Distinguishing the three roles in Scrum—Scrum Master, product owner, and development team—is meant to heighten the transparency, efficiency, and adaptability of a team. In classic Scrum teams, the three roles are considered vital to success.
However, many organizations adapt Scrum principles to best fit their needs. For example, seasoned developers might find that they can distribute the management of a project amongst themselves and operate without a Scrum Master. If you’re considering merging roles, make sure to have processes in place to make sure product priorities are considered, and Scrum principles upheld.