Enterprise Backlog
The Enterprise Backlog follows the same principle as the Arena Backlog, but at a higher level. Where the Arena Backlog contains Improvements for a single Arena Product, the Enterprise Backlog contains strategic Goals that span the entire Enterprise.
Should the club invest in strengthening the youth academy or push for promotion in the first division? Should a new Arena be created for an emerging market, or should an existing Arena receive more resources? These are the decisions the Enterprise Backlog makes visible and forces into an order.
- The Enterprise Backlog is the list of all strategic Goals an Arena is not focused on or had not yet completed.
- Goals in the Enterprise Backlog are created, defined, and refined by all Arena Owners and the Enterprise Owner. Others may also be involved.
- The Enterprise Owner has the authority to order the Enterprise Backlog, or delegate this responsibility to all Arena Owners collectively, but remains ultimately accountable.
- Arena Owners are obliged to pull Goals with the highest order from the Enterprise Backlog.
The mechanics are the same as the Arena Backlog: an ordered list that forces prioritization. The Enterprise Owner decides the order, just as the Arena Owner decides the order of the Arena Backlog. Arena Owners pull Goals from the top, ensuring that strategic priorities translate into action within Arenas.
The collaborative creation of Goals matters. When all Arena Owners participate in defining and refining Goals, they develop a shared understanding of Enterprise-level priorities. This is Overall Optimization in practice: local leaders aligning around shared outcomes rather than optimizing only for their own Arena.