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Backlog Refinement

Groom the backlog together, in one shared room. The facilitator loads a queue of issues and the team walks them one at a time — reading, discussing, editing fields in place, and getting each one ready for planning. Any number of teams can run their own sessions at once.

Backlog Refinement — the queue on the left, the current issue's editable fields and Definition-of-Ready checklist in the middle, readiness signal and who's present on the right

A refinement room — the queue on the left, the current issue's details and editable fields in the middle with its Definition-of-Ready checklist, and the readiness signal, questions and who's present on the right.

Highlights

  • One queue, one focus — load a project backlog, a saved filter, or JQL; the room moves issue to issue together so discussion stays on the same thing.
  • Edit fields together — the facilitator picks which fields the room can edit (priority, assignee, labels, story points, dates…); anyone can change them and each edit saves straight to Jira, as you.
  • Honest readiness — everyone marks Ready / Needs info / Blocked; the room sees the tally and coloured dots but not who signalled what, so people can be candid.
  • Split & create — break an issue into smaller pieces or create brand-new ones in any project, all created as you.
  • Definition of Ready → handoff — tick the checklist and apply ready-to-prioritize; the issue then shows up automatically in a Prioritization session. Not ready? Send it back.

The last 90 days of sessions — what was readied, created, split or sent back — are kept under History, each with links into Jira.

Read the full how-to in the Knowledge Base → Backlog Refinement guide

Related: Prioritization · Planning Poker