How much time should be spent carrying out Product Backlog Refinement?

Question

Options

• AAs much as the Product Owner deems necessary to create enough ready Product Backlog Items
• BAs much as the Product Owner and Development Team agree is necessary to create enough
• CUp to 10% of the capacity of the Development Team in a typical Sprint, but as much as 90% in
• DNo more than 10% of the capacity of the Development Team

• A
  7% (3)
• B
  88% (36)
• C
  2% (1)
• D
  2% (1)

Explanation

Option B is correct because the 2020 Scrum Guide removed the prescriptive 10% guideline and instead emphasizes that refinement is a collaborative, ongoing activity - the amount of time spent is a shared agreement between the Product Owner and Developers based on what's actually needed to keep the backlog ready.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A is wrong because giving the Product Owner sole authority over refinement time contradicts Scrum's collaborative spirit - Developers must also agree, since they own sizing and effort estimates.
• C is a fabricated rule; no version of the Scrum Guide introduces a 90% threshold under any condition.
• D reflects the old 2017 Scrum Guide's "no more than 10%" guideline, which was deliberately removed in the 2020 update to avoid false precision and encourage teams to do what's actually needed.

Memory tip: Think "refinement = collaboration." Any answer that assigns sole authority to one role (just the PO) or cites a specific percentage (10%, 90%) is likely outdated or invented - the current Scrum Guide trusts the team to decide together.

No community discussion yet for this question.