Product canvas
Description
The Product canvas combines the information radiator function of the kanban board with the structure of the Product Backlog. Instead of showing the progress of individual tasks (as the sprint board does), it shows the progress of the product as a whole: which themes are planned, which are in progress, and which are done.
It is especially useful for:
- Giving stakeholders who don't need the detail of the Sprint Backlog visibility into the product's progress.
- Facilitating prioritization conversations with the Product Owner.
- Communicating the state of the product in Sprint Reviews and in sessions with customers.
When to use it
- In projects where multiple themes or epics are active in parallel.
- When the Product Owner needs a high-level view to communicate with management.
- As a visual alternative to the roadmap when the planning horizon is short.
Common mistake
Letting the Product canvas go out of date. If the canvas is not updated at the same pace as the sprint progresses, it loses its function as an information radiator and becomes a decorative artifact. Ideally, it should be updated at least once per sprint, during the Sprint Review, when the Product Owner and the team can do it together.
Resources
📄 Product Owner v.2.0Free download [in Spanish] · Scrum Manager
See also
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