Is backlog refinement actually analysis
This is actually a rethorical question.
I know that the purpose of backlog refinement is to take upcoming PBIs, break them down into smaller items and have discussions with the development team to better understand the PBI before committing it to the sprint.
However, the very fact you are having these discussions and breakdown, does that mean you are in fact doing the bulk of the analysis for those PBIs prior to committing to a sprint and therefore, when committing to the sprint isn't most of the analysis work done?
...does that mean you are in fact doing the bulk of the analysis for those PBIs prior to committing to a sprint and therefore, when committing to the sprint isn't most of the analysis work done?
First I want to point out that you don't commit to a sprint. You forecast a body of work to be done during a sprint. OK, got that off my chest.
I would say that most of the analysis work is done but it is only based on what you know at that time. Isn't it common to learn something new while doing work that could require further analysis?
However, the very fact you are having these discussions and breakdown, does that mean you are in fact doing the bulk of the analysis for those PBIs prior to committing to a sprint and therefore, when committing to the sprint isn't most of the analysis work done?
Before work can be planned into a Sprint, it must be "ready" for Sprint Planning. Hence rather than trying to do the "bulk" of analysis, might it be better to ensure that just enough analysis - and design, for that matter - is conducted so Product Backlog items are brought into a "ready" state?
It depends:-)
If it adds value (and only then) then refine the PB
PB refinement:
If it adds value (and only then) then agree on a "definition of ready"
Two examples of possible aspects of "definition of ready":
1. It may for instance be of value if the DT has an estimate for the items towards the top of the PB at the start of Sprint Planning.
2. When several teams work on one and the same product at the same time, it is important to have enough transparency regarding dependencies so that teams can avoid/minimise/eliminate inter-team dependencies (Each DT pulls a set of PBIs as independent as possible from other sets)
In my experience PB refinement and "definition of ready" can help with WIP and over-all value flow. But there is a risk for false sense of 'being in control', wasting effort, expiry of estimations/dependencies. Remain empirical, do as little as possible and as late as possible.