Backlogs Do Not Fix Themselves

When work piles up, teams try to work harder. The more reliable approach is to reduce intake noise, process in batches, and add quality controls so work does not bounce back.

Step 1: Define Intake Rules

Decide what qualifies, what does not, and where ambiguous items go. A short triage stage prevents churn and rework.

Step 2: Batch and Standardize

Group similar items together (same form type, same system, same output). Batching improves speed and accuracy because agents stay in one context longer.

Step 3: Use QA Sampling

Sample a fixed percentage of completed work and track the main error categories. Fix the root causes (SOP gaps, unclear inputs) instead of only correcting the outputs.

Step 4: Report Weekly

• Starting backlog and ending backlog
• Throughput (items completed)
• Rework rate and top reasons

Conclusion

A good backlog cleanup plan reduces today's queue and prevents tomorrow's. Intake rules, batching, QA sampling, and simple reporting create that stability.