Product Backlog Estimation in Scrum: Who is Responsible for It?

Who estimates the size of the Product Backlog items?

a. The Product Owner
b. The Development Team
c. The Scrum Master
d. The Scrum Team

Answer:

The size of the Product Backlog items is estimated by the Development Team.

In Scrum, the responsibility of estimating the size of Product Backlog items falls on the Development Team. This is because the Development Team has the technical expertise and insights required to assess the effort and complexity involved in completing each item. The estimation process is a collaborative effort involving the team members who will be working on the backlog items.

The Product Owner plays a crucial role in prioritizing the backlog items based on value, while the Scrum Master facilitates the estimation process. However, it is the Development Team that ultimately provides estimates for the size of the backlog items.

During backlog refinement and planning sessions, the Development Team engages in activities like Planning Poker to reach a consensus on the size of each item. This collaborative approach ensures that accurate estimations are made, informed by the team members who will actually be executing the work.

Overall, effective Product Backlog estimation is essential for successful sprint planning and delivery of valuable increments. By involving the Development Team in the estimation process, Scrum teams can ensure that they have a realistic understanding of the effort required for each backlog item.