Scrum and PRINCE2 — Who Gets the Work Package?

When a PRINCE2 project uses Scrum teams for delivery, a practical question quickly arises: who receives the Work Package? PRINCE2 says Work Packages are issued to Team Managers. Scrum teams are self-managing and don't have a traditional team manager. So which Scrum role takes the Work Package?

The Core Challenge

Scrum teams are self-organising by design. A fundamental Scrum principle is that no one tells the development team how to do its work — the team decides how to break down and execute user stories and sprint backlog items. This sits in natural tension with PRINCE2's defined Team Manager role, who formally accepts Work Packages, reports progress, and is accountable for delivery.

The Three Scrum Roles

• Product Owner — represents stakeholders and is the voice of the customer. In PRINCE2 terms, the Product Owner aligns closely with the Senior User role on the Project Board.
• Development Team — self-organising team that delivers potentially shippable increments. This team doesn't map to a single PRINCE2 role.
• Scrum Master — accountable for the Scrum process, removing impediments, and facilitating team delivery. This is the closest equivalent to a Team Manager in PRINCE2 terms.

The Answer: The Scrum Master

Since Scrum teams lack a traditional team lead, the Scrum Master should take on the PRINCE2 Team Manager role — including accepting Work Packages from the Project Manager, reporting progress, and escalating issues through PRINCE2's formal channels.

This works well in practice. The Scrum Master is already the primary interface between the team and the outside world. Formalising this with a PRINCE2 hat adds governance without adding bureaucracy — the Scrum Master still protects the team's self-organisation while providing the accountability that PRINCE2 requires.

What the Work Package Contains in a Scrum Context

The Work Package in a PRINCE2/Scrum hybrid should reference the sprint or release objectives rather than specific tasks. It defines what products must be delivered by what date, to what quality criteria — and leaves the how entirely to the Scrum team. This respects Scrum's self-organisation while maintaining PRINCE2's product-level control.