Which statement accurately reflects the accountability of the Development Team in Scrum?

The statement that the Development Team is collectively accountable for delivering a working increment accurately reflects their role in Scrum. This accountability means that all members of the Development Team share the responsibility for ensuring that they produce a completed increment of the product that meets the Definition of Done at the end of each Sprint.

Working collaboratively, the Development Team applies their skills and expertise to build the product increment, ensuring it aligns with the goals set forth in the Sprint Planning. This collective accountability emphasizes that no single individual holds responsibility for the success or failure of a Sprint's outcome—rather, it is a team effort where all contribute to achieving the product goals together.

In contrast to the Development Team's collective accountability, other options misinterpret the roles defined in Scrum. The Product Owner does have significant responsibility for the product vision and backlog management, but they do not solely hold accountability for the project's success. Focusing on individual contributions undermines the team spirit and collaboration essential to Scrum, where success is a shared experience. Similarly, while the Scrum Master supports the team and may help facilitate accountability processes, they do not hold the team accountable themselves, as accountability ultimately lies with the team members working together.