Ace the 2025 CSPO Challenge – Unleash Your Scrum Mastery!

The authority to cancel a Sprint lies with the Product Owner. This is because the Product Owner is responsible for managing the product backlog and ensuring that the team is working toward delivering value that aligns with the overall goals of the project. If a deemed Sprint Goal becomes obsolete—whether due to changing market conditions, shifting customer needs, or unforeseen obstacles—the Product Owner has the responsibility to assess the situation and determine whether it is still worth continuing the Sprint.

In practice, the Product Owner would evaluate the circumstances and could decide to cancel the Sprint, allowing the team to refocus its efforts on more relevant work instead of continuing with tasks that no longer align with business objectives. This decision reflects the Product Owner's role as the key stakeholder representative and ensures that the team invests its time effectively in delivering value.

The other roles within a Scrum framework—such as the Scrum Master, Developers, and Project Manager—have their own distinct responsibilities. The Scrum Master facilitates the process and helps to address any impediments, Developers execute the work, and the Project Manager typically operates outside the pure Scrum roles. Thus, while they are important to the Scrum process, they do not hold the authority to cancel the Sprint.