joris887 backlog-review
Execute comprehensive backlog review:
1. Load Current State
Read these files:
- @docs/reference/BACKLOG_INDEX.md (backlog overview)
- docs/reference/backlog/E##-name.md (epic files as needed)
- @docs/reference/PRD_SUMMARY.md (requirements overview, if exists)
- @docs/progress.md (completed work)
2. Theme Coverage Analysis
Map each epic to requirements:
| Epic | Requirements Covered | Coverage % | Gap Analysis |
Priority Validation
- Are high-priority items truly high-value?
- Are dependencies properly ordered?
- Any blocked items that should be deprioritized?
Scope Assessment
- Stories that exceed original scope
- Features creeping in without justification
- Non-goals being violated
3. Story Quality Scan
For each non-done story, validate against the Definition of Ready checklist:
| Criterion | Check |
|---|---|
| Title clear and specific | Describes the change, not the problem |
| Type assigned | One of: feature, bugfix, refactor, spike, infra, testing, docs, security, performance, skill |
| Size classified | TRIVIAL, SMALL, STANDARD, LARGE, or XL. Flag for splitting only when the story spans unrelated topics — file count is not a threshold. See the cohesion test in ideate/references/story-template.md |
| Cohesion test passed | Splitting the story would create artificial seams, not two meaningful pieces |
| 3-7 acceptance criteria | Each testable and specific; LARGE/XL may exceed 3-7, grouped under sub-headings. No "should be fast" or "handle errors properly" |
| Verification commands | Exact commands that prove completion |
| Out of scope defined | At least one explicit exclusion |
| Affected files listed | Proportionate to size, not capped at a fixed number |
| Pattern references | "Follow patterns in [file]" where applicable |
| Dependencies resolved | No unresolved blockers |
| No ambiguous language | No vague terms, all criteria measurable |
| Self-contained | All referenced context included or linked |
Classify each story:
- Ready: Passes all 12 criteria →
status: ready - Needs refinement: Missing 1-3 criteria → list what's missing
- Needs rewrite: Missing 4+ criteria or too large → flag for
/ideaterefinement
4. Dependency Mapping
Create dependency graph for upcoming work:
[Story A] --depends on--> [Story B]
|
v
[Story C]
Validate dependency health:
- Flag circular dependencies (A→B→C→A)
- Flag stories blocked by draft/not-ready dependencies
- Flag stories with >2 transitive dependencies (fragile chain)
- Identify the critical path: longest dependency chain
5. Zombie Story Detection
Check each story's created: date (from inline metadata or YAML frontmatter):
- Zombie (>2 sprint cycles old, still not done): Must be split or killed
- Aging (>1 sprint cycle, same status): Flag for attention
- Stalled (status:
in-progressbut no commits referencing it in >1 week): Flag as potentially abandoned
For each zombie, recommend: Split (too large), Kill (no longer needed), or Unblock (has a blocker that can be resolved).
6. Flow Metrics
If docs/sessions/.activity-log.jsonl exists and contains story events:
- Throughput: Stories completed per sprint (from story events with
to: done) - Cycle time by size: Average time from
in-progresstodonefor TRIVIAL/SMALL/STANDARD/LARGE/XL - Completion rate: Stories started vs completed
- Type distribution: Which story types are most common
7. Backlog Health Report
## Backlog Health Report - [Date]
### Overall Health: X/10
### Definition of Ready Compliance
- Stories meeting DoR: X/Y (Z%)
- Common DoR failures: [list most frequent missing criteria]
- Stories needing refinement: [list IDs]
### Coverage
- Requirements covered: X%
- Orphan stories (no requirement trace): X
- Requirement gaps (no stories): [list]
### Quality
- Stories ready for sprint: X
- Stories needing refinement: Y
- Stories too large (need split): Z
### Flow
- Throughput: X stories/sprint (last 3 sprints)
- Avg cycle time: TRIVIAL Xh, SMALL Xh, STANDARD Xh
- Completion rate: X%
### Zombie Stories
- Zombie (>2 cycles): [list IDs with age]
- Aging (>1 cycle): [list IDs]
- Stalled in-progress: [list IDs]
### Dependency Health
- Stories with unresolved blockers: [list]
- Circular dependencies: [list or "None"]
- Critical path length: X stories
### Priority Issues
- Blocked items: [list]
- Misordered dependencies: [list]
### Recommended Actions
1. [Action with specific story IDs]
2. [Action]
3. [Action]
Update docs/reference/BACKLOG_INDEX.md Backlog Health section with the calculated metrics.
Output the full backlog health report with specific recommendations.