Self-managing Developers manage the Sprint Backlog. Sprint length, Product Backlog ordering, stakeholder invitations and release decisions sit with other accountabilities or the whole Scrum Team.
Exam Question
Developers are self-managing, which of the following do they manage?
(choose the best answer)
A. Sprint Backlog.
B. Sprint length.
C. Product Backlog ordering.
D. Stakeholders for the Sprint Review.
E. When to release, based on its progress.
Correct Answer
A. Sprint Backlog.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The Scrum Guide calls the Sprint Backlog “a plan by and for the Developers.” It is made up of the Sprint Goal, the Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint and the plan for delivering the Increment. The Developers update it throughout the Sprint as they learn more, and they use the Daily Scrum to adapt it toward the Sprint Goal. Nobody else tells them how to turn Product Backlog items into an Increment. The other options are decisions the Developers can influence, but they are not the Developers’ to manage.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
B. Sprint length. Sprint length is a Scrum Team decision, usually shaped by risk and the Product Owner’s need for feedback. It is not a Developer-only choice.
C. Product Backlog ordering. Ordering the Product Backlog is part of the Product Owner’s accountability.
D. Stakeholders for the Sprint Review. The Product Owner usually works out which stakeholders to involve, and the whole Scrum Team presents. The Developers do not manage the list.
E. When to release. Release decisions belong to the Product Owner, who is accountable for maximizing value.
Exam Tip
Match each artifact to its owner: Product Backlog to the Product Owner, Sprint Backlog to the Developers, Increment to the whole Scrum Team.
Key Takeaways
- The Sprint Backlog belongs to the Developers.
- The Product Owner orders the Product Backlog and decides on releases.
- Self-management covers how the work is done, not every product decision.
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More PSPO I exam questions
- Who must attend the Daily Scrum?” (PSPO I)
- As the Developers start work during the Sprint, they realize they have selected too much work to finish in the Sprint. What should they do?” (PSPO I)
- All Scrum artifacts must be transparent to ensure sufficient accuracy of inspection. Which two measures ensure that the Product Backlog is transparent?
- Who can cancel a Sprint?
- True or False: The Product Owner makes sure the right stakeholders are invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They might have important instructions for team improvements.” (PSPO I)