog is the list of items to include in a given product, such as new features, customer requests, bug fixes, and other improvements. Product Owner is responsible for the Product Backlog, including its content, availability, and ordering. Product backlog always to be updated and adapted to the new conditions.

Sprint Backlog: Sprint Backlog is the the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product increment and realizing the Sprint Goal. Scrum team works together to break down the tasks in the product backlog, making actionable sprint items. Scrum team decides how to move forward with each task and maintain future releases.

 

In short, Product Backlog is the list of items to include in a given product where as Sprint Backlog is the the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product increment and realizing the Sprint Goal.


08:15 am August 22, 2025

Sprint backlog is a collection of PBI's which developers select FROM PRODUCT BACKLOG for completion for upcoming Sprint


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