SCRUM - Scrum Framework Sprint Planning and Goals Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Scrum Guide defines three distinct topics that Sprint Planning addresses to lay out the work to be performed. What are these three topics?
- What is the release date? How will we report progress? What is the budget?
- How many story points will be completed? Which tasks are assigned to each Developer? What is the team's velocity?
- Why is this Sprint valuable? What can be Done this Sprint? How will the chosen work get done? (Correct answer)
- What is the Product Goal? Who are the stakeholders? What are the key risks?
Correct answer: Why is this Sprint valuable? What can be Done this Sprint? How will the chosen work get done?
The 2020 Scrum Guide structures Sprint Planning around three core topics: Topic One: Why is this Sprint valuable? (leading to the Sprint Goal), Topic Two: What can be Done this Sprint? (the selection of Product Backlog Items), and Topic Three: How will the chosen work get done? (the Developers' plan for creating the Increment).
Question 2: During Sprint Planning, the Product Owner proposes an objective. The Developers pull work from the Product Backlog, and then the entire Scrum Team collaborates on a single, shared objective for the Sprint. What is this objective called?
- The Sprint Definition
- The Sprint Goal (Correct answer)
- The Product Increment
- The Sprint Mandate
Correct answer: The Sprint Goal
The Sprint Goal is the single objective for the Sprint. It is created during the Sprint Planning event by the whole Scrum Team and provides focus and direction for the duration of the Sprint.
Question 3: A Scrum Team is in Sprint Planning. After discussing the Product Owner's objective and selecting several Product Backlog Items, the Developers conclude that they do not have enough capacity to complete all the selected items. What is the most appropriate action for the team to take?
- The Developers should work overtime to complete all the items as a sign of commitment.
- The Scrum Master must cancel the Sprint and reschedule planning for a later date.
- The Product Owner should insist that all items are mandatory and must be completed.
- The Scrum Team should collaborate to renegotiate the selected Product Backlog Items and/or refine the Sprint Goal to be achievable within the Sprint. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The Scrum Team should collaborate to renegotiate the selected Product Backlog Items and/or refine the Sprint Goal to be achievable within the Sprint.
Sprint Planning is a collaborative and adaptive event. If the Developers forecast that they cannot complete the selected work, the entire Scrum Team must work together. This involves a negotiation between the Developers and the Product Owner to adjust the scope of the selected work (the Sprint Backlog) to create a realistic plan that can still achieve a valuable Sprint Goal.
Question 4: Which of the following are the two essential outputs created as a result of a successful Sprint Planning event?
- The Sprint Goal and the Sprint Backlog (Correct answer)
- A detailed project plan and a risk register
- An updated velocity chart and individual task assignments
- A release forecast and a stakeholder communication plan
Correct answer: The Sprint Goal and the Sprint Backlog
The explicit outputs of the Sprint Planning event are the Sprint Goal, which defines the 'why', and the Sprint Backlog. The Sprint Backlog consists of the Product Backlog Items selected for the Sprint (the 'what') plus the Developers' plan for delivering the Increment (the 'how').
Question 5: According to the Scrum Guide, who is accountable for crafting the Sprint Goal?
- The Product Owner alone, as they represent the stakeholders' needs.
- The Developers alone, as they are the ones committing to the work.
- The entire Scrum Team. (Correct answer)
- The Scrum Master, who facilitates the Sprint Planning event.
Correct answer: The entire Scrum Team.
While the Product Owner proposes how the product could increase its value in the Sprint, the Scrum Guide states that the 'whole Scrum Team then collaborates to define a Sprint Goal'. This ensures a shared understanding and commitment to the objective.
Question 6: Which one of the following statements about the Sprint Goal is FALSE?
- It provides flexibility to the Developers regarding the exact work needed to achieve it.
- The Sprint Goal must be established and finalized before the Sprint Planning event can begin. (Correct answer)
- It creates focus and coherence, encouraging the Scrum Team to work together.
- If work turns out to be different than expected, the Developers negotiate the Sprint Backlog scope with the Product Owner without changing the Sprint Goal.
Correct answer: The Sprint Goal must be established and finalized before the Sprint Planning event can begin.
The Sprint Goal is created *during* the Sprint Planning event, not before. It emerges from the discussion and collaboration that happens in the first topic of Sprint Planning: 'Why is this Sprint valuable?'.
SCRUM - Scrum Framework Sprint Planning and Goals Questions and Answers 1
The Scrum Guide defines three distinct topics that Sprint Planning addresses to lay out the work to be performed.
What are these three topics?