Professional Scrum Master Scrum Theory and Empiricism 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the three pillars of empiricism does a Sprint Review primarily support?
- Commitment
- Inspection (Correct answer)
- Adaptation
- Transparency
Correct answer: Inspection
The Sprint Review is an inspect-and-adapt event focused on the Increment and the Product Backlog.
Question 2: A Scrum Team notices their velocity has been inconsistent for three Sprints. What does Scrum theory suggest they do?
- Switch to Kanban for more predictability
- Inspect the cause and adapt their process accordingly (Correct answer)
- Add more developers to stabilize output
- Ask the Product Owner to reduce scope permanently
Correct answer: Inspect the cause and adapt their process accordingly
Empiricism requires the team to inspect what is happening and adapt based on evidence rather than changing tools or adding resources blindly.
Question 3: What is the primary reason Scrum uses fixed-length Sprints rather than variable-length iterations?
- To make scheduling meetings easier for stakeholders
- To create a regular cadence that establishes a consistent heartbeat for inspection and adaptation (Correct answer)
- To ensure the team always delivers the same amount of work
- To comply with Agile Manifesto requirements
Correct answer: To create a regular cadence that establishes a consistent heartbeat for inspection and adaptation
Fixed-length Sprints create a predictable cadence that supports empirical process control by establishing regular opportunities to inspect and adapt.
Question 4: Which statement best describes why transparency is considered a prerequisite for the other pillars of empiricism in Scrum?
- Transparency ensures team members are honest with each other personally
- Without shared visibility into the work and process, inspection and adaptation cannot be based on reality (Correct answer)
- Transparency is required by the Scrum Guide as a compliance measure
- It allows management to track individual developer productivity
Correct answer: Without shared visibility into the work and process, inspection and adaptation cannot be based on reality
If the work and process are not fully visible, inspection will be based on incomplete information, making adaptation ineffective or misguided.
Question 5: A Product Owner updates the Product Backlog every day based on new stakeholder feedback. Which empirical pillar does this practice most directly reflect?
- Transparency
- Inspection
- Adaptation (Correct answer)
- Commitment
Correct answer: Adaptation
Continuously updating the Product Backlog in response to new information is an act of adaptation — changing plans based on what is learned.
Question 6: In Scrum, what is the relationship between the Definition of Done and empiricism?
- The Definition of Done replaces the need for Sprint Reviews
- It provides a shared standard that makes the state of the Increment transparent and inspectable (Correct answer)
- It is a management tool to hold developers accountable
- It defines how many story points equal a 'done' story
Correct answer: It provides a shared standard that makes the state of the Increment transparent and inspectable
The Definition of Done creates the transparency needed for inspection by establishing a shared, unambiguous standard for what 'done' means.
Question 7: Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking. What does lean thinking primarily contribute to Scrum?
- A focus on reducing waste and concentrating on the essentials (Correct answer)
- A method for tracking bugs and defects
- A framework for hiring and team composition
- A set of engineering practices like TDD and CI/CD
Correct answer: A focus on reducing waste and concentrating on the essentials
Lean thinking contributes the principle of focusing on what delivers value while eliminating waste, complementing empiricism's evidence-based approach.
Professional Scrum Master Scrum Theory and Empiricism 2
Which of the three pillars of empiricism does a Sprint Review primarily support?