Who should be present during Product Backlog refinement?

The presence of the Product Owner and the Development Team during Product Backlog refinement is essential because they are the primary roles involved in defining and clarifying the items in the Product Backlog. The Product Owner is responsible for managing the Product Backlog, ensuring that it reflects the priorities and vision of the stakeholders while also being aligned with the goals of the project. The Development Team, on the other hand, plays a critical role in providing technical insights and feedback on the feasibility and implementation of backlog items.

During refinement, the Product Owner and the Development Team collaborate to break down larger items into manageable tasks, estimate the effort required, and discuss any dependencies or risks associated with the backlog items. This collaborative effort ensures that backlog items are well-understood and refined enough to be taken into upcoming Sprint Planning sessions.

While other roles, such as management representatives or stakeholders, may provide valuable input, the refinement process is fundamentally a collaborative effort primarily between the Product Owner and the Development Team to ensure a shared understanding of the work that needs to be done. Including only the Scrum Master, or having management and stakeholders involved hands-on in every refinement session, could disrupt the focused and detailed nature of this process.