SPS Practice Exam Questions with Answers Scaled Professional Scrum (SPS) Exam Certification

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key artifacts in the Nexus framework is the Integrated Increment, which is the integrated aggregation of all work completed by all the Scrum Teams in a Nexus 11.

In Scenario A, the Nexus Sprint Review is not conducted effectively. The teams are not using a shared environment to demonstrate the Integrated Increment, but rather showing their individual work. This means that the stakeholders cannot see the whole product and how it works together. The teams are also delaying the integration of their work, which can lead to quality issues, technical debt, and increased complexity 11. The stakeholders do not provide much feedback, which means that the Nexus cannot adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the customers and users. The event ends without any clear outcomes or next steps.

What could help this Nexus create a single Integrated Increment for inspection at the Nexus Sprint Review is:

• Enforce a Definition of Done across the entire Nexus that includes integration. This is answer B. This is a valid answer because the Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product 11. The Definition of Done is used to assess when work is complete on the product Increment 11. The Definition of Done is defined by the Nexus and applies to all the work done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 11. The Definition of Done should include integration as one of the criteria, which means that the work done by the teams should be integrated frequently and continuously throughout the Sprint 11. By enforcing a Definition of Done that includes integration, the Nexus can ensure that the Integrated Increment is usable and potentially releasable, which means it meets the quality standards and expectations of the stakeholders 11.

The other three answers are not correct because:

• Reserve the last few days of the Sprint for testing and integration. This is answer A. This is not a valid answer because reserving the last few days of the Sprint for testing and integration is not a good practice. It implies that the teams are not testing and integrating their work throughout the Sprint, but rather doing it at the end of the Sprint. This can lead to quality issues, technical debt, and increased complexity 11. It also reduces the time available for inspection and adaptation, which are essential for empiricism and agility 11.
• Have the Nexus Integration Team integrate all the work as early as possible. This is answer C. This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Integration Team is not the only one responsible for integrating all the work. The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the teams in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the integration of the work, but does not do it for the teams 11. The teams are responsible for integrating their own work and delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11.
• Have a Sprint dedicated to integration. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because having a Sprint dedicated to integration is not consistent with Scrum or Nexus. Scrum and Nexus require that the teams deliver a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11. Having a Sprint dedicated to integration means that the teams are not delivering any value or receiving any feedback in that Sprint 11. It also means that the teams are accumulating technical debt and complexity that will make integration more difficult and risky 11.

The Nexus Sprint Review is an event where the Nexus, consisting of multiple Scrum Teams, presents the Integrated Increment to the stakeholders for inspection and feedback 1. The Integrated Increment is the sum of all the work done by the Scrum Teams in a Sprint that meets the Definition of Done 1. The purpose of the Nexus Sprint Review is to inspect the outcome of the Sprint, discuss the progress toward the Product Goal, discuss any changes in the environment, and collaborate on what to do next 2.

In Scenario A, the Nexus Sprint Review is not conducted effectively. The teams are not using a shared environment to demonstrate the Integrated Increment, but rather showing their individual work. This means that the stakeholders cannot see the whole product and how it works together. The teams are also delaying the integration of their work, which can lead to quality issues, technical debt, and increased complexity 1. The stakeholders do not provide much feedback, which means that the Nexus cannot adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the customers and users. The event ends without any clear outcomes or next steps.

If this pattern continues for multiple Sprints, the effects may be:

• Quality will degrade as the teams delay creating a single Integrated Increment. This is answer B. By not integrating their work frequently and continuously, the teams will face more challenges and risks in ensuring that the product is functional, reliable, and usable. The teams will also miss the opportunity to validate their assumptions and learn from the feedback on the Integrated Increment 1.
• Ability to adapt will suffer as the stakeholders continue to disengage and not give feedback. This is answer D. By not engaging the stakeholders in a meaningful dialogue and collaboration, the Nexus will lose the insight and direction that the feedback provides. The Nexus will also risk building the wrong product or features that do not meet the needs and expectations of the customers and users. The stakeholders will also lose trust and confidence in the Nexus and the product 2.

The other two answers are not correct because:

• There will be more and more work to inspect so teams will need their own individual Sprint Reviews. This is answer A. This is not a valid effect because the Nexus Sprint Review replaces the individual Scrum Team Sprint Reviews 1. The Nexus Sprint Review is not a time for each team to present their work, but rather for the Nexus to present the Integrated Increment. The teams should not need their own Sprint Reviews, but rather focus on integrating their work and delivering a valuable product 1.
• Empiricism will suffer as the teams cannot produce a shared velocity. This is answer C. This is not a valid effect because velocity is not a measure of empiricism. Empiricism is the principle of making decisions based on observation, inspection, and adaptation 1. Velocity is a measure of the amount of work done by a team or a Nexus in a Sprint. Velocity is not a mandatory artifact or metric in Scrum or Nexus, and it does not reflect the quality or value of the work done 1.

When six new Scrum Teams are working on one product, they should form a Nexus, which is a framework for scaling Scrum 11. A Nexus has a single Product Owner who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work performed and integrated by the Scrum Teams 1122. Therefore, statement D is correct.

A Nexus also works off a single Product Backlog, which is an ordered list of the work to be done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 11. The Product Backlog has a single source of requirements and priorities for the product, and it is managed by the Product Owner 1122. Therefore, statement C is also correct.

Statements A, B, and E are incorrect because they imply that each Scrum Team has its own Product Owner and Product Backlog, which would create confusion, inconsistency, and duplication of work. Having multiple Product Owners and Product Backlogs would also undermine the transparency and alignment that are essential for scaling Scrum 1122.

PBI 2 is the most concerning because it involves a cross-team dependency within the same Sprint, which can create challenges and risks for the integration and delivery of the product increment. According to the Online Nexus Guide1, dependencies should be minimized or eliminated as much as possible, and if they exist, they should be made transparent and resolved as early as possible. Cross-team dependencies within the same Sprint can cause delays, conflicts, rework, and waste, and reduce the quality and value of the product increment 234.

The other answers are not correct for the following reasons:

• A. PBI 2, because it has the most dependencies. This answer is not accurate because PBI 2 does not have the most dependencies, but only one dependency with PBI 1 from Team Red. PBI 3 has the most dependencies, as it depends on PBI 1, PBI 2, and PBI 4. However, PBI 3 is not as concerning as PBI 2, because its dependencies are not within the same Sprint, but across different Sprints. This means that PBI 3 can be refined and planned in advance, and the teams can coordinate and communicate their work more effectively 5.
• B. PBI 1, because it is on the top of the Product Backlog. This answer is not relevant because the position of PBI 1 on the Product Backlog does not indicate its level of concern, but its priority and value. The Product Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner based on various factors, such as business value, risk, complexity, and dependencies. PBI 1 may be on the top of the Product Backlog because it is the most valuable or urgent item, or because it is a prerequisite for other items, but it is not necessarily the most concerning item 6.
• C. PBI 1, because it is the first piece of work with a dependency. This answer is not true because PBI 1 is not the first piece of work with a dependency, but the first piece of work that other items depend on. PBI 1 does not have any dependencies itself, but it creates dependencies for PBI 2, PBI 3, and PBI 5. Therefore, PBI 1 is not as concerning as PBI 2, because it does not depend on any other item, and it can be completed independently by Team Red 5.

The best way to help the two teams that are continually dependent on each other to manage their work is to ensure the appropriate representatives from both teams are present during Cross-Team Refinement. Cross-Team Refinement is an optional event in Nexus that allows the Scrum Teams to collaborate and coordinate on the Product Backlog items that have dependencies or require integration 11. By having the representatives from both teams present during this event, they can identify and resolve the dependencies, clarify the requirements, align the expectations, and plan the work for the next Sprint. This will improve the transparency, the quality, and the value of the Integrated Increment.

The other options are not advisable for the following reasons:

• The Nexus Integration Team should not be responsible for integrating the work of these two Scrum Teams, as this would create a bottleneck and a hand-off. The Nexus Integration Team is a specialized Scrum Team that provides services and guidance to the Scrum Teams in the Nexus to ensure that the Integrated Increment is produced every Sprint 11. However, the Nexus Integration Team is not accountable for the integration of the work of the individual Scrum Teams, as this is the responsibility of the Scrum Teams themselves 22.
• Reorganizing these two Scrum Teams so that one is responsible for development and one is responsible for integration is not a good idea, as this would create a silo and a separation of concerns. The Scrum Teams in a Nexus should be cross-functional and self-organizing, meaning that they have all the skills and abilities to deliver a potentially releasable product Increment every Sprint 11. Separating the development and the integration tasks would compromise the collaboration, the feedback, and the agility of the Scrum Teams.
• Merging the two Scrum Teams together is not a viable solution, as this would create a large and unwieldy team. The Scrum Guide states that the optimal size of a Scrum Team is between three and nine members 33. Merging two Scrum Teams together would exceed this limit and create challenges in communication, coordination, and decision-making. Moreover, merging the two teams would not necessarily eliminate the dependencies, as they may still exist within the larger team or with other teams in the Nexus.

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key artifacts in the Nexus framework is the Integrated Increment, which is the integrated aggregation of all work completed by all the Scrum Teams in a Nexus 112.

When multiple Scrum Teams work on a product at the same time, the statements that are true are:

• The different Scrum Teams coordinate their work to deliver a single Increment. This is answer A. This is a valid answer because the different Scrum Teams in a Nexus are not working in isolation, but rather collaborating and coordinating their work to deliver a single Increment 113. The single Increment is the Integrated Increment, which is the sum of all the work done by the Scrum Teams in a Sprint that meets the Definition of Done 112. The single Increment is the potentially releasable outcome of the Sprint, which means it meets the quality standards and expectations of the stakeholders 112.
• The Developers must integrate their work before the end of the Sprint. This is answer C. This is a valid answer because the Developers are the people who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 114. The Developers must integrate their work before the end of the Sprint, which means they must combine and verify their work frequently and continuously throughout the Sprint 114. The integration of the work is essential for ensuring the quality and usability of the product, as well as for validating the assumptions and learning from the feedback 114.

The other three answers are not correct because:

• Each Scrum Team develops one or more product components which the Nexus Integration team uses to assemble the Integrated Increment. This is answer B. This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Integration Team is not the one who assembles the Integrated Increment. The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 11[5]. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the integration of the work, but does not do it for the teams 11[5]. The teams are responsible for integrating their own work and delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11[5].
• They are all on the same Scrum Team. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because they are not all on the same Scrum Team. A Scrum Team is a small group of people who are cross-functional and self-organizing, and who deliver a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11[6]. A Scrum Team usually consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and a few Developers 11[6]. When multiple Scrum Teams work on a product at the same time, they are not on the same Scrum Team, but rather on different Scrum Teams that form a Nexus 11[6]. A Nexus is a group of three to nine Scrum Teams who work on a single product and who share a common Product Backlog, a common Definition of Done, and a common Sprint Goal 11[6].
• The Scrum of Scrums assembles the components into an Integrated Increment. This is answer E. This is not a valid answer because the Scrum of Scrums is not a part of the Nexus framework. The Scrum of Scrums is a term that is sometimes used to describe a coordination mechanism for multiple Scrum Teams, where representatives from each team meet regularly to share information and align their work [7][7]. The Scrum of Scrums is not a formal event or role in Scrum or Nexus, and it is not the one who assembles the components into an Integrated Increment [7][7]. The teams are responsible for integrating their own work and delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11[5].

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key events in the Nexus framework is the Nexus Sprint Planning, which is used to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11.

In Scenario C, the Nexus Sprint Planning is not conducted effectively. The representatives from each of the 9-member Scrum Teams identify many dependencies, which makes it hard for them to choose the work they could pull into their individual teams for the next Sprint. No matter how they reorganize the Product Backlog items, they continually find more or new dependencies. Dependencies are the relationships between the work items that affect the order, timing, or outcome of the work 22. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality 22. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve dependencies as early and as often as possible 22.

What should the Scrum Teams do to effectively deal with their dependencies is:

• Increase the frequency of Cross-Team Refinement to reduce dependencies. This is answer A. This is a valid answer because Cross-Team Refinement is an activity where representatives from each team in the Nexus meet to decompose and refine the Product Backlog items into smaller pieces of work that can be delivered by a single team or multiple teams 11. By doing this, the teams can reduce the dependencies by breaking down the work into more manageable and independent units 11. The teams can also identify and resolve the dependencies before the Nexus Sprint Planning, which will make the planning easier and more effective 11. By increasing the frequency of Cross-Team Refinement, the teams can ensure that the Product Backlog items are ready and clear for the Nexus Sprint Planning 11.

The other three answers are not correct because:

• Merge the two Scrum Teams together that have the most dependencies with each other. This is answer B. This is not a valid answer because merging the two Scrum Teams together that have the most dependencies with each other is not a good solution. It implies that the teams are not able to collaborate and coordinate effectively with each other, and that they need to be in the same team to work on the same product 11. It also increases the size and complexity of the merged team, which can reduce its agility and productivity 11. It also does not address the root cause of the dependencies, which may be related to the product or communication structure 22.
• Institute quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams. This is answer C. This is not a valid answer because instituting quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams is not consistent with Scrum or Nexus. Scrum and Nexus require that the teams plan and deliver a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint, which is usually a few weeks long 11. Instituting quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams means that the teams are not planning or delivering any value or receiving any feedback in the Sprints 11. It also means that the teams are not able to adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the customers and users, which are essential for empiricism and agility 11.
• All of the above. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because none of the above answers are valid. Therefore, choosing all of them is not a valid answer either.