Many Scrum Masters think they should update the Sprint Backlog, and it is one of their responsibilities to support Developers, but this is not true.
First, let’s dissect the Sprint Backlog. Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers. It is a strong mechanism to support self-management.
Sprint Backlog has three elements: Sprint Goal, selected Product Backlog Items, and a plan to implement them, usually called tasks.
The main intention of the Sprint is to achieve the Sprint Goal. So, the Sprint Goal should not be changed during the Sprint. But how about the next two elements?!
Scrum Guide says: the Sprint Backlog is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned. When Developers implement PBIs, new learnings happen, which may cause them to adjust their work.
It means they may need to talk with the Product Owner to adjust Product Backlog Items, or on a daily basis, they update their tasks or plan of implementation to increase the likelihood of achieving the Sprint Goal. And this is the main point where self-management gets the opportunity to flourish.
Now, imagine your Scrum Master updates the Sprint Backlog. Since they aren’t fully aware of all implementation details, their changes are limited to simply updating the status of items or adding or removing those items that the Developers have already decided on.
So, the key takeaway is that Developers are responsible for updating the Sprint Backlog, which helps them move toward genuine self-management.
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