Who owns the Sprint Backlog?

The Sprint Backlog is owned by the Development Team. This is because the Sprint Backlog comprises the work that the Development Team commits to completing during the Sprint. It evolves throughout the Sprint as more is learned and as the team progresses with their work. The Development Team is responsible for managing this backlog and ensuring the selected Sprint items can be delivered by the end of the Sprint.

This ownership emphasizes the self-organizing nature of the Development Team in Scrum. They assess which tasks to take on based on their capacity and expertise, and they are accountable for the progress towards the Sprint Goal. This promotes accountability and allows the team to adapt their approach based on the dynamics of their work and any new information that may arise during the Sprint.

In contrast, the other roles in Scrum such as the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Stakeholders have different responsibilities: the Scrum Master facilitates the process and removes impediments, the Product Owner manages the overall product backlog and prioritizes items for future development, while stakeholders provide input and feedback but do not have direct ownership of the Sprint Backlog.