When should a Scrum Team be empowered to make decisions?

The empowerment of a Scrum Team to make decisions is ideally based on their ability to effectively assess their work. This context implies that the team has developed an understanding of their capabilities, challenges, and the context in which they operate. When the team is confident in evaluating their work, they are better equipped to make informed decisions regarding how to move forward, innovations to propose, or adjustments to their processes. This aligns with the core principles of Scrum, where self-organization and accountability are key.

The ability to assess work means that the team has the necessary insights and knowledge about their product, team dynamics, and the Scrum process, allowing them to make decisions that support their goals and enhance performance.

In contrast, simply having all the information at hand does not guarantee effective decision-making if the team lacks the experience or understanding to interpret that information. Additionally, decision-making should not be reliant solely on the absence of the Product Owner or the urgency of stakeholder demands, as those circumstances do not inherently empower the team; rather, lasting empowerment is built on trust, collaboration, and a shared understanding of the goals.