Description

Excel Kanban Backlog Template

The Excel Kanban Backlog Template lets you use the suite of tools you are familiar with to manage your Kanban user stories.  No special tools to learn.  Plug this Excel template into your existing agile project management processes and you are up and running.

Benefits of the Kanban Backlog

The backlog is the starting point for managing any work that flows through your Kanban system.  By capturing user stories in a common format and organizing them by value to the organization you ensure that the work that delivers the most value gets accomplished first.  Additionally, through the process of organizing work into a backlog you streamline the decision making process saving time and money.

Backlog Theory vs. Practice

Theoretically a backlog is a prioritized list of work.  Realistically the backlog is more than that.

User stories have a distinct format that, when followed, communicates clearly and effectively what the goal of that user story is.  The backlog should enforce the standard formatting of user stories.

The backlog also clearly states the value of the user story to the organization and the level of effort needed to accomplish the user story.  With these two factors taken into consideration it is easy to determine the best road map to pursue.  You can quickly see which user stories to select to deliver the most value in the shortest period of time.

The Backlog Template

This Excel template has been designed to be as simple as possible yet still capture all the needed information to make your Kanban system effective.  It sticks to the guidelines and principles of Kanban to deliver an effective backlog for your agile team.

It's meant to help you get started right away.  As soon as you download your copy you can begin putting it into practice with your agile team.