# Eliminate Backlog Wishlists: A Streamlined Approach to Ideas
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Chapter 1: Understanding the Problem
In the world of product management, backlogs often grow at a pace that exceeds the team's capacity to address them. Typically, a team member proposes a feature, but due to current priorities, it gets tossed into the backlog. Soon after, another team member suggests a different idea, and this cycle continues indefinitely.
This cycle of adding ideas to the backlog can lead to significant challenges.
Section 1.1: The Issue with Wishlist Backlogs
While the intention behind maintaining a backlog is usually positive, the practice can create a multitude of problems.
First, there’s the issue of time consumption. It’s easy to add new entries to the backlog, but managing these items becomes increasingly complex. Searching for older entries, verifying their presence, and tracking dependencies can result in wasted days, especially in an oversized backlog.
Consequently, the backlog often becomes neglected. Items may become irrelevant, and team members might forget the context behind them. If an idea has been sitting for a year, it's likely that priorities and insights have shifted significantly.
Oversized backlogs fail to be the clear and valuable artifacts they are intended to be.
Subsection 1.1.1: Visual Representation of Backlog Issues
Section 1.2: A More Effective Method
So, how can we prevent the backlog from becoming unwieldy? The key is to be discerning about what we choose to include.
When faced with a new idea, there are three potential paths to consider:
- Immediate Planning: If an idea warrants prompt action, integrate it into the backlog, showcase it on the roadmap, and prepare for execution.
- Short-Term Exploration: If an idea is worth examining in the next few months, document it in a discovery tool. It’s beneficial to distinguish between uncertain ideas and those you are confident about delivering soon. Utilizing Opportunity Solution Trees can help organize relevant insights effectively.
- Long-Term Ideas: If an idea is intriguing but not actionable in the near future, discard it and move on.
The primary reason behind the accumulation of an unmanageable backlog often lies in our reluctance to say no—not just to stakeholders, but to the ideas themselves. We may worry about forgetting a promising concept, leading us to place it in the backlog as a reminder. However, if an idea isn’t currently relevant, it’s better to let it go.
Remember, even if you dismiss a seemingly fantastic idea today, another will surely arise tomorrow.
If an idea is genuinely transformative, it will resurface when you're working towards a related goal.
The backlog should serve as an organized, transparent, and inspectable resource for the team. Don’t allow it to become a dumping ground.
Chapter 2: Insights from Real-Life Experiences
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