Scrum Roles

The Scrum framework defines three accountabilities (often called roles): the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Developers. Together, these three form the Scrum Team. Each role has distinct responsibilities, and all three are essential for Scrum to function effectively.

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The Scrum Team

The 2020 Scrum Guide describes the Scrum Team as a cohesive unit with no sub-teams or hierarchies. The team is:

• Cross-functional — it has all the skills needed to create value each Sprint
• Self-managing — it decides internally who does what, when, and how
• Small — typically 10 or fewer people to maintain agility and communication

Note: The 2020 Scrum Guide replaced the term "Development Team" with "Developers" to clarify that this accountability refers to anyone doing the work, not just software developers.

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Product Owner

The Product Owner (PO) is accountable for maximising the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibility	Description
Product Backlog management	Creating, ordering, and clearly communicating Product Backlog items
Product Goal	Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal
Value maximisation	Ensuring the team works on the highest-value items first
Stakeholder management	Representing stakeholders' needs and ensuring their voices are heard
Acceptance	Making decisions about whether work meets the Definition of Done and can be released

Characteristics of an Effective Product Owner

• Has a clear vision for the product
• Is empowered to make decisions (one person, not a committee)
• Is available to the team for questions and clarifications
• Understands the market, users, and business context
• Can say "no" to low-priority requests

Common Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	Problem
Absent Product Owner	Team lacks direction; backlog stagnates
Committee PO	Decisions require consensus from multiple people; velocity drops
Micro-managing PO	Tells developers how to build, not what to build
Order-taker PO	Simply passes stakeholder requests without prioritisation or vision

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Scrum Master

The Scrum Master (SM) is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness. They serve the team by helping everyone understand Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibility	Description
Coaching	Helping the team understand and apply Scrum
Facilitation	Facilitating Scrum events as needed
Impediment removal	Identifying and removing obstacles that block the team
Organisational change	Helping the organisation understand and adopt Scrum
Protecting the team	Shielding the team from external interruptions during the Sprint

The Scrum Master Serves...

Whom	How
The Developers	Coaching self-management, removing impediments, facilitating events
The Product Owner	Helping with backlog management techniques, stakeholder facilitation, Product Goal clarity
The Organisation	Leading Agile adoption, training, removing organisational impediments

Scrum Master vs Project Manager