Order the Backlog by Dependency, Not Volume
Prioritize project backlog items by value, dependency, and risk rather than ticket count.
The smallest backlog item can be the biggest schedule lever. Product Backlog order is a value decision Backlog order should make the next increment more valuable and more learnable. That means work that clarifies a decision or enables many later items can outrank a larger visible feature. Dependencies create hidden priority Critical path thinking exposes predecessor work. If three later tasks wait on one access request, approval, dataset, or environment, that predecessor belongs near the top even when it is not glamorous. RAID keeps the ordering honest A dependency without an owner is a schedule risk. A risky assumption without…
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