When is a Product Backlog Item considered ‘ready’ to be brought into a Sprint?

In Scrum, a Product Backlog Item (PBI) is considered “ready” when it is sufficiently understood, appropriately sized, and clear enough that the Developers believe they can complete it within a single Sprint. PBIs that meet this threshold are suitable for selection during Sprint Planning because they have enough clarity of value, acceptance criteria, and implementation approach to be forecast as “Done” by the end of the Sprint. Readiness is typically achieved through ongoing Product Backlog refinement, where the Product Owner and Developers collaborate to add detail, order, and size. The key test is not whether an item appears on the backlog, is captured as a user story, or is merely chosen in the meeting; rather, it is whether the item is small and transparent enough to be completed within the Sprint’s timebox and to meet the Definition of Done. Therefore, option B best reflects the standard: a PBI is ready when it is small enough—and clear enough—to be completed (“Done”) within one Sprint.