Who is essential to be present during Product Backlog refinement?

The presence of the Product Owner and the Development Team during Product Backlog refinement is essential because this collaborative effort ensures a shared understanding of the backlog items. The Product Owner is responsible for managing the Product Backlog, and their involvement is crucial in clarifying the product vision, prioritizing the items based on business value, and explaining the details of each item.

Simultaneously, the Development Team plays a pivotal role in this process, as they provide technical insights and feedback on the feasibility, effort estimation, and complexity of the backlog items. Their participation helps the team to better understand what is required to implement the features, which is important for proper planning and execution in future sprints.

This collaboration allows for a well-groomed backlog that reflects both the product goals and the technical realities, ultimately leading to a more efficient and effective workflow in the Scrum process.

While the Scrum Master may facilitate the refinement session and stakeholders might provide valuable input during these discussions, the primary responsibility for refining the backlog lies with the Product Owner and the Development Team, making their presence indispensable to this critical activity.