SCRUM Flashcards

During the Sprint, who is allowed to add tasks to the Sprint Backlog? (Choose the two best responses)

Answer: The Development Team

During the Sprint, the Development Team is solely responsible for managing the Sprint Backlog. They break down Product Backlog Items into tasks, estimate them, and adjust the work as needed to achieve the Sprint Goal. While the Product Owner clarifies items, the Development Team has the autonomy to add or remove tasks that reflect their plan for delivering the Increment.

Can a Scrum Master also work on a Scrum Team as a Developer?

Answer: B) Yes

The Scrum Guide does not prohibit a Scrum Master from also acting as a Developer on the same Scrum Team. While it can present challenges in maintaining focus and avoiding conflicts of interest, it is technically permissible. If a Scrum Master takes on both roles, they must ensure they can effectively fulfill the responsibilities of both without compromising the team's agility or their servant-leader stance.

Which of the following statements regarding a Sprint cancellation is false? (Choose the two best responses)

Answer: A Sprint can be cancelled when the Sprint time-box is over.

A Sprint cannot be cancelled once its time-box is over; at that point, it has either concluded or failed. Sprint cancellation occurs *before* the time-box ends, typically when the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. The Product Owner is the only one with the authority to cancel a Sprint, although they may be influenced by other Scrum Team members or stakeholders.

During the Sprint Review, it became clear that some of the work isn't "Done" due to integration issues. The team cites a lack of integration tools as an example. What do you do as a Scrum Master? (Choose the two best responses)

Answer: Note this down as something to address during the Sprint Retrospective.

The Sprint Retrospective is the dedicated event for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements. Issues like integration problems and a lack of necessary tools are process or environmental impediments that are perfectly suited for discussion and resolution planning during this event. The Scrum Master facilitates this discussion to help the team enhance its Definition of Done and overall working practices.

Which of the following would you consider the most unethical in Scrum software development? (Choose the two best responses)

Answer: A development team releasing software that potentially exposes customer data, because the Product Owner and stakeholders estimate the organizational risk of not releasing to be far greater.

Releasing software that potentially exposes customer data is a severe ethical breach, prioritizing organizational risk over customer security and trust. Scrum emphasizes transparency and adaptation, but these principles must operate within a strong ethical framework that protects users. Deliberately compromising data security is fundamentally unethical and goes against the professional responsibility of any development team.

A team member has a pattern of being disrespectful and unethical. When confronted, he intimidates other team members and refuses to respect working arrangements set within the team. His teammates appear to be apprehensive about holding him accountable. Is a Scrum Master the best person to help with this problem? (Select the most appropriate response)

Answer: Yes, The Scrum Master is a servant-leader that removes impediments. This behaviour is becoming an impediment to the team. He should address this issue with care.

A Scrum Master's core responsibility is to remove impediments that hinder the Development Team's progress. Toxic or disrespectful behavior from a team member is a significant impediment that can severely impact team morale and productivity. While the team should ideally self-organize, the Scrum Master, as a servant-leader, must intervene carefully to address such issues when the team is unable to resolve them independently.

Which of the following are common Scrum Master activities? (choose the top three answers)

Answer: Understanding and practicing agility.

A primary responsibility of the Scrum Master is to promote and support Scrum within the organization, which includes helping everyone understand Scrum's theory, practices, rules, and values. This inherently requires the Scrum Master to deeply understand and actively practice agility themselves. They act as a coach and facilitator, guiding the team and organization towards greater agile maturity and effectiveness.

"The Product Owner may attend the Daily Scrum but is not permitted to communicate with the development team." (choose the most appropriate response)

Answer: A) False

While the Daily Scrum is primarily for the Development Team to synchronize their work, the Product Owner (or any other stakeholder) is permitted to attend as an observer. However, they should not interrupt the meeting or direct the Development Team during this time. Any communication or questions should be addressed outside of the Daily Scrum to maintain the team's focus and self-organization.

Which of the following statements about Backlog Refinement is true? (choose the two most appropriate responses)

Answer: During Product Backlog refinement, items are reviewed and revised.

Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing, collaborative activity involving the Product Owner and Development Team. Its purpose is to add detail, estimates, and order to Product Backlog items, ensuring they are clear and understood. This process involves reviewing existing items, clarifying requirements, breaking down larger items, and revising them as new information or understanding emerges.

What is the Nexus Integration Team's main concern during a scaled Scrum endeavor with Nexus? (choose the most appropriate response)

Answer: Ensuring a working integrated increment is delivered.

In the Nexus framework for scaled Scrum, the Nexus Integration Team (NIT) has the critical responsibility of ensuring that a 'Done' Integrated Increment is produced at least once every Sprint. Their main concern is to facilitate the integration of work from all individual Scrum Teams within the Nexus, addressing cross-team dependencies and impediments to create a single, valuable product increment.

No one else may attend the Daily Scrum except the development team and potentially the Scrum Master. (choose the most appropriate response)

Answer: A) False

Anyone can attend the Daily Scrum, but only the Development Team members actively participate in the discussion. Other attendees, such as the Product Owner or stakeholders, are observers and should not interrupt the meeting. The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event specifically for the Development Team to plan their work for the next 24 hours and inspect progress towards the Sprint Goal.

The development team realizes mid-sprint that the work they have planned will most likely not allow them to meet the Sprint Goal. They hold a discussion and come up with a new strategy to achieve the Sprint Goal by altering the Sprint's work plan. What Scrum Values are highlighted in this article?

Answer: Courage, Commitment

This scenario highlights the Scrum Values of Courage and Commitment. It takes Courage for the team to acknowledge a potential failure and proactively address it, rather than ignoring the issue. Their dedication to finding a new strategy to achieve the Sprint Goal, even if it means altering their original plan, demonstrates their strong Commitment to delivering on their objectives.

Your team's Product Owner has seen numerous developers collaborating on backlog items. He is concerned that this "pair programming" will have a negative impact on the amount of work completed. What basically do you do?

Answer: All of the above.

As a Scrum Master, your role is to coach and educate the Product Owner on effective Scrum practices and team dynamics. This involves teaching them about the Development Team's self-organization and autonomy in choosing how to do their work, and emphasizing that value and quality are more important than mere output quantity. Encouraging the Product Owner to respectfully inquire about the team's methods fosters transparency and understanding.

You are approached by a Product Owner. He is uncertain of the value that his product will provide to customers. What recommendations can you provide him as a Scrum Master? (Choose the two best responses)

Answer: By improving the Sprint Review, inviting stakeholders and end-users, more information about the current value of the product can be gained.

The Sprint Review is a crucial event for inspecting the Increment and adapting the Product Backlog based on feedback. By inviting relevant stakeholders and end-users, the Product Owner can gather direct input on the value delivered and validate assumptions about customer needs. This direct interaction provides essential insights into the product's actual value, helping the Product Owner make informed decisions about future development.

Can Scrum be used at a company where the time, scope, and money for a product are all predetermined? (choose the top three answers)

Answer: Yes, but it may be less effective.

Scrum thrives on empiricism and adapting to change, especially regarding scope, to maximize value. When time, scope, and money are all fixed, it contradicts Scrum's core principle of flexible scope and emergent requirements. While Scrum can still be applied to manage the work, its full benefits of maximizing value and responding to change will be significantly hampered, making it less effective than in more flexible environments.

Which of the following items are Scrum Artifacts? (choose the top three answers)

Answer: The Increment

The three official Scrum Artifacts, as defined in the Scrum Guide, are the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog, and the Increment. These artifacts represent work or value and are designed to maximize transparency of key information. While the Sprint, Sprint Goal, and Definition of Done are vital components of Scrum, they are not classified as artifacts.

The Scrum Team is irritated with their Product Owner because he constantly interrupts them and asks how things are going. The Product Owner claims that he is just eager, and that the Scrum Guide supports regular inspection. What exactly do you do? (Choose the two best responses)

Answer: Plan a moment for the Scrum Team to discuss how to inspect and uphold transparency between all members without negatively impacting the work being done.

This situation calls for the Scrum Master to facilitate a discussion about effective communication and transparency within the Scrum Team. While the Product Owner's desire for inspection is valid, constant interruptions are disruptive. By facilitating a conversation, the Scrum Master can help the team establish better ways to share progress and maintain transparency without hindering the Development Team's focus, aligning with Scrum values and principles.

For Scrum teams, velocity is a popular statistic. Which of the following velocity assertions is correct? (choose the top three answers)

Answer: Velocity can be a useful metric for a team to self-inspect.

Velocity is a measure of the amount of work a Development Team can complete in a Sprint, typically expressed in story points. It serves as a useful historical metric for a team to track its own performance, helping them forecast future work and identify trends for self-inspection and improvement. However, it is an output measurement and should not be used to compare teams or as a primary measure of value delivered.

Two developers got into a heated disagreement about the technical method for a Backlog Item during Sprint Planning. Tensions are at an all-time high, and foul language is used. The rest of the crew is sitting in uncomfortable quiet. The Sprint Planning time limit of 8 hours adds to the pressure. What do you do as a Scrum Master? (Choose the two best responses)

Answer: Plan a short break to give everyone some breathing room. Remind the team that constructive dialogue is good, but to remain respectful. We are all humans, we're on the same team and work towards the same goals.

As a Scrum Master, facilitating healthy team dynamics and ensuring a respectful environment is paramount. When a disagreement escalates to foul language and discomfort, it becomes an impediment to effective collaboration. Calling a short break allows emotions to cool, and a reminder about respectful communication reinforces Scrum Values like Respect and Courage, helping the team refocus on their shared Sprint Goal.

The CEO contacts you, a significant stakeholder in your team's product. He is concerned that a crucial aspect of the product's intended characteristics will not be given the attention it deserves. This ambiguity is causing him a great deal of anxiety. What can you do to assist the CEO? (Choose the two best responses)

Answer: Advise the CEO to take this up with the Product Owner.

The Product Owner is solely responsible for managing the Product Backlog, maximizing the value of the product, and representing the needs of all stakeholders. As a Scrum Master, your role is to coach the organization on Scrum principles, which includes directing stakeholders like the CEO to the Product Owner for all product-related concerns. This reinforces the Product Owner's authority and accountability for the product's direction.