We’ve all been there: the product backlog that’s more of a feature graveyard than a roadmap. It’s a repository of forgotten requests, stakeholder wishes, and good ideas from last year that never saw the light of day. We spend endless hours grooming, stacking, and reprioritizing this list, but it only ever seems to grow.
What if we abandoned this model?
Inspired by methodologies like Shape Up, some teams are ditching the continuous backlog for a different approach: placing ‘bets.’ Instead of a granular list of tickets, they define well-scoped, outcome-focused pitches and ‘bet’ a fixed amount of time—say, a six-week cycle—on building them. The core principle is ‘fixed time, variable scope.’ The team has the autonomy to deliver the best possible version of the feature within that time box, even if it means simplifying or cutting certain elements.
This model forces ruthless prioritization and a focus on shipping meaningful work, not just closing tickets. It shifts the conversation from “what are we working on next?” to “what is the most valuable problem we can solve in the next six weeks?” It’s a fundamental change in mindset from managing a list to making strategic investments.
Is the traditional, continuously groomed backlog becoming obsolete, or are there fundamental flaws in the ‘betting’ model that make it unscalable for complex products?