Professional Scrum Master Scrum Team Accountabilities 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A company has two Scrum Teams working on the same product. How should they handle the Product Backlog?
- Each team should maintain its own Product Backlog for autonomy
- There is one Product Backlog for the product, managed by one Product Owner (Correct answer)
- The two Product Owners merge their backlogs at the end of each Sprint
- A Scrum Master manages a shared backlog across both teams
Correct answer: There is one Product Backlog for the product, managed by one Product Owner
A single product has one Product Backlog and one Product Owner, regardless of how many Scrum Teams work on it.
Question 2: Which scenario BEST demonstrates a Scrum Master acting as a 'servant leader'?
- Shielding Developers from all external interruptions without their input
- Removing an organizational impediment after the team identified it at the Retrospective (Correct answer)
- Deciding which backlog items are included in the Sprint to protect the team's time
- Reporting team velocity to management as a performance indicator
Correct answer: Removing an organizational impediment after the team identified it at the Retrospective
Servant leadership in Scrum means enabling the team's success — removing impediments they surface is a prime example.
Question 3: Developers say they need specialized knowledge that no team member currently has. What is the CORRECT Scrum approach?
- The Scrum Master hires a specialist and adds them to the team
- The Product Owner deprioritizes items requiring that knowledge
- The Developers identify the gap; the team adapts by learning or collaborating with specialists (Correct answer)
- The team waits until the next Sprint to acquire the knowledge
Correct answer: The Developers identify the gap; the team adapts by learning or collaborating with specialists
Scrum Teams are accountable for being cross-functional; they must proactively address skill gaps through learning, coaching, or temporary collaboration.
Question 4: What is the Scrum Team's accountability regarding the Sprint Backlog?
- The Product Owner owns the Sprint Backlog and controls its contents
- Developers own the Sprint Backlog and update it throughout the Sprint (Correct answer)
- The Scrum Master maintains the Sprint Backlog as a tracking artifact
- All Scrum Team members update the Sprint Backlog after each Daily Scrum
Correct answer: Developers own the Sprint Backlog and update it throughout the Sprint
The Sprint Backlog is owned by Developers, who update it throughout the Sprint to reflect their current plan for achieving the Sprint Goal.
Question 5: How should a Scrum Team handle work that emerges during a Sprint that was not anticipated in Sprint Planning?
- All new work must wait until the next Sprint Planning event
- The Product Owner adds the work to the Sprint Backlog if it supports the Sprint Goal
- Developers negotiate with the Product Owner and may add it to the Sprint Backlog if aligned with the Sprint Goal (Correct answer)
- The Scrum Master decides whether the new work fits within the Sprint
Correct answer: Developers negotiate with the Product Owner and may add it to the Sprint Backlog if aligned with the Sprint Goal
Developers collaborate with the Product Owner to incorporate unplanned work into the Sprint Backlog when it aligns with and supports the Sprint Goal.
Question 6: A Product Owner tries to dictate the technical approach Developers should use. What should the Scrum Master do?
- Support the Product Owner, as they are accountable for the product's success
- Coach the Product Owner to respect Developers' autonomy over technical decisions (Correct answer)
- Escalate the conflict to senior management for resolution
- Have Developers document disagreements for the Sprint Retrospective
Correct answer: Coach the Product Owner to respect Developers' autonomy over technical decisions
Developers are accountable for technical decisions; the Scrum Master should help the Product Owner understand the boundaries of each accountability.
Question 7: At the end of a Sprint, Developers complete work but it does not meet the Definition of Done. What happens to this work?
- It is presented at Sprint Review with a note that it is partially complete
- The Product Owner can accept it as Done if stakeholders approve
- It is not included in the Increment and returns to the Product Backlog (Correct answer)
- The Sprint is extended until the work meets the Definition of Done
Correct answer: It is not included in the Increment and returns to the Product Backlog
Work that does not meet the Definition of Done cannot be included in the Increment and must be returned to the Product Backlog for future consideration.
Professional Scrum Master Scrum Team Accountabilities 5
A company has two Scrum Teams working on the same product.
How should they handle the Product Backlog?