Pass the Scrum Professional Scrum Master PSM-II Questions and answers with ExamsMirror

One of the ways to do this is by facilitating the Scrum events, such as the Sprint Review, where the Scrum Team and the stakeholders inspect the product Increment and adapt the Product Backlog2. In this situation, where there is a conflict among the stakeholders about the budget and the funding, your two best options are:

Encourage the stakeholders to focus on delivering the highest value items for the next Sprint.This option aligns with the purpose of the Sprint Review, which is to collaborate on what was done in the Sprint and what to do next2.By encouraging the stakeholders to focus on delivering value, you are helping them prioritize the most important features or functionalities that can maximize the return on investment and reduce risk3. This can also help them align their expectations and goals, and create a shared understanding of the product vision.

Ask for a short break for people to calm down and be objective.This option aligns with your role as a facilitator, who helps the participants have constructive and respectful conversations4. By asking for a short break, you are giving them a chance to cool off and regain their composure. This can also help them be more objective and rational, and avoid emotional reactions that can escalate the conflict or damage the relationship.

The other options are not advisable because:

It is the Product Owner’s meeting, so do nothing.This option is incorrect because it contradicts your accountability as a Scrum Master.The Sprint Review is not only the Product Owner’s meeting, but a collaborative event that involves the whole Scrum Team and the stakeholders2.As a Scrum Master, you have a responsibility to facilitate this event and ensure that it is productive and valuable1. Doing nothing would mean neglecting your duty and allowing the conflict to persist or worsen.

Defend the budget, asking the stakeholders to support the funding of the work.This option is incorrect because it goes beyond your scope as a Scrum Master.The budget and the funding are not your primary concerns, but rather the value and quality of the product that you deliver1. Defending the budget would mean taking sides in the conflict, which can compromise your neutrality and credibility as a facilitator. It can also create more tension and resentment among the stakeholders, who may feel that you are not listening to their perspectives or interests.

Argue that the Scrum Team needs to be kept busy while the funding is confirmed.This option is incorrect because it contradicts the principle of empiricism, which is the foundation of Scrum5.Empiricism means that you make decisions based on what is known, rather than what is assumed or predicted5. Arguing that the Scrum Team needs to be kept busy while the funding is confirmed would mean ignoring or denying the reality of the situation, which can lead to waste or inefficiency. It can also undermine the trust and collaborationbetween the Scrum Team and the stakeholders, who may feel that you are not transparent or accountable.

References:1: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-scrum-master 2: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-sprint-review 3: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/value-driven-development 4: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/facilitation-scrum-masters-superpower 5: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-empiricism-and-why-is-it-important-to-scrum

A. Having one Product Owner will improve the clarity of accountability to the teams and to the product management department. This is a good suggestion, as it ensures that there is a single person who is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and managing the Product Backlog. Having one Product Owner also avoids confusion, duplication, or conflict among multiple Product Owners who may have different visions, priorities, or expectations for the product.

D. A single Product Backlog should be maintained holding all requirements for the new product. This is also a good suggestion, as it ensures that there is a single source of truth for the product requirements and that they are transparent and visible to all stakeholders. Having a single Product Backlog also enables the Product Owner to order the items based on their value, risk, dependency, and urgency, and to collaborate with the Scrum Teams to select and refine the items for each Sprint.

References:

The Scrum Guide, section 2.3 (The Scrum Team), page 7

The Scrum Guide, section 4.1 (The Product Backlog), page 11

The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 2 (The Scrum Framework), lesson 4 (Sprint Planning) and lesson 5 (The Sprint Review)

When multiple Scrum Teams work from the same Product Backlog, they need to collaborate and coordinate their work to deliver a potentially releasable Increment that meets the Definition of Done. This requires minimizing dependencies between Scrum Teams, such as technical, functional, or organizational dependencies. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality. Scrum Teams should strive to be cross-functional and autonomous, and use techniques such as feature slicing, dependency mapping, and integration testing to reduce dependencies123. References: 1: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/dependencies-between-scrum-teams  2: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/feature-slicing-how-make-it-work  3:https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/integration-testing-scrum-projects

The Sprint Review is an event that inspects the outcome of the Sprint and determines future adaptations. The Product Owner has the authority to release the Increment to production at any time, but this does not mean that the Sprint has to be stopped or changed. The stakeholders can provide feedback and suggestions for the product, but they cannot interfere with the Sprint Goal or the Sprint Backlog within the Sprint. The Scrum Team can decide to:

Continue sprinting but shorten the Sprint length to allow for shorter feedback loops (A), which is a valid option if the Scrum Team agrees that this will improve their agility and value delivery. However, this should not be done frequently or arbitrarily, as it may disrupt the rhythm and focus of the team.

Continue sprinting and include the customer feedback in the Product Backlog ©, which is the most appropriate option as it respects the empirical nature of Scrum and allows the Product Owner to prioritize and order the Product Backlog based on new insights and stakeholder needs.

References: : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint Review : [Scrum Guide], The Product Owner : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint : [Scrum Guide], The Product Backlog

A. Developers collaboratively select and re-plan their work during the Sprint. This situation demonstrates that the Scrum Team is self-managing, as it shows that the Developers have the autonomy and authority to decide how to best accomplish their work, without being directed by others outside the team. The Developers can also adapt their plan based on new insights, feedback, or impediments that arise during the Sprint.

C. The Developers create their own Sprint Backlog, reflecting all work that is part of the Definition of Done. This situation also demonstrates that the Scrum Team is self-managing, as it shows that the Developers have the responsibility and accountability to create a realistic and achievable plan for the Sprint, based on their understanding of the Sprint Goal and the Product Backlog items. The Developers also ensure that their work meets the quality standards defined by the Definition of Done.

References:

The Scrum Guide, section 2.3 (The Scrum Team), page 7

The Scrum Guide, section 3.2 (The Daily Scrum), page 9

The Scrum Guide, section 3.5 (The Sprint Planning), page 10

The Scrum Guide, section 3.6 (The Sprint Review), page 11

The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 2 (The Scrum Framework), lesson 2 (The Sprint), lesson 3 (The Sprint Goal), lesson 4 (Sprint Planning) and lesson 5 (The Sprint Review)

The Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II) Assessment, question 39

Technical debt is the implied cost of rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of a better approach that would take longer1. Reducing the Definition of Done for the next three Sprints will create technical debt, which will have negative impacts on the product quality, value, and delivery. Two ways to explain these impacts to the Product Owner are:

Releasing the version creates false assumptions about the actual state of the system. This is likely to result in interruptions during future Sprints in order to react to unforeseen problems arising from not having met the Definition of Done2. This will reduce the transparency, predictability, and adaptability of the Scrum process, and compromise the trust and satisfaction of the customers and stakeholders.

As development progresses and functionality is added upon the reduced Definition of Done, unknown errors will creep in. The system becomes more difficult to stabilize. Work for the actual release as well as future releases will be slowed down in unpredictable ways3. This will increase the complexity, risk, and cost of the product development, and lower the value and quality of the product.

References:

What is Technical Debt in Scrum?| StarAgile, section “The technical debt is created when”.

Technical Debt & Scrum: Who Is Responsible?| Scrum.org, section “What Is Technical Debt?”.

Managing Technical Debt in a Scrum Project | SCRUMstudy Blog, section “Technical debt accrues”.

This is the best answer because it is consistent with the Scrum Master’s accountability to educate and coach the Scrum Team and the organization on the Scrum framework and its principles12. By coaching the Product Owner and the Developers on the purpose of Scrum events, the Scrum Master can help them understand that the Daily Scrum is not a status report or a performance review, but a time to inspect and adapt their progress toward the Sprint Goal34. By letting them figure out how to deal with this situation, the Scrum Master can also respect and enable their self-organization and collaboration12.

B. You inform management of organizational impediments that prevent the Scrum Team from being more productive. You enlist their help to remove these impediments.

This is a good answer because it is consistent with the Scrum Master’s accountability to serve the Scrum Team and the organization by identifying and addressing the factors that hinder the team’s effectiveness12. By informing management of the organizational impediments, you can leverage their authority and influence to resolve them. By enlisting their help, you can also foster a collaborative and supportive relationship with them. C. You explain how a Scrum Team uses the velocity of a Sprint primarily to forecast work for the next Sprint, not to perfectly predict future productivity. You refer management to the Product Owner for all information concerning the progress of development.

This is another good answer because it is consistent with the Scrum Master’s accountability to educate and coach the organization on the Scrum framework and itsprinciples12. By explaining how velocity is used in Scrum, you can help management understand that it is not a reliable metric for measuring performance or comparing teams. By referring management to the Product Owner, you can also respect the Product Owner’s accountability to manage the product backlog and communicate the value and status of the product34.

References: 1: What is a Scrum Master? | Scrum.org 2: What is a scrum master? [+ Responsibilities] | Atlassian 3: What is a Product Owner? | Scrum.org 4: What is a product owner? [+ Responsibilities] | Atlassian : Scrum Guide | Scrum Guides

B: Developers can artificially increase velocity by incurring technical debt. This is a true statement, as some Developers may choose to take shortcuts or compromise on quality in order to deliver more work in a Sprint. However, this is not a sustainable or ethical practice, as it will create more problems and costs in the future. The Scrum Master can help the Developers to avoid this temptation and focus on delivering value and quality instead.

D: Velocity may unexpectedly drop when the Developers run into technical debt while attempting to complete new Product Backlog items. This is a true statement, as technical debt can act as a drag on the productivity and progress of the Developers. Technical debt can make the work more difficult, complex, or risky, and may require more time and effort to fix or refactor. The Scrum Master can help the Developers to identify and manage technical debt, and communicate its impact to the Product Owner and the stakeholders.

References:

How Technical Debt Affects Your Velocity1

Understanding the impact of technical debt on the capacity and velocity2

According to the Scrum Guide 2020, the Scrum Team commits to achieving the Sprint Goal and creating a valuable product Increment every Sprint1. The Sprint Goal is a short statement that provides direction and focus for the Scrum Team throughout the Sprint2. The product Increment is a concrete and usable outcome that meets the Definition of Done and adds value to the product3. Therefore, the Scrum Team commits to:

Working towards the Sprint Goal. This means that the Scrum Team collaborates and coordinates their work to deliver a product Increment that satisfies the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Goal is chosen by the Scrum Team during Sprint Planning, based on the Product Backlog items that they forecast to complete in the Sprint2. The Sprint Goal provides coherence and alignment for the Scrum Team, and helps them cope with complexity and uncertainty4.

Seeking stakeholder feedback. This means that the Scrum Team engages with the stakeholders and customers who have an interest or influence on the product. The Scrum Team seeks their feedback to inspect and adapt the product Increment and the Product Backlog, and to validate their assumptions and hypotheses. The Sprint Review is an event where the Scrum Team and the stakeholders collaborate on what was done in the Sprint and what to do next.

Upholding transparency. This means that the Scrum Team makes all aspects of their work visible to those who are responsible for the outcome. Transparency enables inspection and adaptation, which are essential for empiricism. The Scrum Team upholds transparency by using the Scrum artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment) as sources of information and progress, and by having frequent and honest communication among themselves and with the stakeholders.

The other options are not correct because:

Getting all the forecast work in the Sprint Plan done. This option is incorrect because it implies that the Scrum Team is committed to a fixed scope of work, rather than a flexible goal. The Scrum Guide 2020 states that “the Developers do not commit to completing all of the work planned during a Sprint Planning” but rather “they plan their work as they perform it throughout the Sprint”. The Scrum Team can modify their Sprint Backlog during the Sprint as needed, as long as they do not endanger the Sprint Goal.

Increasing velocity. This option is incorrect because it implies that the Scrum Team is committed to a metric that is not part of the Scrum framework. Velocity is a measure of how much work a team can deliver in a given time period, usually based on story points or hours. However, velocity is not a reliable indicator of value or quality, and it can vary depending on many factors, such as team size, complexity, dependencies, etc. The Scrum Guide 2020 does not mention velocity as a commitment or an artifact of the Scrum Team.

Having the Product Owner available to the Developers on a daily basis. This option is incorrect because it implies that the Product Owner is not part of the Scrum Team, but rather an external stakeholder. The Scrum Guide 2020 states that “the Product Owner is one person who is a member of the Scrum Team” and “is accountable for maximizing value resulting from work of Developers”. The Product Owner collaborates closely with the Developers throughout the Sprint, not only by being available, but also by providing vision, guidance, feedback, and clarification.

References: 1: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#team-accountabilities  2: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#sprint-goal  3: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#increment  4: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/sprint-goal-key-element-scrum : https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/stakeholder-engagement-scrum : https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#sprint-review : https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#scrum-theory : https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#sprint-planning : https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#sprint-backlog : https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/velocity-trap : https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#product-owner