Using Google Spreadsheets for managing Sprint Backlogs
Where physical cards on a board are not a possbility, distributed teams for example, google spreadsheets is a good, free solution, to managing sprint and product backlogs.
To manage the scrum team we had one spreadsheet acting as the product backlog per project. And then every Sprint had its own Spring Backlog spreadsheet.
I use automatic rules to colour the progress of the tasks and this really helps to give a sense of progress. Turning a task to “finished” and it turning green does give that satisfaction of a task complete.
This is an example sprint backlog for a project that I have been running in Sardinia.
Google Spreadsheets meant no installation on servers, allows multiple people to edit the same file at the same time and to see who is editing the file, gives different editing permissions, a history and rules can be attached so that cells change colour based on its contents and it can produce burnup charts automatically.
I recommend that all team members have the spreadsheet open during the daily meeting and update it as during the meeting.
After trying lots of different methods for managing a spring backlog, I would say that the ideal way is to the good old fashioned white cards, stuck up on a wall where the team every day updates them and it is easy to manage progress.
Estimates
Where there are problems with team members updating estimates, I find that it is much easier if the team update the estimates during the daily meetings. With the cards on the wall this just involved writing on the card or tearing it off the wall, with spreadsheets we just had a laptop with the sheet and updated it as necessary, or it would be even better with a projector, the interruption is minimal and you never have to chase people to update their estimates. Also team members cannot hide with what they have done and how much time is left for a task.
Burnup Charts
In the spreadsheet I include a second page that automatically creates a burnup chart. This allows anyone to have a quick overview of progress to finish and the chart also shows us if the goalposts are moving, i.e tasks have been added or tasks are going to take longer or shorter than estimated.
Update: I now think that it is better that the chart is on the same page as the chart is always visible.
