AgileWoW - Agile Ways of Working

Beyond Features: Building User-Focused Backlogs

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The Secret to Value-Driven Product Development

As a Product Owner or anyone involved in backlog management, it's easy to get caught up in tasks, deadlines, and features. But what if we told you that the best backlogs aren't feature-focused at all?

They're user-focused.

In this article, we'll break down two of the most misunderstood yet powerful tools in the product toolbox: User Personas and User Role Modeling. These tools will help you create value-driven backlogs that reflect real user needs, not just business assumptions.

What are User Personas?

User Personas are fictional but realistic representations of your users. Think of them as characters you create to better understand who your users are, what they care about, and how they behave.

A User Persona Usually Includes:

Name (fictional but relatable)
Age, profession, background
Goals and motivations
Pain points and challenges
Behavior patterns
Preferred tools or platforms

Example Persona:

Name: Priya, 28, UX Designer at a Startup
Motivation: Wants tools that save time and reduce manual work.
Pain Points: Frustrated with messy backlog items that lack clarity.
Behavior: Skims through Jira tickets quickly; prefers visual explanations over lengthy descriptions.

User Personas help you answer:

Who are we building for?
What does success look like for them?
Why will they care about this feature?

What is User Role Modeling?

User Role Modeling is a technique that helps teams identify different types of users who interact with your product. Unlike personas, which are more detailed and empathetic, user roles are functional.

Common User Roles Include:

Primary Users (directly use the product)
Secondary Users (indirectly benefit from or support primary users)
Admin Roles (manage or configure the product)
External Actors (stakeholders, third-party services)

Example Role Mapping (for a learning platform):

Learner (Primary)
Instructor (Primary)
Course Admin (Admin)
HR/Manager (Secondary)
External Certification Body (External Actor)

By doing User Role Modeling, you can:

Clarify who the backlog item is for
Discover overlooked user types
Prevent bias by considering edge cases

How User Personas and User Roles Work Together

You can think of User Roles as the categories and Personas as the specific characters in those categories.

Example:

User Role: Learner
Persona: Rahul, 32, working professional preparing for a Scrum certification while managing a full-time job and family.

Understanding both helps Scrum Teams:

Write better User Stories
Prioritize backlog items with empathy
Facilitate more meaningful Sprint Reviews

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Treating personas like "marketing fluff" rather than strategic tools
Creating too many personas and getting overwhelmed
Confusing roles with job titles
Using assumptions instead of real user research

How We Practice This in Our AgileWoW Workshops

In the PSPBMS (Product Backlog Management Skills) workshop, we teach you how to:

Create and validate personas quickly
Use them during backlog refinement sessions
Map user roles to backlog items

In our PPDV (Product Planning, Discovery & Validation) workshop, we:

Go deeper into persona-based hypothesis testing
Conduct discovery interviews
Use role-based story mapping techniques

And in the PSPO (Professional Scrum Product Owner) training, we:

Explore the impact of personas on product vision
Use them to drive stakeholder alignment

Building the right product isn't just about delivering fast. It's about delivering value. And to deliver value, you must know who you're delivering it to.

User Personas and User Role Modeling are not just tools – they are mindsets. They bring empathy, structure, and clarity to your backlog.

So, before you join us for the PSPBMS, PPDV, or PSPO training, take a moment to think: Who are you building for?
If you can answer that clearly, you're already ahead.