Scrum Team & Scrum Events
Three accountabilities, five events — no hierarchy, no project manager. Here's how the pieces fit together.
The Scrum Team
A Scrum Team has three accountabilities. None is "above" the others — they're equally important, and the team is a single unit, not three separate groups.
Product Owner
Maximizes the value of the product
- •Owns and orders the Product Backlog by value
- •Manages stakeholders and represents their needs to the team
- •Defines the Product Goal and communicates milestones
- •Makes the backlog transparent and clear to everyone
Scrum Master
Servant leader, coach and change agent
- •Coaches the team in self-management and cross-functionality
- •Facilitates Scrum events and removes impediments
- •Helps the Product Owner with backlog management techniques
- •Promotes Scrum adoption across the wider organization
Developers
Build the Increment, every Sprint
- •Create a plan for the Sprint: the Sprint Backlog
- •Hold each other accountable to the Definition of Done
- •Instill quality by adhering to a quality standard
- •Adapt their plan daily toward the Sprint Goal
Common Team Antipatterns
- Roles left unfilled, or filled by people without the authority/skills they need
- One person combining Product Owner and Scrum Master roles
- People split across many teams, diluting focus
- Hierarchies layered on top of the team that undermine self-management
The Five Scrum Events
Every event is an opportunity to inspect and adapt — together they create the empirical rhythm Scrum runs on.
The Sprint
≤ 1 monthThe container for all other events. A fixed-length cycle in which a usable, potentially releasable Increment is created. Only the Sprint Goal, Backlog and team composition may be re-negotiated mid-Sprint — and only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint.
Sprint Planning
Up to 8h for a 1-month SprintAnswers three questions: Why is this Sprint valuable? What can be done this Sprint? How will the chosen work get done? The output is a Sprint Goal, the selected Product Backlog Items, and a plan for delivering them.
Daily Scrum
15 minutes, dailyDevelopers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as needed. Often structured around three questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Are there any blockers?
Sprint Review
Up to 4h for a 1-month SprintA working session — not a presentation. The team and stakeholders inspect the Increment, discuss what's changed, and collaboratively adjust the Product Backlog for what comes next.
Sprint Retrospective
Up to 3h for a 1-month SprintThe team reflects on the Sprint: people, relationships, process and tools, and the Definition of Done. Moderated by the Scrum Master, it closes the Sprint and identifies the most impactful improvements for next time.