# Backlog Grooming

> Dedupe, split, age out, and ready the backlog so the order at the top means something.

- Skill: `tinyhumansai/backlog-grooming` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tinyhumansai/backlog-grooming`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tinyhumansai/backlog-grooming/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: tinyhumansai (https://skillmd.com/u/tinyhumansai)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tinyhumansai/backlog-grooming

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# Backlog Grooming

A backlog nobody trims is a list of things the team has agreed not to do. This
is the pass that keeps it honest.

## When to use

- The weekly review.
- Before any prioritization call, so the call is made over a real list.

## Steps

1. **Dedupe** — merge items describing one problem, and say in the survivor what
   was folded into it.
2. **Split** — anything that cannot finish in one pass is a theme, not an item.
3. **Age out** — close what has had no signal in months, with the reason and the
   date. Close, never delete.
4. **Ready** — apply [[Definition of ready]] and record which criterion each
   unready item fails, and who can supply the missing piece.

## Output

A short pass report — in, merged, aged out, newly ready, and the two or three
items stuck on something only a human can supply. Not a dump of the list.