Kanban at Scale: Product Backlog Vs. CIPSA Kanban Backlog

In the CIPSA Framework, world’s only practical scaled agile framework, we have three backlogs: Product Backlog, CIPSA Backlog, and Team Backlog. Considering the CIPSA Kanban Framework, the CIPSA Backlog will be called the CIPSA Kanban Backlog.  In this article, we will explore the differences between Product Backlog and CIPSA Kanban Backlog.

In one of the earlier articles related to the CIPSA Kanban Framework, I wrote the following:

“In the CIPSA Kanban Planning meeting, a CIPSA Kanban Backlog is created with the Product Backlog items that can be delivered by multiple teams in the upcoming release. Post CIPSA Kanban Planning meeting, for each team, an individual team level Kanban Planning event takes place. This results in a Team Kanban Backlog for each team.”

Now, if the Product Backlog items are directly taken into the CIPSA Kanban Backlog, but we are actually executing the items in the Team Kanban Backlog, two questions come-up:

• What is the need of CIPSA Kanban Backlog? We already have Product Backlog and Team Kanban Backlog.
• If needed, what exactly are the differences between the Product Backlog and CIPSA Kanban Backlog?

Do note that while my explanation is specific to the CIPSA Kanban Framework, similar concepts are in the CIPSA Scrum Framework.

Why CIPSA Kanban Backlog?

First and foremost, we don’t execute the entire Product Backlog, but parts of it. Considering the Kanban framework, we have a CIPSA Kanban Backlog due to the following reasons:

1. We need to clearly segregate the items taken for the upcoming Release for all the Kanban teams. 
2. We need to add the meta-events into a backlog where the CIPSA Team will not be executing the work items, but also a plan for the meta-events such as CIPSA Kanban Planning, CIPSA Daily Stand-ups etc.
3. Segregation of Kanban teams (human resources) need to happen. This can happen only at the CIPSA Kanban Backlog level.
4. Allocation of resources doesn’t happen at the Product Backlog level. It can only happen at CIPSA Kanban Backlog and Team Kanban Backlog level. 

Hence, the CIPSA Kanban Backlog is created from the Product Backlog. It’s depicted in the figure below.

Next, let’s see the differences between the Product Backlog and the CIPSA Kanban Backlog.

Product Backlog Vs. CIPSA Kanban Backlog

Difference # 1: Product Backlog is a single one and stands on its own - separate, unique. CIPSA Kanban Backlog comes from the Product Backlog. 

Difference # 2: The Product Backlog will have the product backlog items. Some of the product backlog items will be part of the CIPSA Kanban Backlog.

Difference # 3: Product Backlog is a live document and continuously updated. The CIPSA Kanban Backlog will be for a Release and when the Release is over, it’s discarded.

Difference # 4: The Chief Product Owner (CPO) owns the Product Backlog. The CIPSA Team owns the CIPSA Kanban Backlog. If a complex service is delivered, then the CPO role will be replaced by Chief Service Request Manager (CSRM).

Difference # 5: The Product Backlog doesn’t contain any meta-events. The CIPSA Kanban Backlog will contain meta-events such as CIPSA Planning, CIPSA Daily Stand-ups, among others.

These differences are noted in the below table. 

Video Explanation: Product Backlog Vs. CIPSA Kanban Backlog

The video below [duration: 04m:38s], explains the diferences between the Product Backlog and CIPSA Kanban Backlog. For better experience, plug-in your earphones and go full screen with high-definition (HD). 

Before we close:

Can you think of a few other differences? Give it a try!

Closing Remarks

I believe you tried the above question! Now, you’d be thinking if there are any similarities between the Product Backlog and the CIPSA Kanban Backlog. One can think of the following ones: 

1. Like Product Backlog is one of the key artifacts in CIPSA Kanban framework, the CIPSA Kanban Backlog is also a key artifact.
2. Considering practical, hands-on approach (after all the CIPSA framework is mainly about that!), the Product Backlog Items and the CIPSA Kanban Backlog’s high-level items will be summary-level tasks. 

To know more about the roles (accountabilities), artifacts and events/meta-events, you can download the CIPSA Framework Guide. When you go through it, you will discover more differences on your own!

I believe this article gives you more clarity with respect to the differences between the Product Backlog and CIPSA Kanban Backlog.

References

[1] A Closer Look at the CIPSA Kanban Framework, by Satya Narayan Dash

[2] Introducing Practical Scaled Agile Framework with CIPSA Certification, by Satya Narayan Dash and ManagementYogi.com 

[3] New Practical Scaled Agile Framework – The CIPSA Framework Guide, by Satya Narayan Dash and ManagementYogi.com 

[4] Kanban at Scale: Managing Multiple Teams and Boards with MS Project Agile, by Satya Narayan Dash, first published by MPUG.com 

Scrum at Scale: CIPSA Sprint Backlog Vs. Team Sprint Backlog

In one of the recent articles, I wrote the following (summarized):

“A CIPSA Sprint Backlog is a collection of individual Team Sprint Backlogs. The individual teams sprint towards the individual Team Sprint Goals and execute the work items. Simultaneously, the entire CIPSA (Scrum) Team is also sprinting, but towards the CIPSA Sprint Goal!”

You can read the complete article here.

It has detailed explanations with videos, which you should watch to have more clarity. Most important of all, it’s shown with MS Project Agile software in a hands-on manner. The CIPSA Framework is the only framework in the world which demonstrates scaling in a practical, hands-on manner. The upcoming CIPSA certification will be based on this framework. 

CIPSA Team Sprinting Vs Individual Team Sprinting

If you look at the headline of this subsection, I’ve differentiated between the sprinting of the CIPSA Team and Individual Scrum Teams.

Sprinting is done to execute the work items, i.e., tasks in the backlogs. The line items in the CIPSA Sprint Backlog are taken from the Product Backlog. In the CIPSA Sprint Backlog, the items are not broken down into individual tasks. That happens in the Team Sprint Backlog. This distinction is important to understand and it’s depicted in the figure below.   

CIPSA Sprint Backlog Vs. Team Sprint Backlog

Now, let’s see the differences between the CIPSA Sprint Backlog and the Team Sprint Backlog. 

Difference # 1: CIPSA Sprint Backlog comes from the Product Backlog. On the other hand, the Team Sprint Backlog comes from the CIPSA Sprint Backlog.

Difference # 2: CIPSA Sprint Backlog will have the product backlog items. The Team Sprint Backlog will have task line items.

Difference # 3: The “what to do” in the upcoming Sprint is informed by the CIPSA Sprint Backlog, whereas the “how to do” in the upcoming Sprint is informed with the Team Sprint backlog.

Difference # 4: The CIPSA meta-events such as CIPSA Sprint Planning, CIPSA Daily Scrum, CIPSA Sprint Review and CIPSA Sprint Retrospective will be part of the CIPSA Sprint Backlog. 

The Scrum Events such as Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, and Sprint Retrospective will be part of the Team Sprint Backlog.

Difference # 5: The CIPSA Sprint Goal is part of the CIPSA Sprint Backlog, but the Team Sprint Goal will be part of the Team Sprint Backlog. For a Sprint, there is one CIPSA Sprint Goal, but there can be multiple Team Sprint Goals depending on the number of Scrum Teams.

The differences are noted in the below table.

To know more about the roles (accountabilities), artifacts and events/meta-events, you can download the CIPSA Framework Guide. When you go through it, you can find out more differences on your own!

How about the similarities?

The following can be listed:

• Sprint Number: The Team Sprint Backlogs will be with respect to the same Sprint number, e.g., Sprint 7. All individual Scrum Teams will also be sprinting in Sprint 7. The CIPSA Sprint Backlog will also be with respect to the same Sprint number, i.e., Sprint 7. The entire CIPSA Team will also be sprinting in Sprint 7.
• Timeboxing: All the (meta) events of CIPSA Scrum Framework, like the events at the individual Team Scrum framework, will be timeboxed.

Video Explanation: CIPSA Sprint Backlog Vs Team Sprint Backlog

The video below [duration: 05m:56s], explains the diferences between the CIPSA Sprint Backlog and Team Sprint Backlog.  

I believe you’ve gone through the CIPSA Guide. Can you think of any other differences and/or similarities?

Concluding Remarks

I always believed simple things are easy to remember, implement and use. Complex ones get more and more complex and you finally give-up.

CIPSA is a very simple and easy to follow framework, unlike other scaled agile frameworks which come with a lot of theories. It’s also practical and hands-on. 

I hope this article gives you more clarity with respect to the differences between the CIPSA Sprint Backlog and Team Sprint Backlog.

References

[1] Introducing Practical Scaled Agile Framework with CIPSA Certification, by Satya Narayan Dash

[2] New Practical Scaled Agile Framework – The CIPSA Framework Guide, by Satya Narayan Dash and ManagementYogi.com

[3] Scrum at Scale: Managing Multiple Teams and Boards with MS Project Agile, by Satya Narayan Dash, first published by MPUG.com

ManagementYogi’s Hybrid-Agile (CHAMP) Certification: Retrospective Boards in Hybrid-Scrum Projects (2)

In the first part of this article, we saw the following:

• A Retro Board and Out Current Scenario
• Creation of the “isRetro” custom field
• Creation of Retro Board Filter
• Creation of the Retro Board 

In this post, we will visualize the retrospective work items in the boards, associate them with the Sprints as well as manage the retrospective work items. 

Towards the end, we have certain key points to note followed with concluding remarks.

[Part - 1]

Visualizing the Items in the Board

From your current view, switch to the Retro Board. This can be done by going to View tab > Task Views group and then selecting the Retro Board from the custom section. 

This will result in the display of the newly created Retro Board view.

As shown in the above Retro Board view, all the retro items are part of the Backlog column.

• There are other columns such as TODO, DOING and DONE. 
• I’ve customized the existing columns by renaming them.
• % Complete values are also customized. 

Do note that there is no Sheet view related to Retro Board view because we have not created one. As you proceed and use the board, we won’t be needing a sheet view. Hence, this corresponding view need not be created. 

Associate Improvement Items with Sprints

Next, we are going to associate the work items with the upcoming Sprint. This will happen during the Sprint Planning Meeting for Sprint 2. Do note that at this stage, Sprint 1 complete with all its work items. The Sprint Planning Board view at this stage will look as follows.

As you can see in the above figure, all Sprint 1 are completed. Next, as you take the retrospective items for Sprint 2 and associate them with Sprint 2, you will have the following view in the Gantt Chart.  

So, let’s see these items in the Retro Board view, too. But before that, one more twist! We have to customize the Cards to know the Sprints or which Sprint they belong to. This can be done by going to Task Board Tools > Format tab > View group > Format command. It’ll launch the Customize Task Board Cards dialog box as shown below. 

As shown, Sprint is now added as one of the fields, so that we clearly know which items are taken for in which Sprint. 

With the above customization, the Retro Board will now come as shown as below.  

Customizing the cards provides you with a better visualization as you manage and track the items. 

As shown above, now the cards are customized for each retro work item, and they show:

• ID, Names, Durations, Start and Finish dates.
• It also shows the Sprint names.

Manage Retro Work Items 

To manage, you have to simply drag and drop the work items, move them across the workflow states as it happens for other works items in the Hybrid-Scrum project. When a work item reaches the DONE state, then you’ll find a tick mark towards the top right corner of the card. This is shown below.

If you have come this far, then you can quickly create a Retro Board, populate the work items, associate them with the Sprints and track them to completion. 

This can be seen as well in the Hybrid-Scrum project with all the elements, which is shown below.

As you can see in the above figure, for our Hybrid-Scrum project, Sprint 1 is complete and Sprint 2 is currently under execution. For Sprint 2, you are not only completing the feature related work items, but also completing retrospective items. 

Key Points to Note

As we reach the end of this article, here certain key points to note about Retro Board and associated items:

• It can be used in Lean-Agile (Scrum or Kanban), or Hybrid-Agile projects. Hence, don’t have to create a separate project. The created retro board is integrated in.
• Retrospective items are also part of your (Product) Backlog. This we saw in the earlier parts of this article. 
• Your team should take a few items, at most 2 for the next iteration or Sprint. When taken they will be part of the Sprint Backlog. Ensure that they are tracked and completed.
• The retrospective items can be seen in the Current Sprint Board view because they are associated with respective Sprints.
• The retro items can be considered as part of the Burndown Charts and Burnup Charts.  

Demonstration

A demonstration for the Retro Board is shown in the below video [duration: 04m:14s]. 

Conclusion

As the saying goes, simple things are always easy to remember compared to complex things. I believe this is the simplest way to track the retro items in a separate board. 

It also a good idea to track the items in a separate board because the retrospective items are usually neglected by Lean-Agile teams as feature completion fever takes over considering the small iteration duration. However, as I noted in the beginning, retrospective is the most important ceremony among all and to honor it, you need to take and execute the retro work items. 

[Part - 1]

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This article was first published by MPUG.com on 5th March, 2024. This is a refined version.

References

[1] Online Course: ACP Live Lessons – Guaranteed Pass or Your Full Money Back, by Satya Narayan Dash

[2] Certification Course: Certified Hybrid-Agile Master Professional (CHAMP), by Satya Narayan Dash

[3] Scrum and Microsoft Project: Agile Project Management Training, by MPUG.com

[4] Online Course: Mastering MS Project Agile, by Satya Narayan Dash