The Backburner status is used for tasks that have been stalled or blocked within the current week. To ensure we effectively manage these tasks, a weekly review of the Backburner is conducted.

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Identifying Stale Items

Before the audit, use the last-updated: filter on the full board to identify items with no recent progress. Use either 7days or 14days as the timeframe.

When moving items to the Backburner, leave a comment explaining why and noting its previous status (e.g., CR, Client Review) before the move.

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Weekly Review Process:

1. Assess Blocked Tasks:
   • Determine if the task is still blocked.
   • If the task is unlikely to be unblocked within the next three months, it should be moved to the Backlog for long-term tracking.
2. Resolve Blocking Issues:
   • Identify any actions required to unblock the task.
   • If an actionable step is identified and can be taken, move the task back to To Do for further progress.
3. Close Abandoned or Unnecessary Tasks:
   • If a task is deemed abandoned or no longer needed, it can be closed.

After this audit at the end of each week, the Backburner status should be empty, in preparation for the next week. This weekly clear out helps keep stalled tasks organised and ensures that nothing remains in limbo unnecessarily.