One of the key components of Scrum is the definition of specific roles and accountabilities for team members. Each role in Scrum plays a crucial part in ensuring the team’s and the project’s success.

Here are the three primary roles in Scrum:

1. Product Owner: The Product Owner is responsible for creating and maintaining the Product Backlog, a prioritized list of features, enhancements, and bug fixes that must be developed to achieve the Product Goal. The Product Owner works closely with stakeholders to ensure that the Backlog is aligned with the vision and goals of the product and is responsible for ensuring that the development team understands the requirements of each item in the Backlog.
2. Developers: The Developers are responsible for creating the product increments during each Sprint. The team is self-organizing and cross-functional, meaning it has all the necessary skills to complete the work required for each Sprint. The Developers estimate the effort required to complete each item in the Product Backlog. They are responsible for delivering an increment by the end of each Sprint.
3. Scrum Master: The Scrum Master ensures the Scrum framework is used effectively. The Scrum Master facilitates the Scrum events, coaches the team on Scrum practices, and works with the Product Owner to ensure the Product Backlog is managed effectively. The Scrum Master also helps remove any impediments that may be preventing the team from completing their work and ensures that the team follows the Scrum values and principles.

Roles Are Not Equivalent to People

A common mistake about roles is to assume that one person exclusively plays a specific role. That is, the person who is the Scrum Master is ALWAYS the Scrum Master. The Developers are always the same. This is incorrect. As a framework, when Scrum says that the team is self-managing, it means precisely that. They manage themselves. Roles in Scrum are like roles in the theater. One person may play multiple roles. For example, a person might play multiple minor supporting roles. Likewise, multiple people may play a single role. For example, an actor playing a leading role will likely have an understudy or might retire from the play, giving the part to another actor. On a Scrum team, it is not unusual for a person to play the roles of Scrum Master and Developer (though it is recommended that you don’t do so simultaneously). Similarly, a person may play the Product Owner role until the current Product Goal is achieved and then step aside for a more appropriate person to play the role for the next Product Goal.