If your team’s product backlog is basically a running list of tasks, you’re leaving one of Scrum’s most powerful tools on the table.

That’s the message from JJ Sutherland, CEO of Scrum Inc. and co-author of Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time, in the most recent episode (episode 16) of Agile Driven Impact. JJ joined hosts Diane and Erich Leonard to talk about how teams — including nonprofits — can shift their thinking and use the backlog as a living strategic document tied to long-term outcomes.

The core idea is deceptively simple. As JJ put it in the episode: “The backlog is how do you get your vision into a plan or a strategy, then into what are you gonna do on Monday. You need to connect all three of these.” For nonprofits, that means your long-term program outcomes, your grant deliverables, and your team’s daily work should all be traceable to each other — and the backlog is what makes that connection visible.

JJ also shared what he sees as the single biggest mistake teams make: they don’t prioritize. They build a list where everything feels equally important — and then nothing actually moves forward.

Your challenge after listening: Whether or not your team currently has a product goal, JJ’s call to action is the same. Know what “done” means. Make sure everyone agrees. Write it down. That shared definition of done — for your initiative, your program, your quarter — is where strategic clarity begins.

Take a listen to the episode (available on Apple, Spotify, and other go-to podcast platforms) and also be sure to grab our free Nonprofit Guide to Backlogs and Prioritization guide.