The Sprint Backlog is collectively owned by the Developers, not assigned to individuals. The Scrum Guide defines it as: 'The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers... It is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work that the Developers plan to accomplish during the Sprint.' Self-organization means the Developers decide who does what, without fixed ownership of items.

A, B: Individual assignment isn't mandated; it's a team effort.

C: Correct---the Developers as a whole own it.

D: The Product Owner manages the Product Backlog, not the Sprint Backlog.

Exact Extract from Scrum Guide: 'The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers. It is composed of the Sprint Goal (why), the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what), as well as an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how).' (Section: 'Sprint Backlog')

Thus, C is correct.

The Definition of 'Done' is a shared standard, often set by the organization, but defaults to the Scrum Team if no broader standard exists. The Scrum Guide states: 'If the Definition of Done for an increment is part of the conventions, standards, or guidelines of the development organization, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum. If it is not an organizational standard, the Scrum Team must create a Definition of Done appropriate for the product.'

A: Correct---organizational standards take precedence, otherwise the Scrum Team defines it.

B: Collaboration occurs, but it's not just a 'common denominator.'

C, D: Neither the Product Owner nor Scrum Master owns it alone.

Exact Extract from Scrum Guide: 'The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product... If it is not an organizational standard, the Scrum Team must create a Definition of Done appropriate for the product.' (Section: 'Definition of Done')

Thus, A is correct.

The Product Owner's primary accountability is maximizing the value of the product, per the Scrum Guide. Metrics should reflect outcomes, not just internal process efficiency:

A (Time to market): Faster delivery of Increments to the market validates value through real-world feedback, a key Scrum principle.

B (Customer satisfaction): This directly measures whether the product meets user needs, aligning with value delivery.

C (Velocity): While useful for Developers to gauge capacity, it's an internal metric, not a direct indicator of value.

D (Productivity): This focuses on effort, not outcome, and isn't tied to value in Scrum.

E (Budget spent): Spending doesn't guarantee value; it's a cost metric, not a value metric.

Thus, A and B best help the Product Owner assess value.

The Sprint Retrospective involves the entire Scrum Team---Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers---to inspect and improve. The Scrum Guide states: 'The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done.' The Product Owner's presence is mandatory because they are part of the team, contributing to discussions on collaboration and process (e.g., backlog refinement).

A: Optional attendance contradicts the team-wide focus.

C: Exclusion is incorrect; it's not just for Developers.

B: This aligns with the team's collective improvement goal.

Exact Extract from Scrum Guide: 'The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint... The Sprint Retrospective concludes the Sprint. It is timeboxed to a maximum of three hours for a one-month Sprint.' (Section: 'Sprint Retrospective')

Thus, B is correct.

The Sprint Retrospective is a key Scrum event focused on continuous improvement. The Scrum Guide defines its purpose explicitly as an opportunity for the Scrum Team (Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers) to reflect on the past Sprint and identify actionable ways to enhance their effectiveness and quality in the next Sprint. Option C---'Inspect how the last Sprint went and plan improvements for the next Sprint'---accurately captures this intent, aligning with Scrum's empirical pillars of inspection and adaptation. Let's evaluate all options:

A (Review stories planned for the next Sprint and provide estimates): This pertains to Sprint Planning or Product Backlog refinement, not the Retrospective. The Retrospective focuses on past performance, not future planning of specific stories or estimation.

B (Demonstrate completed User Stories to the Product Owner): This describes the Sprint Review, where the Increment is showcased to stakeholders, not the Retrospective, which is an internal team event.

C: Correct---the Retrospective is about inspecting the last Sprint (e.g., processes, interactions, tools) and adapting by planning improvements, making it the best answer.

D (The Product Owner): This is incomplete and nonsensical as a purpose; it likely resulted from an OCR error in the original document. The Product Owner participates but isn't the purpose.

The original document's incomplete option C was a typo or truncation error (ending at 'This study wou'). By restoring the intended meaning based on Scrum principles, C becomes the clear and correct choice.

Exact Extract from Scrum Guide: 'The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done. Inspected elements often vary with the domain of work. Assumptions that led them astray are identified and their origins explored. The Scrum Team discusses what went well during the Sprint, what problems it encountered, and how those problems were (or were not) solved... The Sprint Retrospective concludes the Sprint.' (Section: 'Sprint Retrospective')

This extract confirms that the Retrospective's purpose is inspection and improvement planning, precisely matching option C.