There is no such thing as Sprint 0, so the Product Owner has no special accountability for it. Every Sprint, including the first one, aims to produce a usable Increment.
Exam Question
What is the accountability of the Product Owner during Sprint 0?
(choose the best answer)
A. Make sure enough Product Backlog items are refined to fill the first 3 Sprints.
B. Determine the composition of the Scrum Teams so they have the capacity to deliver the forecasted release.
C. There is no such thing as Sprint 0.
D. Gathering, eliciting and analyzing the requirements that will be inserted into the Product Backlog.
Correct Answer
C. There is no such thing as Sprint 0.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The Scrum Guide defines one kind of Sprint. It says Sprints are “the heartbeat of Scrum, where ideas are turned into value,” and every Sprint produces at least one Increment toward the Product Goal. A Sprint 0 is usually set aside for setup, architecture or requirements gathering without delivering value. That reintroduces an upfront phase, which Scrum avoids. Setting up environments and preparing a few Product Backlog items happens inside the first real Sprint, alongside building something usable. The Product Owner’s accountabilities stay the same from the very first Sprint.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
A. Refine enough items to fill the first 3 Sprints. Scrum asks for enough ready work for the next Sprint, not a stockpile. This reflects upfront planning.
B. Determine team composition for the forecasted release. The Product Owner does not design teams, and Sprint 0 does not exist to do it in.
D. Gather, elicit and analyze requirements for the Product Backlog. This describes a waterfall analysis phase. The Product Backlog emerges over time through ongoing work.
Exam Tip
When a question names Sprint 0, a hardening Sprint or a release Sprint, look for the option that says it does not exist in Scrum.
Key Takeaways
- Scrum has no Sprint 0.
- The first Sprint should already deliver a usable Increment.
- Setup work happens inside regular Sprints.
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