Answering: “Which of the following are criteria to order Product Backlog items?”

Product Backlog items are ordered by their value, their dependencies on each other and their relevance to the Product Goal. The Scrum Master’s availability and the number of approving stakeholders are not ordering criteria.

Exam Question

Which of the following are criteria to order Product Backlog items?
(choose all that apply)
A. The value of the Product Backlog items.
B. Dependencies between Product Backlog items.
C. Their relevance to achieving the Product Goal.
D. The availability of the Scrum Master.
E. The number of stakeholders who approve of the item.

Correct Answer

A, B and C.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Product Owner orders the Product Backlog to maximize the value the Scrum Team delivers. Item value is the core factor. Dependencies affect what can sensibly be built first. The 2020 Scrum Guide adds the Product Goal as the long-term objective the Product Backlog serves, so items that move the product toward it tend to rank higher. The Scrum Master does not build Product Backlog items, so their availability is irrelevant. Counting stakeholder approvals turns ordering into a popularity vote, when the Product Owner is accountable for the decision.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

D. The availability of the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master does not do the product work, so their schedule has no bearing on the order.

E. The number of stakeholders who approve of the item. The Product Owner considers stakeholder needs but decides the order. A vote count is not a measure of value.

Exam Tip

Ordering criteria relate to value, risk, dependencies and the Product Goal. Options about people’s availability or votes are distractors.

Key Takeaways

• Value is the main reason an item ranks high.
• Dependencies can force a different sequence.
• Items that serve the Product Goal usually come first.