How to define a PBI that has no perceived value to the user? [closed]

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I need to add an item to our product backlog list that has no (perceived) value to the users.

Context: every week we need to parse and import a TXT file our system. Now the provider decided to change the format to XML, so we need to rewrite the parsing engine.

In the end the user won't see any benefit as he'll keep getting his new data, but we still have to do this to keep importing the data.

How to add an item like this to the product backlog list?

Answer 1

It has no value to the user, but it has value to your company.

As company X I want to be able to support the new XML format so that I can keep importing data from provider Y.

How does that sound like? Not all stories necessarily evolve around the end user.

Note: technical stories and technical improvement stories are not a good practice and they should avoided. Why? Because you can't prioritize them correctly as they have no estimable value.
The correct way to do tech stories is to include them in the definition of done. For example: decide that every new story played is only complete once database access is via Dapper and not L2S. This is a viable DoD definition and makes sure you can evolve your system appropriately.

Answer 2

What happens if you don't make the change? Is there value to the user in preventing that from happening? If the answer is yes, I'd recommend tying your business value statement to that. Then, you can write a typical user story with business value and treat it like any other PBI.

Answer 3

We typically just add it as a "technical improvement" and give it a priority that we think fits. If the user asks you about it, you just explain them high level what the change does and why it's needed.

Don't forget that your application will most likely start failing in the future if you don't make the change. Just tell them that, and let them decide whether they want that or not.