In the Nexus framework, a single Product Backlog is maintained for the entire Nexus and its Scrum Teams. The Product Owner is accountable for this Product Backlog, ensuring its content, availability, and ordering are properly managed. At scale, the Product Backlog must be understood to a level where dependencies can be detected and minimised before the actual implementation work begins for a future Sprint. This understanding is crucial to keep the Scrum Teams within the Nexus as autonomous and independent as possible during a Sprint. This autonomy allows them to deliver functionality without excessive reliance on other teams, preventing potential slowdowns and maintaining strong team ownership.
To achieve this level of understanding, more work must often be done upfront to analyse and decompose Product Backlog items. This preparatory work is carried out during Product Backlog Refinement. Once refined, the Product Backlog items are considered ready for the Nexus Sprint Planning event when they can be selected and completed by Scrum Teams with minimal or no dependencies on other teams. This readiness ensures that the teams can work efficiently and effectively throughout the Sprint.
