About Sprint in Scrum Methodology

Question

About methodology Scrum, specifically during the period of Sprint, is it correct to say that:

The scope can be clarified and renegotiated between the product owner and the development team during the sprint.

Yes or No? Why?

Answer 1

Yes or No?

Yes, because that's what the official Scrum Guide says:

Scope may be clarified and re-negotiated between the Product Owner and Development Team as more is learned.

^{scrum guide, page 9, The Sprint}

Why?

Because scrum is a collaborative environment rather than a prescriptive environment.

As development progresses, more information is known about customer requirements. Both the product owner and the development team gain a deeper understanding of what is being built based on customer feedback. This information is fed back into the development process in order to deliver a product that meets the needs of the customer.

Again, from the scrum guide, same section:

Sprints enable predictability by ensuring inspection and adaptation of progress toward a Sprint Goal at least every calendar month. Sprints also limit risk to one calendar month of cost.

^{scrum guide, page 9, The Sprint}

Answer 2

Yes, this is explicitly stated in The Scrum guide, page 9:

During the Sprint:

• No changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal;
  
• Quality goals do not decrease; and,
  
• Scope may be clarified and re-negotiated between the Product Owner and Development Team as more is learned.

Answer 3

Yes, one can always add or remove stories to the backlog. Backlog are stories that are not assigned to any sprint currently.

Additionally, a story can be added or removed from the current active sprint. This is where negotiation usually takes place.

Let's say business wants to add story X to current sprint. In order to complete the work, team may decide to remove story Y and place it back into the backlog to be done during the next sprint in order to complete story X.

So that is possible as well. Ideally one would want to add/remove near the start of the sprint for greater success of completing all stories agreed upon.

Sometimes this is tricky due to dependencies and other things but it is possible.