A Backlog Isn’t a To-Do List: Ivan Gekht on Product Clarity in Agile

In its recent guide to the Product Backlog, Plaky breaks down the what and why of one of Agile’s core artifacts. But as Gehtsoft CEO Ivan Gekht often reminds teams—it’s not the format that matters. It’s the thinking behind it.

“A backlog is a living hypothesis about value. If it’s not pruned, it becomes fiction.”

At Gehtsoft, we treat the backlog not as a list of features, but as a strategic lens—one that reflects real constraints, risk, and evolving priorities. In regulated environments and zero-margin projects, clutter kills clarity. That’s why we push for:

• Ruthless prioritization (even when it’s uncomfortable)

• Acceptance criteria tied to real-world outcomes, not internal wishes

• Regular backlog refactoring as an engineering task, not just PM overhead

Want Agile to actually deliver? Start with a backlog you can defend in front of a CFO—or a compliance officer.

Read the full article: Product Backlog 101 – Plaky