CST Scrum Framework & Agile Principles 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A new Scrum Team insists on planning two Sprints at once to 'reduce overhead.' How should a CST respond?
- Allow it since the team is self-organizing
- Explain that Sprint Planning is time-boxed per Sprint to maintain inspect-and-adapt cycles (Correct answer)
- Suggest combining retrospectives as well for efficiency
- Escalate to the Product Owner for a decision
Correct answer: Explain that Sprint Planning is time-boxed per Sprint to maintain inspect-and-adapt cycles
Planning multiple Sprints simultaneously undermines Scrum's empirical process by removing the inspect-and-adapt opportunity between Sprints.
Question 2: Which of the three pillars of empiricism does a Sprint Review primarily support?
- Transparency
- Inspection (Correct answer)
- Adaptation
- Collaboration
Correct answer: Inspection
The Sprint Review is an inspection event where stakeholders examine the Increment and Sprint results to inform future decisions.
Question 3: According to the Scrum Guide, who attends the Daily Scrum?
- The entire Scrum Team including the Product Owner
- The Development Team, with optional attendance by the Scrum Master
- Developers, and the Scrum Master only if needed (Correct answer)
- All stakeholders interested in progress
Correct answer: Developers, and the Scrum Master only if needed
The Daily Scrum is held by and for the Developers; the Scrum Master may attend to coach but is not required.
Question 4: The Definition of Done is best described as:
- A checklist created by the Product Owner for each user story
- A formal standard that defines when an Increment meets quality measures for release (Correct answer)
- A list of acceptance criteria negotiated with stakeholders for each Sprint
- A set of tasks the Development Team must complete before Sprint Review
Correct answer: A formal standard that defines when an Increment meets quality measures for release
The Definition of Done is a shared commitment describing the quality standards an Increment must meet to be considered releasable.
Question 5: Which Agile Manifesto principle most directly supports the Scrum value of 'Openness'?
- Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective
- Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project (Correct answer)
- Build projects around motivated individuals
Correct answer: Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project
Daily collaboration between business people and developers embodies openness by ensuring continuous, transparent communication across roles.
Question 6: What happens to unfinished Product Backlog items at the end of a Sprint?
- They are automatically carried into the next Sprint Backlog
- They are returned to the Product Backlog and re-prioritized by the Product Owner (Correct answer)
- They are discarded and must be re-written
- The Scrum Master decides whether to keep or remove them
Correct answer: They are returned to the Product Backlog and re-prioritized by the Product Owner
Unfinished items return to the Product Backlog where the Product Owner re-estimates and re-prioritizes them for future Sprints.
Question 7: In Scrum, 'commitment' as a Scrum value means the team commits to:
- Completing every item in the Sprint Backlog regardless of obstacles
- Achieving the Sprint Goal and continuously improving (Correct answer)
- Delivering on the release date promised to stakeholders
- Working overtime if necessary to meet expectations
Correct answer: Achieving the Sprint Goal and continuously improving
Commitment in Scrum means dedicating fully to achieving the Sprint Goal and to the team's growth, not a guarantee of completing every backlog item.
CST Scrum Framework & Agile Principles 3
A new Scrum Team insists on planning two Sprints at once to 'reduce overhead.' How should a CST respond?