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Who determines when it is appropriate to update the Sprint Backlog during a Sprint?
In Scrum, the Sprint Backlog is a living artifact that evolves throughout the Sprint as the team gains new insights. The responsibility of updating the Sprint Backlog lies exclusively with the Developers, as they are the ones executing the work.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Developers:
They are solely responsible for creating, managing, and updating the Sprint Backlog.
They continuously update it as they learn more about the work needed to achieve the Sprint Goal.
Any changes, additions, or deletions to the Sprint Backlog are determined by the Developers based on new information.
Product Owner:
The Product Owner is responsible for managing the Product Backlog, not the Sprint Backlog.
However, they collaborate with Developers if the scope of the Sprint Backlog needs renegotiation.
They prioritize product value but do not directly modify the Sprint Backlog.
Scrum Team:
The term Scrum Team includes the Developers, Product Owner, and Scrum Master.
While they collaborate, only the Developers make changes to the Sprint Backlog.
Project Manager:
Scrum does not define a Project Manager role.
Traditional project management responsibilities are distributed across the Scrum roles.
The Developers are self-organizing, meaning they do not need external direction to update their plan.
Key Scrum Guide Principles Supporting This:
The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers.
The Developers own and manage their work throughout the Sprint.
The Sprint Backlog is adapted daily to reflect progress toward the Sprint Goal.
No one else, including the Product Owner or Scrum Master, is allowed to modify the Sprint Backlog.
Conclusion:
Only the Developers have the authority to update the Sprint Backlog during a Sprint. This ensures that they maintain ownership of their work and adapt as necessary to successfully achieve the Sprint Goal.