Scrum Forum
Who can replace Sprint Backlog items during the Sprint?
Hi, Came across this question on a sample test. I feel correct answer is c) Development team but the source says that it should be a) No one.
Would love to get fellow members' view on this.
Q. Who can replace Sprint Backlog items during the Sprint?
a)No one
b)The Product Owner
c)The Development Team
d)The Scrum Master
e)The Product Owner and the Development Team together
f)The Scrum Team
Hi Srinivasa,
Yes I have chosen "C"(Development Team) as per the Scrum Guide but on mplaza.pm sample question it shows this answer is wrong.
In sample question papers the answer is "no one".
What should i choose in the real exam? if i will found the same question.
The Development Team wholly own their Sprint Backlog, which is their forecast of work for meeting the agreed Sprint Goal. During the Sprint they should replan it as needed in order to better meet the Goal.
If any Product Backlog items currently in the Sprint Backlog are to be removed or replaced, then the Development Team and Product Owner should collaborate on this matter, so any impact on the Sprint Goal is clarified and evaluated first.
It can be quite harmful to use third party tests, where there may often be incorrect answers and poorly thought-out questions.
Hi Ian,
Thank you for your reply.
So as per your clarification, the answer should be "Product owner and development team".
I am preparing myself for PSM I and I have ready scrum guide many times, taking SCRUM OPEN assessment(now I am getting 100% continously) and Mikhail Lapshin quiz learning mode and real mode too and getting 100% continuously, so should I take the real assessment test now??
Do you have some guidelines for me so that I can increase my chances to pass the exam on the first attempt??
I don't have real Scrum experience but I am watching videos and trying to take the real feel of Scrum environment.
I am following inspection and adaption process for me now :)
Looking for your response Ian!!
Hi, I also remember this particular question from mplaza, have you checked their feedback on it? should be useful :)
(The following is what I recall)
I believe the question refers to PBI's themselves, not to the work/tasks/plan defined by the Development team which they totally own and may change, add, remove, replace, etc. during the Sprint.
As the scrum guide states: "The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment. "
And "As new work is required, the Development Team adds it to the Sprint Backlog. As work is performed or completed, the estimated remaining work is updated. When elements of the plan are deemed unnecessary, they are removed." So it seems that 'elements of the plan' are not product backlog items themselves but the tasks defined to them.
On the other hand 'Replace' sounds to me like 'exchanging' a SBI for another item (supposedly from the Product Backlog, otherwise it'd be merely changing order within the Sprint Backlog, wouldn't it?).
Given that, what would happen if the Development team has the rights to exchange SBI's for PBI's in the middle of a sprint? Should they also be allowed to do it with the Product Owner?
Hi Kulsoom,
Since it is always recommended and as per scrum guide too, it is mentioned that the Development team is the sole owner of Sprint Backlog.
Hence any changes done in sprint backlog should be done by the Development team only. Though the Product Owner can also give a recommendation for the change, the final call is always taken by the Development Team.
So, in my opinion, it seems to be an option C.
Cheers :)
Hi Guys,
I think the question here is a little trickier than what meets the eye!
I believe the Sprint Backlog "Items" cannot be changed while a sprint is in progress - Yes, the plans may change and the work may get added or removed as feasible after each inspection - and that would be a change in Sprint Backlog. Sprint Backlog Items are the workable Product Backlog Items which have been picked for a particular Sprint during Sprint Planning, keeping in mind the Sprint Goal and that, as a matter of fact, should never change during a Sprint.
Hope this makes sense.
Thanks.
Hey Ian,
I think you are right. We may have changes to Sprint Backlog provided the Sprint Goal remains intact.
In that case PO and Developers should collaborate for adding any additional PBIs to the backlog for reaching the Sprint Goal (Developers have the final say).
Thanks.
@Prakhar, what matters is the Sprint Goal.
If the team bring PBI's into the Sprint Backlog then have a "flash of realisation" that "the customers were asking for a faster horse" then giving the customer a car, is the right thing to do.
The objective is to achieve the goal, and
maximise the amount of work not done to achieve the goal.
That way you will be able to achieve more goals by doing less work. Customers want their goals met, not "code written."