Professional Scrum Master (PSM I) 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Who is responsible for conducting the Daily Scrum?
- The Scrum Master, who facilitates and takes notes
- The Development Team, who self-organizes and owns the meeting (Correct answer)
- The Product Owner, who updates the Sprint Backlog
- The Project Manager, who tracks progress and assigns tasks
Correct answer: The Development Team, who self-organizes and owns the meeting
The Daily Scrum is owned and conducted by the Development Team. The Scrum Master ensures the event takes place and that it stays within the 15-minute timebox, but the team runs it themselves as part of self-organization.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of the Sprint Review?
- For the Scrum Master to present velocity and burndown metrics to management
- For the Development Team to demonstrate their technical skills to stakeholders
- To inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog based on feedback (Correct answer)
- To evaluate the team's adherence to the Definition of Done
Correct answer: To inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog based on feedback
The Sprint Review is an inspect-and-adapt event focused on the product Increment. Stakeholders and the Scrum Team collaborate to review what was built and update the Product Backlog to reflect new insights or priorities.
Question 3: A new Scrum Master joins a team and notices the Development Team always asks the Product Owner which task to work on next. What should the Scrum Master do?
- Assign tasks to the developers each morning to maintain efficiency
- Coach the Development Team toward self-organization and managing their own work (Correct answer)
- Escalate the issue to senior management as a process violation
- Update the Sprint Backlog on behalf of the team to set a good example
Correct answer: Coach the Development Team toward self-organization and managing their own work
Self-organization is a core Scrum value. The Scrum Master's role is to coach and guide teams toward this principle, helping them take ownership of their work rather than depending on the Product Owner or others for direction.
Question 4: When does a Sprint end?
- When all Sprint Backlog items have been completed
- When the Product Owner accepts the Increment as shippable
- At the timebox end, regardless of whether the work is complete (Correct answer)
- When the Development Team agrees they have done enough work
Correct answer: At the timebox end, regardless of whether the work is complete
Sprints are fixed-length timeboxes and always end at their scheduled conclusion. Work that is not completed is returned to the Product Backlog for re-ordering; the Sprint does not extend to accommodate unfinished items.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the role of the Product Owner in Sprint Planning?
- Assigning Sprint Backlog tasks to each developer based on skill sets
- Defining the Sprint Goal and dictating exactly how the work will be done
- Presenting the highest-priority Product Backlog items and clarifying their intent (Correct answer)
- Facilitating the entire Sprint Planning meeting and enforcing the timebox
Correct answer: Presenting the highest-priority Product Backlog items and clarifying their intent
In Sprint Planning, the Product Owner presents and clarifies the top-priority Product Backlog items and the desired Sprint Goal. The Development Team decides how to accomplish the work — the Product Owner does not prescribe the implementation approach.
Question 6: What happens to undone work at the end of a Sprint?
- It is automatically carried over and added to the next Sprint Backlog
- It is returned to the Product Backlog and re-ordered by the Product Owner (Correct answer)
- The Sprint is extended by the Scrum Master until the work is complete
- The Development Team works overtime during the Sprint Review to finish it
Correct answer: It is returned to the Product Backlog and re-ordered by the Product Owner
Incomplete Product Backlog items are never automatically moved to the next Sprint. They are returned to the Product Backlog where the Product Owner re-evaluates their priority and may choose to include them in a future Sprint.
Professional Scrum Master (PSM I) 1
Who is responsible for conducting the Daily Scrum?