Clarifying Accountability in Scrum: How a Scrum Master Helps the Team Find Their Place
One of the most common challenges in Scrum teams—especially new or transitioning teams—is a lack of clarity around accountabilities. Without a clear understanding of what each team member is accountable for, collaboration can break down, productivity can stall, and frustration can rise.
As a Scrum Master, part of your job is to ensure that each team member fully understands what’s expected of them, how they contribute to the team’s success, and how they interact with others within the Scrum framework. When expectations are well-defined, teams can move faster, work more efficiently, and reduce conflicts caused by misunderstandings.
This article explores:
The core expectations of Scrum team members.
How a Scrum Master clarifies expectations through coaching, facilitation, and team development.
Practical strategies to reinforce clarity in an evolving Scrum environment.
Understanding the Expectations of Scrum Team Members
Scrum defines three distinct sets of accountabilities a team member might own:
1. The Scrum Master
The Scrum Master is a leader who helps the team apply the Scrum framework and Agile values effectively. They foster an environment where the team can perform at their best.
Key Accountabilities:
Helping the Scrum team become more effective
Supporting their team and organization in their understanding of the Scrum framework and Agile values.
This is generally accepted to include:
Facilitating Scrum events (Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective).
Removing obstacles that slow the team down.
Helping the team and organization embrace continuous improvement.
Protecting the team from unnecessary distractions.
2. The Product Owner
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the ROI of the product development effort by defining and sequencing the work in the product backloog. They maintain the Product Backlog and ensure the team delivers what matters most to stakeholders.
Key Accountabilities:
Creating, communicating, and sequencing backlog items to maximize product ROI.
Creating and communicating product goals to the team.
Making timely decisions and being available for team questions.
Collaborating with stakeholders and gathering feedback.
3. The Developers
The Developers are up to ten professionals (developers, testers, designers, etc.) who use their cross-functional skills to build the product and deliver value each sprint. They are self-managing, accountable for determining how to complete their work and committed to delivering an increment by the end of every sprint.
Key Accountabilities:
• Planning and committing to work during Sprint Planning.
• Collaborating daily to build and refine the product.
• Ensuring high-quality deliverables through testing and reviews.
• Inspecting and adapting through retrospectives and feedback.
• Helping refine backlog items for future sprints.
How a Scrum Master Helps the Team Understand Their Roles
Even though Scrum accountabilities are clearly defined, teams often struggle to put them into practice. Here’s how a Scrum Master can help the team gain clarity and confidence about their expectations of one another and the organization’s expectations of the team.
1. Educate and Reinforce Scrum Accountabilities
New or transitioning teams need education on Scrum fundamentals, including expectations of team members. As a Scrum Master, you can:
Conduct Scrum workshops to define accountabilities and clarify expectations.
Use real-world examples to illustrate role boundaries (e.g., “A Product Owner sequences the work in the product backlog but doesn’t dictate how work is done—that’s up to the developers!”).
Provide one-on-one coaching for individuals who need extra guidance.
Continuously reinforce Scrum values during meetings and discussions.
Pro Tip: Encourage the team to discuss their own interpretations of their accountabilities. Often, team members learn best when they articulate their understanding rather than passively receiving information.
2. Facilitate Open Communication About Challenges
Many Scrum teams struggle with accountability-overlap or confusion, especially in organizations transitioning from traditional project management. Common issues include:
A Scrum Master acting like a project manager (task and plan focused rather than outcomes focused)
A Product Owner being too controlling (micromanaging backlog execution).
Developers struggling with accountability (unclear expectations about quality, testing, and collaboration).
As a Scrum Master, create a safe space where these challenges can be discussed openly. Retrospectives and team agreements can help resolve misunderstandings and realign the team.
Pro Tip: In a retrospective, ask: “What’s working well with our roles?”, “Where are we stepping on each other’s toes?”, and “What adjustments would make collaboration smoother?”
3. Clarify Decision-Making Authority
Scrum thrives on empowered, self-managing teams—but without clear decision-making guidelines, teams can get stuck.
A Scrum Master can help define:
Who approves completed work? (Product Owner).
Who decides how to solve problems and implement work? (Development Team).
Who removes impediments? (Scrum Master, but often involves leadership).
Providing a decision-making framework reduces unnecessary debates and keeps work flowing smoothly.
Pro Tip: Use a Decision Matrix to outline key decisions and who has the final say. This prevents confusion and helps everyone understand their scope of authority.
4. Support the Product Owner
Many teams struggle with the Product Owner role, especially if the PO is new to Agile or overwhelmed with responsibilities. A Scrum Master can:
Help them refine and sequence backlog items effectively.
Ensure they collaborate with stakeholders regularly rather than working in isolation.
Coach them on effective communication with the team (e.g., using user stories instead of solutions).
However, avoid taking over Product Owner duties. The Scrum Master should support, not replace, the PO in backlog management and sequencing.
Pro Tip: If the Product Owner struggles with backlog management, introduce Story Mapping to help them visualize priorities.
5. Empower the Developers to Self-Manage
Professional develpers know what needs to be done and how to do it—without waiting for instructions from the Scrum Master or Product Owner.
To reinforce this autonomy, a Scrum Master should:
Encourage team-led sprint planning and backlog refinement.
Teach effective collaboration techniques (pair programming, swarming, mobbing).
Challenge teams to solve their own problems first before escalating issues.
Pro Tip: If team members frequently ask for direction, turn questions back to them: “What do you think the best approach is?”, “What options have you considered?”, and “How can we test this and get feedback quickly?”
This mindset shift helps teams become more confident with the expectations about their work.
Ongoing Development in a Growing Scrum Team
Expectations of teams and team members aren’t static—they evolve as the team matures. A Scrum Master should continually assess and refine clarity over time.
1. Use Retrospectives to Address Role-Related Issues
Periodically check in with the team:
Are expectations still clear?
Are accountabilities balanced?
Are there any bottlenecks caused by misunderstandings?
2. Revisit Role Expectations as the Team Grows
As teams evolve, they may take on new accountabilities, require additional skills, or even split into multiple teams. Keep expectations up to date.
3. Address External Factors That Impact Clarity
Sometimes, company culture or leadership decisions can blur Scrum team accountabilities (e.g., a manager assigning tasks instead of letting the team self-manage). A Scrum Master should work with leadership to align expectations and protect Agile principles.
Conclusion
A Scrum Master’s role isn’t just about facilitating meetings—it’s about ensuring every team member understands their accountabilities and how they contribute to the team’s success.
By educating, facilitating discussions, clarifying decision-making, supporting team development, and reinforcing self-management, you help your team operate efficiently and effectively within Scrum.
Want to improve team alignment? Start by fostering open conversations today!
