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Sprint Backlog changes or emerges as more is learned.

Last post 09:03 pm August 17, 2022 by Daniel Wilhite
3 replies
05:18 pm August 17, 2022

I am preparing for PSM1 since last 2 weeks. Open assessments are good for me . But I am trying with mlaphsin and Mplaza assessments, will appear for real assessment soon.

As I was giving mock tests from multiple sites, I got the doubt.

As per Scrum guide, The Sprint backlog emerges or changes during Sprint as more is learned.

My conception to this statement is we can add or remove user stories from PB to Sprint Backlog. Am I correct? Sprint Backlog change referes to only tasks addition or removal or we can add and remove the PBIs to/from Sprint backlog. Please guide, 


08:01 pm August 17, 2022

No backlog is ever fixed. Rather, they are forecasts of the work currently thought necessary to achieve their respective goal commitments. As such they must be subject to validated learning and open to change at all times.


08:58 pm August 17, 2022

The commitment is to the Sprint Goal, which is part of the Product Backlog. There are reasons why the team may have changes in the selected Product Backlog Items or in any part of a more detailed plan (which may include decomposing Product Backlog Items into tasks). As long as the Sprint Goal remains intact, the Developers are free to change the Sprint Backlog. If the Sprint Goal is at risk of not being achieved, that is something that the Developers can work together with the Product Owner (and perhaps the Scrum Master) on.


09:03 pm August 17, 2022

First, the Scrum Guide never says anything about User Stories.  That is the first thing you need to realize if you want to become a Scrum Master.

Second, why are you limiting the changes to only moving items from one backlog to the other?  What if something was discovered during the course of working in the Sprint that would warrant an extra item in the Sprint Backlog.  Couldn't you add to the Sprint Backlog based upon discovery during the Sprint? 

This is the opening statement of the section that describes the Sprint Backlog in current Scrum Guide.

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).

Couldn't the Sprint Backlog change because the "how" is modified?  Suppose the Developers find a better way to implement something than they had originally planned to use.  That would be a change to the "how" and thus a change to the Sprint Backlog.


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