Product Backlog

Anyone, including the Scrum Master can add items to the Product Backlog.

Scrum does not specify how the Product Backlog is ordered.

The Product Owner is responsible for ordering the Product Backlog. He can choose any sequence he sees fit. Since he is responsible for creating value, the likely order he chooses is to give precedence to the items with high value.

But he can deviate from this rule of thumb, for example:
- When items have technical or functional dependencies
- An item is not understood well enough
- To group items to make a sensible increment / release
- To handle a high risk item first

> Please select which of the following statement is not TRUE?
>
> a. The Product Owner is always responsible for Product Backlog.

The PO wholly owns the Product Backlog and it may not be changed without his or her consent. This is therefore a valid answer.

> b. The Scrum Master can always author Product Backlog items.

Any stakeholder can author a Product Backlog Item; what matters is that the Product Owner understands the value it would add to the Product, and the rationale for admitting it to the Product Backlog. This is therefore also a valid answer.

> c. Product Backlog is never complete.

In an agile way of working, the scope of a product is understood to be in a constant state of flux. The Product is subject to inspection and adaptation as it is released incrementally into its environment. It is therefore true to say that the Product Backlog is never complete.

> d. Product Backlog is always ordered by Risk and Cost.

The way in which a Product Backlog is ordered is entirely at the discretion of the Product Owner, since he or she is responsible for the value delivered. There is no constraint which mandates ordering in terms of risk and/or cost. This assertion is therefore false.

Thank you so much Ian, Christiaan and Nitin.