PSPO PSPO-I Updated Exam

• In Scrum, there is only one product and one Product Backlog for a given product. The Product Backlog is the single source of truth for the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. It contains all the requirements, features, functions, enhancements, fixes, and anything else that can deliver value to the customers and users of the product. The Product Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner based on the product vision, goals, and value.
• Having multiple Product Backlogs for one product would create confusion, duplication, inconsistency, and waste. It would also make it harder to align the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders on the same product direction and priorities. Therefore, a Product Owner with multiple teams working on one product should not maintain separate Product Backlogs for each team.
• The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time.
• In some cases, when there are multiple Scrum Teams working on one product, it may be necessary to have some form of scaling or coordination mechanism to ensure alignment and collaboration among the teams. However, this does not mean that there should be multiple Product Owners or Product Backlogs. Instead, there should be ways to facilitate communication, feedback, integration, and transparency among the teams and with the Product Owner. For example, some frameworks or practices that can help with scaling Scrum are Nexus, LeSS, SAFe, or Scrum of Scrums.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Nexus: [1]
• LeSS: [2]
• SAFe: [3]
• Scrum of Scrums: [4]

The amount of the Sprint Backlog that must be defined during the Sprint Planning event is enough so the Developers can create their forecast of what work they can do. This is because:

• Sprint Planning is an event where the Scrum Team plans for the upcoming Sprint. The purpose of Sprint Planning is to align the entire Scrum Team around a common goal and a plan for delivering an Increment that meets that goal.
• The Developers are accountable for creating a Sprint forecast, which is a selection of Product Backlog items that they intend to work on during the Sprint. The Sprint forecast should be realistic, achievable, and valuable.
• The Developers are also accountable for creating a plan for how they will deliver the selected Product Backlog items as a “Done” Increment. The plan may include tasks, dependencies, risks, estimates, or other information that helps them organize and manage their work.
• The amount of the Sprint Backlog that must be defined during Sprint Planning may vary depending on the context, complexity, and uncertainty of the product development. However, it should be enough so that the Developers can create their forecast of what work they can do and have a clear direction for the first few days of the Sprint.

Other options, such as just enough to understand design and architectural implications, the entire Sprint Backlog being identified and estimated by the end of Sprint Planning, or just enough tasks for the Scrum Master to be confident in the Developers’ understanding of the Sprint, are not valid answers as they do not reflect what must be defined during Sprint Planning or what is required for creating a Sprint forecast.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 14, section “Sprint Planning”
• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”
• [Scrum Guide], page 15, section “Sprint Backlog”
• [Scrum Guide], page 14, section “Sprint Planning”

The Sprint Backlog is created during Sprint Planning, where the Developers select the Product Backlog items that they can deliver in the Sprint and create a plan for how to do the work. The Scrum Guide states that "The Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal (why), the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what), as well as an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how)."1 The Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Developers, who can update it throughout the Sprint as more is learned.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 15
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The ideal time for refinement to take place and who should participate are the Scrum Team during the current Sprint, if they have been unable during preceding Sprints to define Product Backlog items with enough precision to begin work, and the Scrum Team on an ongoing basis, defining Product Backlog items into smaller more precise items that are ready for selection. This is because:

• Product Backlog refinement is the act of adding detail, estimates, and order to Product Backlog items. It is an ongoing and collaborative process that involves the whole Scrum Team.
• The Scrum Team should refine the Product Backlog as needed to ensure that there are enough items that are sufficiently clear and ready for selection in Sprint Planning. The amount of time spent on refinement usually varies from one Scrum Team to another, but it is recommended not to exceed 10% of the capacity of the Developers.
• The Scrum Team may also use a Sprint to refine the Product Backlog if they have not been able to do so in previous Sprints. This may happen when the product is new or complex, or when there is a significant change in the product vision or direction. However, this should be an exception rather than a rule, as it may delay the delivery of value and feedback.

Other options, such as business analysts doing the refinement work for the Scrum Team, the Product Owner doing the refinement alone in Sprint 0 or between Sprints, or handing off the ownership of the Product Backlog to someone else, are not consistent with the principles and values of Scrum. They may lead to misunderstandings, misalignment, or loss of ownership and accountability.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 11, section “Product Backlog”
• [Scrum Guide], page 12, section “Product Backlog Refinement”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 7, section “Product Backlog Management”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 8, section “Release Management”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 9, section “Business Strategy”