Stakeholder

A stakeholder is anyone outside the Scrum Team who has an interest in the product and its success. This can include users, customers, sponsors, managers, or teams who rely on the product.

Among all stakeholders, users are the most important. Their experience and needs should guide product decisions, as real value is created only when the product genuinely helps those who use it.

Stakeholders provide valuable input, but they are not part of the Scrum Team. Their feedback, especially during the Sprint Review, helps inspect progress and shape future work.

The Product Owner is accountable for managing stakeholder engagement: collecting feedback, understanding needs, and making choices that maximize value for users and the organization.

Stakeholders influence the product, but the Scrum Team owns how ideas turn into usable, valuable Increments.