227- Development Team Roles

Development / Delivery Team

• Builds & tests product in incremental iterations
• Maintains information radiators (whiteboards, Kanban, task boards)
• Operates as a self-organizing, self-directing unit
• Shares status in daily stand-ups
• Writes acceptance tests (criteria set by Product Owner)
• Demonstrates completed increment in sprint review
• Conducts sprint & release planning; owns all estimates
• Holds sprint retrospective after each iteration

Product Owner / Customer

• Owns & prioritizes the product backlog
• Keeps backlog accurate, groomed, and continuously refined
• Ensures shared understanding & vision of backlog items
• Defines acceptance criteria and release due dates
• Participates in sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives

Scrum Master / Agile Project Manager

• Servant leader; mentors & coaches team toward self-management
• Facilitates meetings, workshops, and issue resolution
• Makes team plan & progress visible to stakeholders
• Acts as liaison between Product Owner and Development Team
• Collaborates with Product Owner on backlog management (does not own it)
• Removes impediments; prevents unnecessary escalations

Key Takeaway

• Agile projects revolve around 3 core roles: Development Team, Product Owner, Scrum Master
• Clear division of responsibilities promotes transparency, self-organization, and continuous delivery