What should the Development Team do if the Product Owner is unavailable during a Sprint?

In the context of Scrum, the Development Team is self-managing and needs to find a way to continue progress, even when the Product Owner is unavailable. The correct approach is to make decisions based on the existing context and prior discussions with the Product Owner, aligning with them on expectations and priorities when they return.

The Development Team should maintain momentum by interpreting the Product Backlog items as best they can, using their understanding of user stories and acceptance criteria. This helps ensure that work progresses productively without having to halt all activities. Waiting indefinitely for the Product Owner could result in wasted time and missed opportunities for delivering value.

Moreover, the alignment with the Product Owner upon their return ensures that any decisions made by the Development Team during their absence are validated and incorporated into the ongoing work. This maintains a cohesive strategy and prevents deviation from the overall product vision.

In contrast, stopping all work until the Product Owner is available can lead to stalling the project's progress. Continuing without the Product Owner indefinitely is not sustainable as it lacks alignment with stakeholder needs. Assigning someone from the team as a temporary Product Owner could create confusion and dilute accountability, as this role requires active engagement with various stakeholders and a clear understanding of the product vision.