If the Developers find out during the Sprint that they are not likely to build everything they forecast, the best response from the Product Owner is to re-work the selected Product Backlog items with the Developers to meet the Sprint Goal. This is because:
The Sprint Goal is a short-term objective that provides guidance and focus to the Scrum Team throughout the Sprint. It is a flexible and negotiable commitment that can be adjusted as more is learned throughout the Sprint.
The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They must inspect the Increment at the end of each Sprint and assess how it delivers value and contributes to the Product Goal.
The Product Owner and the Developers must collaborate closely throughout the Sprint to ensure that they have a shared understanding of what they are building and why. The Product Owner must provide clarifications, feedback, and guidance to the Developers as needed to help them create a valuable Increment.
If the Developers find out during the Sprint that they are not likely to build everything they forecast, it means that there is a gap between their initial plan and their actual progress. This may happen due to various reasons, such as new insights, changing requirements, technical challenges, or unforeseen circumstances.
In this situation, the Product Owner should work with the Developers to re-work the selected Product Backlog items to meet the Sprint Goal. This may involve adding, removing, or modifying some items, as long as they still support the Sprint Goal and deliver value. The Product Owner should also communicate any changes or impacts to the stakeholders and customers as appropriate.
Other options, such as skipping Product Backlog refinement activities, informing management that more Developers are needed, changing the Sprint Goal, or canceling the Sprint, are not valid responses from the Product Owner as they do not reflect what should happen in Scrum or how to deal with uncertainty and complexity.
References:
[Scrum Guide], page 15, section “Sprint Goal”
[Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”
[Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
[Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Definition of Done”
[Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Increment”
[Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Product Goal”
