Answering: “When must the Product Owner participate in the Daily Scrum?” (PSM I)

The Product Owner must participate in the Daily Scrum only when working on Sprint Backlog items, and does so as a Developer. Otherwise, the event belongs to the Developers.

Exam Question

When must the Product Owner participate in the Daily Scrum? (choose the best answer)

• A. When the Product Owner is actively working on items on the Sprint Backlog; however, they participate as a Developer.
• B. When there are impediments to discuss.
• C. When the Product Owner needs to represent the stakeholders’ point of view to the Developers.
• D. When the Scrum Master asks the Product Owner to attend.

Correct Answer

A. When the Product Owner is actively working on items on the Sprint Backlog; however, they participate as a Developer.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Daily Scrum exists for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog. The Scrum Guide makes one exception for other Scrum Team members: “If the Product Owner or Scrum Master are actively working on items in the Sprint Backlog, they participate as Developers.” In that case the Product Owner contributes to the plan like any other Developer, not as the person who orders the Product Backlog. Outside that case, there is no situation in the Guide that requires the Product Owner’s participation. They remain available to the Developers throughout the Sprint.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

B. When there are impediments to discuss. Impediments are raised by the Developers and handled with the Scrum Master’s help. They do not require the Product Owner at the event.

C. To represent stakeholders to the Developers. Representing stakeholders is part of the Product Owner’s job, but it is done through the Product Backlog and ongoing collaboration, not the Daily Scrum.

D. When the Scrum Master asks them to attend. The Scrum Master does not decide attendance. The Scrum Guide ties participation to doing Sprint Backlog work.

Exam Tip

The word “must” narrows the answer to what the Scrum Guide actually requires. For the Daily Scrum, only doing Sprint Backlog work creates that requirement.

Key Takeaways

• The Daily Scrum is the Developers’ event.
• Doing Sprint Backlog work is the only trigger for Product Owner participation.
• The Scrum Master does not set attendance.