Who has the authority to manage the Product Backlog?

The authority to manage the Product Backlog lies with the Product Owner, who is responsible for defining and prioritizing the items in the backlog. This role encompasses ensuring that the backlog aligns with the product's vision and goals, facilitating communication between stakeholders and the team, and making decisions about what to include in future sprints based on business value and stakeholder needs.

The Product Owner is the single point of accountability for the Product Backlog. This means that the Product Owner can make and communicate decisions about which features or changes to prioritize based on feedback from the Development Team, customers, and other stakeholders. This accountability is crucial because it helps to streamline decision-making and ensures clarity as the team moves forward with development.

Other participants, like the Development Team, Scrum Master, and Key Stakeholders, each play important roles in the Scrum framework, but they do not have the authority to manage the Product Backlog. The Development Team offers input and feedback based on their capacity and technical considerations but does not make decisions about prioritization. The Scrum Master facilitates the process and helps the team stay aligned with Scrum principles but does not control backlog management. Key Stakeholders provide insights and requirements but ultimately rely on the Product Owner to make prioritization decisions.