Who owns the Sprint Backlog?

The Sprint Backlog is owned by the Development Team. This is because the Sprint Backlog consists of the set of items from the Product Backlog that the Development Team selects to work on during the Sprint, along with a plan for delivering the Increment and achieving the Sprint Goal.

Ownership by the Development Team is crucial for a few reasons:

1. Self-organization: The Development Team is responsible for managing their own work, which contributes to their autonomy and accountability. They decide how to achieve the Sprint Goal and organize the tasks necessary to complete the selected Product Backlog items.

2. Commitment to delivery: The Development Team’s ownership of the Sprint Backlog reflects their commitment to achieving the goals of the Sprint. They are best positioned to assess their capacity and determine what they can realistically deliver within the Sprint timeframe.

3. Adaptability: The Development Team can modify the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint as new insights are gained or challenges arise. This flexibility allows them to adjust their approach based on feedback and changing realities, which means they need to maintain control over the Sprint Backlog.

In contrast, while the Scrum Master facilitates the Scrum process and helps the Development Team adhere to Scrum principles, they do not own the Sprint