Practice Free PSM-I Professional Scrum Master I Exam Questions Answers With Explanation

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity in which Product Backlog items are reviewed and revised. The Developers who will be doing the work are responsible for sizing or estimating it. The Product Owner may influence them by helping them understand and select trade-offs.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Sprint Planning meeting has a time-box of eight hours or less for a one-month Sprint. The Scrum Master ensures that the meeting is time-boxed and keeps the Scrum Team focused on the objective. If the Development Team cannot forecast how many Product Backlog items it can complete, it should still start the Sprint and work on the most likely items to meet the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Backlog can be updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned. The Scrum Master should also support the team to discuss the reasons for the lack of clarity in the Product Backlog items and how to prevent it from happening again in the next Sprint Retrospective.

The correct answer is D. The Sprint Goal provides the Developers with a common, specific objective that creates focus and coherence during the Sprint. Rather than treating the Sprint as a collection of unrelated backlog items, the Sprint Goal gives the team a shared purpose for the work they are doing. This helps the Developers make trade-offs, collaborate more effectively, and adapt the Sprint Backlog while still moving toward a meaningful outcome.

Option A is incorrect because Scrum does not define Sprint 0 as part of Scrum, and the Sprint Goal applies to every Sprint. Option B is incorrect because the Sprint Goal is highly valuable. The Product Backlog provides ordered possibilities for future work, but the Sprint Goal explains the purpose of the current Sprint. Option C is incorrect because the Sprint Goal does not guarantee that every selected Product Backlog item will be completed. The team may renegotiate scope with the Product Owner as more is learned, while still aiming to achieve the Sprint Goal.

The Sprint Goal supports flexibility. It allows the Developers to adjust their plan during the Sprint without losing direction. That is why Scrum uses a goal-oriented approach rather than only a task-oriented one.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , there are three roles in a Scrum Team:

The Product Owner

The Developers

The Scrum Master

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing value resulting from work by Developers. Developers are accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization. Every Scrum team must have a Product Owner and Scrum Master, as outcomes are affected by their participation and availability. The other options are false, as they imply that the Product Owner and Scrum Master roles are optional or interchangeable.

The correct answer is B, because the Product Owner does not make sure the team selects enough from the Product Backlog for a Sprint to satisfy the stakeholders. The Scrum Guide states that “the number of items selected from the Product Backlog for the Sprint is solely up to the Development Team. Only the Development Team can assess what it can accomplish over the upcoming Sprint.” Therefore, the Development Team is responsible for choosing the scope of work for a Sprint.

The correct answer is B. To present the Scrum Teams with insights and resources that help them improve. According to the Scrum Guide 1 , “The role of management in Scrum is to support the Product Owner with insights and information into high-value product and system capabilities.” Management also helps the Scrum Team by providing an environment that fosters agility, learning, and collaboration 2 . Management does not directly control or monitor the work of the Developers, nor does it interfere with the self-organization and autonomy of the Scrum Team 3 . Management’s function in Scrum is to enable and empower the Scrum Team to deliver value and continuously improve.

According to the Scrum Guide, estimates are made by the people doing the work, which is the Development Team. The Development Team is responsible for all estimates in the Product Backlog and the Sprint Backlog. The other options are not valid guidelines for estimating work in Scrum, as they are either too prescriptive (such as requiring story points or relative units), incorrect (such as forbidding estimating or having the Product Owner make estimates), or unnecessary (such as checking estimates with the Development Team).

A Developer becomes accountable for an item in the Sprint Backlog never as Developers on the Scrum Team share accountability for items in the Sprint Backlog, as stated in the Scrum Guide: “The Developers can select whatever items they want as long as they feel they can complete the work by the end of the Sprint. The Scrum Team is responsible for all estimates. The Product Owner may influence the Developers by helping them understand and select trade-offs, but the people who will perform the work make the final estimate.”

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Sprint Backlog is the property of the Developers and no one else can tell them which items they should work on. The Developers can select any item from the Product Backlog that they forecast they can complete within a Sprint. The Developers are self-organizing and decide how to turn Product Backlog items into an Increment of value. Therefore, no one owns a Sprint Backlog item, but the entire Development Team is accountable for it.

The best answer is C. When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done. This is because the Definition of Done creates transparency and ensures that the product Increment meets the quality standards required for the product 1 . If each Scrum Team has its own Definition of Done, it may lead to inconsistencies, conflicts, and technical debt in the product. Therefore, the Scrum Teams should collaborate and agree on a common Definition of Done that applies to all Product Backlog Items and Increments. This way, the Scrum Teams can deliver a potentially releasable product Increment at the end of every Sprint 2 .

The correct answer is A, because if two Scrum Teams are added to the development of a product that previously had only one Scrum Team, the immediate impact on the productivity of the original Scrum Team is likely to decrease. This is because adding more teams may introduce some challenges and trade-offs, such as increased communication and coordination overhead, reduced alignment and cohesion, and potential conflicts or dependencies.

The correct answer is C because the Daily Scrum is specifically an event for the Developers of the Scrum Team. According to the Scrum Guide, the Daily Scrum is held by the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work. This makes the Developers the only people who must attend.

The Scrum Master’s responsibility is to ensure that the event takes place and that attendees understand its purpose, but the Scrum Master is not required to attend unless they are actively helping the Developers or are also participating as part of the team’s work. The Product Owner is also not required to attend. While either the Scrum Master or Product Owner may be present, the Daily Scrum remains a Developers’ event.

Options A, B, D, and E are incorrect because they include roles that are not mandatory participants. Scrum is careful about this distinction to preserve self-management and ensure the Developers own daily planning. The Daily Scrum is not a status meeting for management or other roles. It is a focused inspection-and-adaptation event for the Developers.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , one aspect of Scrum Teams inspecting how they work toward their Product Goal is that they improve their definition of “Done” over time. The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint. Therefore, it is most appropriate for a Development Team to change the definition of “Done” during the Sprint Retrospective.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It is allowed to grow and change as more is learned about the product and its customers. The other options are not accurate descriptions of the Product Backlog, as they are either too restrictive (such as providing just enough information or baselining to follow change management processes) or too comprehensive (such as containing all foreseeable tasks and requirements or enabling a complete project plan).

The correct answers are A, C, and E, because these are feedback loops in Scrum. The Sprint Review is a feedback loop that allows the Scrum Team and the stakeholders to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog. The Sprint Retrospective is a feedback loop that allows the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements. The Daily Scrum is a feedback loop that allows the Development Team to inspect its progress and plan its work for the next 24 hours.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , when multiple Scrum Teams are working together on one product, they must coordinate their work with each other. One way to do this is through Nexus, a framework for scaling Scrum. Nexus helps to reduce cross-team dependencies and integration issues by making them more transparent. Multiple Scrum Teams working on one product use one Product Backlog.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It is the single source of requirements for any changes to be made to the product. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing value resulting from work by Developers. The Product Owner is also accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes:

Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal;

Creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items;

Ordering Product Backlog items; and

Ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible and understood.

Therefore, the Product Owner is responsible for clearly expressing Product Backlog items.

The correct answer is A, because Development Team membership should change as needed, while taking into account a short term reduction in productivity. The Scrum Guide states that “development Teams are cross-functional, with all of the skills as a team necessary to create a product Increment; development Teams are self-organizing. No one (not even the Scrum Master) tells the Development Team how to turn Product Backlog into Increments of potentially releasable functionality.” Therefore, changing Development Team membership may affect their cross-functionality and self-organization in the short term.

The correct answer is A, because in accordance with Scrum theory, a group of 100 people should be divided into multiple Development Teams by understanding the product, the product vision and the rules of the Scrum framework, and then dividing itself into teams. This approach respects the self-organization and empowerment of the people who will do the work, and allows them to form cross-functional and collaborative teams that can deliver value.

Correct Answer: C and E

Short Explanation: According to the Scrum Guide 2020 1 , the product has one Product Backlog, which is the single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team. The Product Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner, who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. There should be only one Product Owner per product, who may represent the desires of a committee in the Product Backlog, but those wanting to change a Product Backlog item’s priority must address the Product Owner 1 . Having multiple Product Owners or Product Backlogs would create confusion, inconsistency, and waste in the Scrum process.

The correct answer is C, because the Scrum Guide states that “the Scrum Master ensures that the Development Team has the meeting, but the Development Team is responsible for conducting the Daily Scrum. The Scrum Master teaches the Development Team to keep the Daily Scrum within the 15-minute time-box.” Therefore, the main reason for the Scrum Master to be at the Daily Scrum is to ensure that it happens, but he or she does not have to be there.

According to the Scrum Guide, two activities that a Product Owner may engage in during a Sprint are updating management on what is being worked on and answering questions from the Development Team about items in the current Sprint. These activities are part of the Product Owner’s responsibilities to manage and prioritize the Product Backlog, communicate with stakeholders, and collaborate with the Development Team. The other options are not activities that a Product Owner should engage in during a Sprint, as they are either done by the Scrum Master (such as running the Daily Scrum) or by the Development Team (such as prioritizing their work on the Sprint Backlog).

The correct answer is E, because all of these topics can be discussed during a Sprint Retrospective. The Scrum Guide states that “the purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. … During each Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team plans ways to improve product quality by adapting the definition of ‘Done’ as appropriate.” Therefore, the Scrum Team can discuss any aspect of their process, communication, skills, or definition of ‘Done’ that may help them improve.

The correct answers are B and E, because these statements are true about the length of the Sprint. It is best to have Sprints of consistent length throughout a development effort, as this helps establish a reliable rhythm and cadence for the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. All Sprints must be one month or less, as this ensures that the Scrum Team can inspect and adapt frequently and deliver value incrementally.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , each event in Scrum is a formal opportunity to inspect and adapt something. These events are specifically designed to enable critical transparency and inspection. Failure to include any of these events results in reduced transparency and is a lost opportunity to inspect and adapt. All events are time-boxed events, such that every event has a maximum duration. Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixed and cannot be shortened or lengthened. The remaining events may end whenever the purpose of the event is achieved, ensuring an appropriate amount of time is spent without allowing waste in the process.

The correct answer is B, because the time-box for a Daily Scrum is 15 minutes. The Scrum Guide states that “the Daily Scrum is a 15-minute time-boxed event for the Development Team to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours.”

The correct answer is C. The Scrum Team creates the Definition of Done. According to the Scrum Guide 1 , “The Developers are required to conform to the Definition of Done, which is defined and evolves with the Scrum Team.” The Definition of Done is a commitment by the Developers for the Increment, but it is also a shared understanding within the whole Scrum Team, including the Product Owner and the Scrum Master 2 . The Scrum Team collaborates to create and update the Definition of Done as needed, based on the product and organizational standards 3 . The Definition of Done is not imposed by any external authority or individual.

The correct answers are B and D, because the length of the Sprint should be chosen based on the level of uncertainty over the technology to be used and the risk of being disconnected from the stakeholders. The Scrum Guide states that “Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint. Sprints enable predictability by ensuring inspection and adaptation of progress toward a Sprint Goal at least every calendar month. When a Sprint’s horizon is too long the Sprint Goal may become invalid, complexity may rise, and risk may increase.”

The correct answer is B, because there is no role called “Project Manager” in Scrum. The Scrum Guide states that “Scrum recognizes no titles for Development Team members other than Developer, regardless of the work being performed by the person; there are no exceptions to this rule.” Therefore, Scrum has only three roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developer.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , only people who are actively working on items in the Sprint Backlog participate in updating it during a Sprint; this includes tracking progress made on those items. This is typically done by Developers updating their remaining work every day after their Daily Scrum. The Development Team tracks this total work remaining at least for every Daily Scrum to project the likelihood of achieving their Sprint Goal. The Developers are self-organizing and decide how to turn Product Backlog items into an Increment of value. Therefore, the Scrum Master should allow the Development Team to self-manage and determine for itself what to do regarding the logistical challenges of meeting in different locations.

The correct answer is D, because this statement best describes the Sprint Review. The Scrum Guide states that “a Sprint Review is held at the end of the Sprint to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if needed. During the Sprint Review, the Scrum Team and stakeholders collaborate about what was done in the Sprint.” Therefore, the Sprint Review is when the Scrum Team and stakeholders inspect the outcome of a Sprint and figure out what to do next.

According to the Scrum Guide, two actions that the Scrum Master should support in this scenario are forecasting the Product Backlog items that are most likely to meet the Sprint Goal and creating the Sprint Backlog, and discussing why this happened and what changes will make it less likely to recur during the next Sprint Retrospective. These actions are consistent with Scrum values and principles, such as empiricism, adaptation, and continuous improvement. The other options are not valid actions, as they are either wasteful (such as canceling the Sprint or continuing the Sprint Planning past its timebox) or ineffective (such as asking everyone to take more time to analyze the Product Backlog).

 According to the Scrum Guide, changing the terminology of Scrum may have negative consequences, such as losing the benefits of Scrum, not understanding what has changed, or having very little change at all. Therefore, all answers apply to this question. The Scrum Guide recommends using the same terminology as in the guide to avoid confusion and misunderstanding.

During the Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team may add items to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint, as stated in [5] : “The purpose of each Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Scrum Team plans ways to implement improvements identified during this meeting into its way of working. By doing this it reinforces empiricism throughout its work. Improvements may be implemented at any time during a Sprint or they may be planned for subsequent Sprints.”

The correct answer is B, because the time-box for the Sprint Planning meeting is 8 hours for a monthly Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “Sprint Planning is time-boxed to a maximum of eight hours for a one-month Sprint. For shorter Sprints, the event is usually shorter.”

The best answer is C. When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition Of Done.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , “the Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.” The Scrum Guide also states that “when multiple Scrum Teams are working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done. This ensures transparency and consistency among the teams and makes their combined work potentially releasable.”

A, B, and D are not correct answers.

A. Each Scrum Team uses its own, but must make their definition clear to all other teams so the differences are known.

This answer does not reflect the Scrum value of alignment 2 . Having different Definitions of Done for each Scrum Team can create confusion and inconsistency in the quality and completeness of the product. It can also make it difficult to integrate and deliver a coherent and valuable Increment at the end of each Sprint.

B. The Scrum Masters from each Scrum Team define a common Definition of Done.

This answer does not reflect the Scrum principle of self-organization 3 . The Definition of Done should be created by the Developers who are responsible for delivering the Increment, not by the Scrum Masters who are responsible for facilitating and coaching the Scrum Teams. The Scrum Masters can help the Developers understand and apply the Definition of Done, but they should not impose it on them.

D. Each Scrum Team defines and uses its own. The differences are discussed and reconciled during a hardening Sprint.

This answer does not reflect the Scrum value of focus 2 . Having different Definitions of Done for each Scrum Team can lead to technical debt or rework that requires a hardening Sprint to resolve. A hardening Sprint is an anti-pattern that violates the rule of delivering a potentially releasable Increment at the end of each Sprint 4 .

A Scrum Team is a cohesive unit of professionals that consists of one Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and Developers, as stated in the Scrum Guide: “The Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers. Within a Scrum Team, there are no sub-teams or hierarchies. It is a cohesive unit of professionals focused on one objective at a time, the Product Goal.”

The correct answer is A, because a Sprint Retrospective should be held at the end of each Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “the Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint. … The Sprint Retrospective occurs after the Sprint Review and prior to the next Sprint Planning.”

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the heart of Scrum is a Sprint, a time-box of one month or less during which a “Done”, useable, and potentially releasable product Increment is created. Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint. The length of a Sprint should be short enough to keep the business risk acceptable to the Product Owner, short enough to be able to synchronize the development work with other business events, and no more than one calendar month.

All of the above topics should be discussed in the Sprint Review, as stated in [4]: " The purpose of this meeting is to inspect what was delivered during this sprint and adapt what we want to deliver next. This means we will discuss three things:

What did we do this sprint?

How did we do it?

What do we want to do next? "

The correct answers are D and E, because these are two activities that a Product Owner can engage in during a Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “the Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from work of the Development Team.” Therefore, the Product Owner can answer questions from the Development Team about items in the current Sprint, and work with the stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Owner does not make sure that the Developers select enough from the Product Backlog for a Sprint to satisfy the stakeholders. The Developers are responsible for selecting how much work they can do in a Sprint, based on their capacity and past performance. The Product Owner may influence them by ordering and clarifying the Product Backlog items, but does not control their selection.

he correct answer is A, because doing all work needed to meet the definition of “Done” enhances the transparency of an increment. The Scrum Guide states that “when a Product Backlog item or an Increment is described as ‘Done’, everyone must understand what ‘Done’ means.” Therefore, by meeting the definition of “Done”, an increment becomes transparent to all stakeholders and ready for release.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Developers do the work to make sure Product Backlog items conform to the Definition of Done, as they are responsible for creating a “Done” Increment that meets the Definition of Done. The other options are not valid, as they imply that the work is done by someone else outside the Development Team (such as Quality Assurance Team) or by another role on the Scrum Team (such as Product Owner or Scrum Master).

The correct answer is C, because a Development Team should deliver an increment of working software that is “done” by the end of a Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “the Increment is the sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints. At the end of a Sprint, the new Increment must be ‘Done,’ which means it must be in useable condition and meet the Scrum Team’s definition of ‘Done’.”

The correct answer is B because the Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers. Its purpose is for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan for the next day of work. Management external to the Scrum Team is not required for this event and should not be treated as the audience or driver of the discussion.

Option A is incorrect because the Daily Scrum is not a meeting for management updates. Option C is incorrect because the Product Owner does not attend to represent management’s views. Option D is incorrect because the Scrum Master does not speak on behalf of external management. The Daily Scrum exists to support self-management by the Developers, not to provide reporting to outside parties.

The Scrum Master ensures the event happens and that its purpose is understood, but the event remains centered on the Developers’ planning. External managers may observe only if that does not disrupt the Developers’ ability to manage their own work, but they are not necessary participants. Scrum protects the Daily Scrum from becoming a status meeting because its real value comes from enabling the Developers to collaborate, inspect progress, and adjust the Sprint Backlog in support of the Sprint Goal.

The correct answers are B, E, and F, because these activities would probably help the team in starting up. Having the Scrum Team members introduce themselves and give a brief background of their skills and work history helps build trust and rapport among them. Ensuring the team understands they need a definition of “Done” helps create transparency and alignment on the quality standards for the product. Asking the Product Owner to discuss the product or project, its history, goals, and context, as well as answer questions helps clarify the vision and value of the product.

If the Development Team cannot complete its work by the end of the Sprint, then the Sprint length holds and the Development Team continuously learns what is actually possible to do within a Sprint of this length, as stated in [7]: “If a Development Team determines it has overcommitted itself for a Sprint, one option is to collaborate with the Product Owner to negotiate removing or reducing scope. Another option is to simply work hard and do its best, without cutting quality or pressuring individuals. In either case, the Development Team learns from its experience and uses this learning when planning future Sprints.”

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , each event in Scrum is a formal opportunity to inspect and adapt something. These events are specifically designed to enable critical transparency and inspection. Failure to include any of these events results in reduced transparency and is a lost opportunity to inspect and adapt. All events are time-boxed events, such that every event has a maximum duration. Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixed and cannot be shortened or lengthened. The remaining events may end whenever the purpose of the event is achieved, ensuring an appropriate amount of time is spent without allowing waste in the process. The time-box for the Sprint Review is four hours for a one-month Sprint.

The correct answer is C, because if burndown charts are used to visualize progress, they track work remaining across time. A burndown chart is a graphical representation of the amount of work left to do versus the time available. It helps the Scrum Team monitor and forecast the progress toward the Sprint Goal.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , during each Daily Scrum, each Developer answers three questions:

What did I do yesterday that helped meet our Sprint Goal?

What will I do today to help meet our Sprint Goal?

Do I see any impediment that prevents me or our Development Team from meeting our Sprint Goal?

The Developers can select whatever structure and techniques they want, as long as their Daily Scrum focuses on progress toward achieving their Sprint Goal and producing a usable Increment. The Developers can start with any one person and proceed in any order.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Owner has the final say on the order of the Product Backlog, as he or she is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Development Team. The other roles do not have this authority, although they may provide input and suggestions to the Product Owner.

The best answer is B. The Sprint length is unchanged and the Scrum Team continuously learns and adapts.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , “Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.” Therefore, the Sprint is not extended or shortened based on the completion of the work.

The Scrum Guide also states that “Scrum Teams deliver products iteratively and incrementally, maximizing opportunities for feedback. Incremental deliveries of ‘Done’ product ensure a potentially useful version of working product is always available.” Therefore, the Scrum Team should focus on delivering a potentially releasable Increment of value by the end of the Sprint, even if some work items are not completed.

The Scrum Team should also use the Sprint Retrospective to inspect how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done. The Scrum Team should identify and order the major items that went well and potential improvements, and create a plan for implementing improvements to the way they do their work. This way, the Scrum Team continuously learns and adapts to changing circumstances and challenges.

The correct answer is A, because the Scrum Guide states that “a Sprint can be cancelled before the Sprint time-box is over. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint, although he or she may do so under influence from the stakeholders, the Development Team, or the Scrum Master.” Therefore, a Development Team cannot cancel a Sprint by itself.

According to the Scrum Guide, two valid actions that the Developers can take when they realize that the workload may be greater than their capacity to complete the work are ensuring that the Scrum Team is aware, starting the Sprint, and monitoring progress, and removing or changing selected Product Backlog items. These actions are consistent with Scrum values and principles, such as transparency, adaptation, and collaboration. The other options are not valid actions, as they are either wasteful (such as recruiting additional Developers or canceling the Sprint) or unsustainable (such as working overtime).

The correct answer is C, because the Development Team should inform the Product Owner so he/she can work with the CEO. The Scrum Guide states that “only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint, although he or she may do so under influence from the stakeholders, the Development Team, or the Scrum Master.” Therefore, if the CEO wants to add a “very important” item to a Sprint that is in progress, he or she should communicate with the Product Owner, who can then decide whether to cancel or continue the current Sprint.

The correct answer is D. 10 or fewer. According to the Scrum Guide 2020 1 , “The Scrum Team is small enough to remain nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint, typically 10 or fewer people.” The other options are outdated or incorrect. Option A was based on the previous version of the Scrum Guide, which suggested a range of 3 to 9 developers 2 . Option B is too vague and does not account for the upper limit of team size. Option C is too specific and does not allow for flexibility.

When a Development Team determines that it will not be able to finish the complete forecast, both the Product Owner and the Development Team have to be present when reviewing and adjusting the Sprint work selected, as stated in [6]: “If there is not enough work remaining for all members of a Development Team then they can renegotiate scope with their Product Owner. If there is too much work remaining then they can also renegotiate scope with their Product Owner.”

According to the Scrum Guide, three behaviors that demonstrate that a team is self-organizing are creating their own sprint backlog, having all the skills needed to create a releasable Increment, and collaboratively selecting their own work during the Sprint. The other options are not behaviors that demonstrate self-organization, as they are either contrary to Scrum values and principles (such as stakeholders walking in at the Daily Scrum or working within functional boundaries) or unnecessary for self-organization (such as the Product Owner not being at Sprint Retrospectives or the Development Team inviting external people to the Sprint Planning).

Detailed Explanation & References from Scrum

???? Scrum Guide Reference:

" The Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal (why), the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what), as well as an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how). " ?

" The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers . It is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work that the Developers plan to accomplish during the Sprint in order to achieve the Sprint Goal. " ?

???? Why is " C. The Developers " Correct?

The Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Developers because they are the ones responsible for planning and executing the work.

The Developers update and modify the Sprint Backlog as needed during the Sprint .

The Scrum Team collaborates during Sprint Planning to define the Sprint Backlog, but the ongoing responsibility for managing it lies only with the Developers .

This allows the team to self-manage and adapt as work progresses.

? Incorrect Answers with Explanations

? A. The Scrum Team

???? Why is this Incorrect?

While the Scrum Team (Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers) collaborates during Sprint Planning, only the Developers are responsible for the Sprint Backlog .

The Scrum Master does not manage the Sprint Backlog , and the Product Owner does not modify it once the Sprint starts .

? B. The Scrum Master

???? Why is this Incorrect?

The Scrum Master facilitates the process but does not own or manage the Sprint Backlog .

The Scrum Master helps the team understand Scrum practices and remove impediments , but they do not decide or change the Sprint Backlog ?.

? D. The Product Owner

???? Why is this Incorrect?

The Product Owner is responsible for the Product Backlog, NOT the Sprint Backlog .

Once a Sprint starts, the Product Owner cannot modify the Sprint Backlog —only the Developers can update it as they learn more.

The correct answers are B and E, because Scrum has no “tester” role and everyone in the Development Team is responsible for quality. The Scrum Guide states that “the Development Team consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of ‘Done’ product at the end of each Sprint. Development Teams are structured and empowered by the organization to organize and manage their own work. The resulting synergy optimizes the Development Team’s overall efficiency and effectiveness.”

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , during each Daily Scrum, each Developer answers three questions:

What did I do yesterday that helped meet our Sprint Goal?

What will I do today to help meet our Sprint Goal?

Do I see any impediment that prevents me or our Development Team from meeting our Sprint Goal?

The Developers can select whatever structure and techniques they want, as long as their Daily Scrum focuses on progress toward achieving their Sprint Goal and producing a usable Increment. The other options are not relevant or appropriate for the Daily Scrum.

The correct answers are B and C, because technical debt impacts transparency in these ways. It leads to false assumptions about the current state of the system, specifically of an Increment being releasable at the end of a Sprint, as it may contain hidden defects or incomplete functionality. It also results in future work being slowed down in unpredictable ways, as development progresses and code is added, the system becomes more difficult to stabilize and maintain.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint. The Sprint Retrospective occurs after the Sprint Review and prior to the next Sprint Planning. The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Product Owner is part of the Scrum Team and should participate as a Scrum Team member in the Sprint Retrospective.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product 1 .  The Definition of Done is created by the Developers and it is used to assess when work is complete on the product Increment 1 .

The Scrum Guide also states that the Definition of Done may vary significantly per Scrum Team, depending on the context.  The Definition of Done evolves over time and becomes more stringent as the Scrum Team matures 1 . Therefore, it is important for the Scrum Team to regularly inspect and adapt the Definition of Done to reflect their current situation and needs.

The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint 1 .  The Sprint Retrospective focuses on three questions: What went well in the Sprint? What could be improved? What will we commit to improve in the next Sprint? 1  These questions can help the Scrum Team identify potential changes to the Definition of Done that would increase the quality and value of the product.

Option A is incorrect because Product Backlog refinement is not a formal Scrum event, but rather an ongoing activity that can happen at any time during the Sprint 1 .  Product Backlog refinement is mainly concerned with adding detail, estimates, and order to Product Backlog items 1 . Changing the Definition of Done during Product Backlog refinement could cause confusion and inconsistency among the Developers and the Product Owner.

Option C is incorrect because Sprint Planning is a time-boxed event that initiates a Sprint by defining a Sprint Goal and selecting Product Backlog items that deliver one coherent function 1 .  Sprint Planning is based on the current state of the Product Backlog and the latest Definition of Done 1 . Changing the Definition of Done during Sprint Planning could disrupt the flow of the event and affect the scope and feasibility of the Sprint.

Option D is incorrect because prior to starting a new project is not a specific time in Scrum.  Scrum does not prescribe any phases or stages for a project, but rather an empirical approach that relies on frequent inspection and adaptation of both the product and the process 1 . Changing the Definition of Done before starting a new project could be premature and irrelevant, as the Scrum Team may not have enough information or experience to define what ‘Done’ means for their product.

There are no activities that a Product Owner would typically undertake in the phase between the end of the current Sprint and the start of the next Sprint, because there is no such phase. The next Sprint starts immediately after the current Sprint, without any gaps or breaks. The other options are either activities that occur during a Sprint (such as refining the Product Backlog) or activities that are not consistent with Scrum (such as working with Quality Assurance departments or updating project plans).

The timebox for the Sprint Review is four hours for a one-month Sprint, as stated in [4]: “The Sprint Review is held at the end of the Sprint to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if needed. During the event, the Scrum Team and stakeholders review what was accomplished in the Sprint and what has changed in their environment. Based on this information, attendees collaborate on what to do next. The Product Owner explains what Product Backlog items have been “Done” and what has not been “Done”; additionally, they discuss any changes to scope or budget or potential value. The entire group then collaborates on what to do next, so that the Sprint Review provides valuable input to subsequent Sprint Planning. The Sprint Review is a working session and attendees should inspect based on facts. A Sprint Review is held at the end of every Sprint for a maximum duration of four hours for a one-month Sprint.”

The Scrum Master should talk to the IT manager and explain that progress in Scrum comes from inspecting an Increment at the Sprint Review, as stated in [5]: “The Scrum Master should educate the IT manager about how Scrum works and how progress is measured. The Scrum Master should invite the IT manager to attend the Sprint Review where the Development Team demonstrates what was accomplished during the Sprint. The Scrum Master should also explain that status reports are not necessary in Scrum, as transparency is ensured by using artifacts such as Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment.”

 According to the Scrum Guide, the time-boxed events in Scrum are Sprint Retrospective, Sprint Planning, and Daily Scrum. These events have a maximum duration that cannot be exceeded. The other options are not time-boxed events in Scrum, as they are either not part of Scrum (such as Release Planning, Release Retrospective, Sprint Testing, and Sprint 0) or not events at all (such as Definition of Done).

According to the Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide 1 .  Scrum Masters do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values 1 .  The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum 2 .  They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization while serving the Scrum Team as well as the larger organization 2 .

Option B is incorrect because keeping track of resource allocation is not a responsibility of the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master does not manage or control the resources of the Scrum Team or the organization.  The Scrum Team is self-organizing and responsible for managing its own work within a Sprint 1 .

Option C is incorrect because managing the performance of the Scrum Team is not a responsibility of the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master does not evaluate or appraise the performance of the Development Team or the Product Owner.  The Scrum Master serves the Development Team by coaching them on self-organization and cross-functionality, and serves the Product Owner by ensuring that goals, scope, and product domain are understood by everyone on the Scrum Team 1 .

Option D is incorrect because the meetings and the objectives that a Scrum Team sets for itself are not a responsibility of the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master does not dictate or prescribe what meetings or objectives a Scrum Team should have.  The Scrum Master facilitates the Scrum Events as requested or needed, and ensures that they are positive, productive, and kept within the time-box 1 .

The correct answer is C because the Product Owner is a full member of the Scrum Team and participates in the Sprint Retrospective along with the Developers and Scrum Master. The Sprint Retrospective is not a meeting only for Developers or only for process specialists. It is an event for the Scrum Team to inspect how the last Sprint went with regard to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done, and then identify improvements for the future.

The Product Owner’s role in this event is not to act as an external observer or a stakeholder representative. Instead, the Product Owner contributes as a Scrum Team member by sharing observations, listening to concerns, and collaborating on ways to improve effectiveness and value delivery. This shared participation supports transparency and continuous improvement.

Option A is incorrect because the Retrospective is an internal Scrum Team event, not a stakeholder reporting session. Option B is incorrect because the Product Owner absolutely should participate. Option D is incorrect because capturing backlog requirements is not the purpose of the Retrospective. The main purpose is improvement of how the team works together.

The correct answers are A and B, because these are true about the Product Owner role. The Product Owner is one person, not a committee or a team, who is accountable for ordering the Product Backlog and maximizing the value of the product. The Scrum Guide states that “the Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from work of the Development Team. How this is done may vary widely across organizations, Scrum Teams, and individuals. … For the Product Owner to succeed, the entire organization must respect his or her decisions.”

The correct answer is A, because the Product Owner does not need to be present at the Daily Scrum. The Scrum Guide states that “the Daily Scrum is a 15-minute time-boxed event for the Development Team to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours. … The structure of the meeting is set by the Development Team and can be conducted in different ways if it focuses on progress toward the Sprint Goal.” Therefore, the Daily Scrum is an internal event for the Development Team, and the Product Owner can attend only if invited by the Development Team.

The correct answer is C. Scrum defines accountabilities for product value, team effectiveness, and creating Done Increments, but it does not give the Scrum Master, Product Owner, or Scrum Team formal managerial authority to hire or fire people. Personnel decisions such as removing someone from a team are typically the responsibility of the organization and its management structure. In this case, the hiring manager or appropriate people manager would be responsible for removing the Developer if that becomes necessary.

Option A is incorrect because although the Scrum Master helps remove impediments, that does not mean they have authority over employment or staffing decisions. Option B is incorrect because the Product Owner is accountable for maximizing product value, not for personnel management. Option D is incorrect because the Scrum Team is self-managing with respect to its work, but it does not generally have organizational authority to remove employees from the team.

The Scrum Master should still help the team address the conflict by coaching, facilitating conversations, and improving collaboration. But if actual removal is required, that action belongs to the organization’s management system, not to a Scrum accountability.

Scrum is not a process, technique, or definitive method. Rather, it is a framework within which you can employ various processes and techniques. Scrum makes clear the relative efficacy of your product management and work techniques so that you can continuously improve the product, the team, and the working environment.

The correct answer is B because in Scrum, Developers are collectively accountable for creating a usable Increment every Sprint, and they share accountability for the Sprint Backlog. Scrum emphasizes self-management and collective ownership rather than assigning individual accountability for separate backlog items in the traditional sense. The Developers decide how to turn selected Product Backlog items into an Increment and how to organize their work, but the responsibility remains shared across the team.

This shared accountability supports collaboration, flexibility, and focus on the Sprint Goal. It prevents siloed behavior where individuals protect only their own tasks instead of working together to achieve the Sprint outcome. The Sprint Backlog is created by and for the Developers, and they adapt it throughout the Sprint as more is learned.

Option A is incorrect because accountability does not begin during the Daily Scrum. Option C is incorrect because capacity does not create individual ownership in Scrum. Option D is incorrect because Scrum does not require even task splitting or pre-assigned ownership at Sprint Planning. The Developers remain collectively accountable throughout the Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers of the Scrum Team. The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work. The Scrum Master and Product Owner may attend as observers, but only if it is useful for the Developers.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers of the Scrum Team. The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work. The Daily Scrum optimizes the probability that the Developers will meet the Sprint Goal. Every day, the Developers should understand how they intend to work together as a self-organizing team to accomplish the Sprint Goal and create the anticipated Increment by the end of the Sprint. If the frequency of the Daily Scrum were to be lowered to every two or three days, some key concerns would be:

Opportunities to inspect and adapt the Sprint Backlog are lost, which may result in wasted work or missed dependencies.

Impediments are raised and resolved more slowly, which may hinder the progress and quality of the work.

The Sprint plan may become inaccurate, as changes in requirements, risks, or priorities are not reflected in a timely manner.

The other options are not valid concerns, as they are not aligned with Scrum values and principles.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the heart of Scrum is a Sprint, a time-box of one month or less during which a “Done”, useable, and potentially releasable product Increment is created. The Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each Increment is additive to all prior Increments and thoroughly verified, ensuring that all Increments work together.

According to the Scrum Guide, the action that the Scrum Master should take when the Team decides that a Sprint Retrospective is unnecessary is to begin facilitating productive and useful Sprint Retrospectives. The Sprint Retrospective is an essential event for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint. The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring that this event takes place and that positive outcomes are achieved. The other options are not valid actions, as they either imply that the Scrum Master complies with or ignores the decision of the Team (such as complying with it, calling a meeting with senior management, or consulting with the Product Owner), which is not consistent with Scrum values and principles.

The best answer is C. Ensure every Increment meets them.  Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are system qualities that guide the design of the solution and often serve as constraints across the relevant backlogs 1 .  NFRs are persistent qualities and constraints typically revisited as part of the definition of done (DoD) for each Iteration, PI, or release 1 . The Scrum Team should ensure that every Increment meets the NFRs, as they are part of the product requirements and affect the value delivery and customer satisfaction.