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

According to the Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) framework, one of the principles for scaling agile development is to descale the organization, which means simplifying the structure and reducing dependencies and handoffs. A well-structured Product Backlog can help achieve this by enabling feature teams, which are cross-functional and cross-component teams that can deliver a complete customer-centric feature. Feature teams minimize and often eliminate Developers working on multiple Scrum Teams during a Sprint, as they can focus on one Product Backlog item at a time. This also improves productivity, quality, and learning, as Developers can avoid context switching and multitasking, which are known to reduce efficiency and effectiveness. A person working on multiple Scrum Teams at the same time is often less productive than when that person can focus on the Sprint Backlog of a single Scrum Team.

The Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) framework also states that Scrum does not change when scaling up to multiple teams. The core Scrum framework remains intact, with one Product Owner, one Product Backlog, and potentially releasable Increments every Sprint. The only changes are adding a few coordination practices to cope with the increased complexity and interdependencies. Therefore, changes to the core Scrum framework are not needed to be successful with Scrum at large scale.

Scrum Team members do not have to be working full time on a team, as long as they are committed to the Sprint Goal and deliver a Done Increment every Sprint. However, it is recommended that they spend as much time as possible with their team, as this fosters collaboration, communication, and alignment.

References:

The Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) framework | Atlassian, accessed on September 30, 2023

Overview - Large Scale Scrum (LeSS), accessed on September 30, 2023

Practices for Scaling Lean & Agile Development: Large, Multisite, and Offshore Product Development with Large-Scale Scrum, Craig Larman and Bas Vodde, 2010

Leading Large Scale Product Development with Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS), Kamlesh Ravlani, 2015

The Scrum Value of openness can easily impact all of the aspects listed in the question. Openness means that the Scrum Team and the stakeholders agree to be transparent about their work, their challenges, their learnings, and their progress. This fosters a culture of collaboration, trust, feedback, and continuous improvement. Openness also helps to ensure that the product quality meets the expectations of the customers and the stakeholders, and that the product is delivered in a timely manner. Openness also contributes to employee satisfaction, as it allows the Scrum Team members to express their opinions, share their ideas, and learn from each other.

References:

The Scrum Guide, section 2.2 (Scrum Values), page 6

The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 1 (Scrum Theory), lesson 3 (Scrum Values)

The best two answers are A and C.

A. Timeboxing work to allow for frequent inspection. This is a relevant boundary for self-management provided by the Scrum framework, as it helps the Scrum Team to organize their work into fixed-length Sprints and other events, such as the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Planning, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective. Timeboxing enables the Scrum Team to inspect their progress, adapt their plan, and deliver value regularly and predictably.

C. Creating a valuable and useful Increment by the end of each Sprint. This is also a relevant boundary for self-management provided by the Scrum framework, as it guides the Scrum Team to focus on delivering a product Increment that meets the Sprint Goal and the Definition of Done. Creating a valuable and useful Increment requires the Scrum Team to collaborate, communicate, and coordinate effectively, and to apply their skills and creativity to solve complex problems.

References:

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

The Scrum Guide, section 3.1 (The Sprint), page 8

The Scrum Guide, section 3.4 (The Increment), page 10

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 40

A Scrum Master is not a management position in the traditional sense of the word. A Scrum Master does not have authority over the team members, the product, or the project. A Scrum Master is a servant leader who helps the team self-organize, collaborate, and deliver value. A Scrum Master is accountable for managing the Scrum process, ensuring that the team follows the Scrum values and principles, and facilitating the team’s interactions with stakeholders and the organization. A Scrum Master is also accountable for removing organizational impediments that limit the team’s progress and productivity, such as bureaucracy, silos, or conflicts. A Scrum Master is not accountable for reporting on the performance of a team, managing the project plan and the project deliverables, or managing the capacity and utilization of the Developers. These are responsibilities of the Product Owner, the Developers, or other roles in the organization.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, section “The Scrum Master”, “The Scrum Team”.

What is a scrum master?[+ Responsibilities] | Atlassian, section “Scrum master responsibilities”.

Scrum Master Roles and Responsibilities [2023] | Simplilearn, section “What Does a Scrum Master Do?”, “Scrum Master Responsibilities”.

 The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team1. One of the ways to do this is to order the Product Backlog in a way that reflects the flow of value to the stakeholders and customers2. The Product Owner can use various factors to order the Product Backlog, such as value, risk, dependencies, learning opportunities, and feedback loops3.

However, sometimes the Product Owner may face challenges or constraints that affect the ordering of the Product Backlog, such as external dependencies, market changes, technical issues, or stakeholder requests4. In such cases, the Product Owner needs to balance between delivering value and managing risks. The Product Owner may need to adjust the Product Backlog ordering to account for these factors, but not at the expense of compromising the value delivery5.

In this scenario, the Developers are waiting for an external supplier to deliver a specific product component that they need to integrate and use. Without that component there will not be enough work in the next Sprint to occupy the full team. They ask their Product Owner to re-order the Product Backlog. The Product Owner asks the Scrum Master for help. A good advice for the Product Owner would be to tell them that their primary concern is the flow of value reflected in the ordering of the Product Backlog. Timeline of the flow might be influenced by such dependencies and require some level of Product Backlog re-ordering.

This advice would help the Product Owner to focus on delivering value while also considering the impact of the external dependency. The Product Owner could work with the Developers and stakeholders to identify and prioritize other valuable work that can be done in the next Sprint without relying on the external component. The Product Owner could also communicate with the external supplier and try to minimize or eliminate the dependency as much as possible.

The other options are not good advice for the Product Owner. Telling them that they need to re-order the Product Backlog to maximize utilization of the Developers would imply that keeping productivity high is more important than delivering value. This would go against the Scrum values of focus and respect. Telling them to remove all work involving the external component from the Product Backlog and create a new backlog for it would imply that they are ignoring or avoiding the dependency rather than managing it. This would go against the Scrum values of courage and openness.

References:

The Scrum Guide 2020, section “The Product Owner”

What is a Product Backlog?| Scrum.org, section “Ordering”

Product Backlog Ordering - Zen Ex Machina, section “Ordering by Value”

Product Backlog Ordering - Zen Ex Machina, section “Ordering by Risk”

Ordered Not Prioritized | Scrum.org, section “Ordering by Dependencies”

[The Scrum Values | Scrum.org], section “The Scrum Values”

A: There is one Product Owner for each product (five in total). Each Product Owner may delegate to others for specific value, capabilities, and functionality within their product. The five Product Owners share and align work via Product Backlog. This is a reasonable alternative, as it allows each Product Owner to focus on one product and its vision, value proposition, and stakeholder needs. The Product Owner can also leverage the expertise and input of other people who can help with the product development, such as business analysts, domain experts, or user representatives. The five Product Owners can coordinate and collaborate with each other through the Product Backlog, which is a single source of truth for the product requirements and priorities.

D: There is one Product Owner responsible for all five products. This person may delegate work to others for specific value, capabilities, and functionality within each product to scale their accountability. This is another reasonable alternative, as it allows one Product Owner to have a holistic view of the five products and their interdependencies, synergies, and trade-offs. The Product Owner can also delegate some of the work to other people who can act as proxies or representatives for the different aspects of the products, such as features, modules, or components. The Product Owner can still maintain the ultimate authority and responsibility for the Product Backlog and the product value delivery.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, page 7: “The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 8: “The Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product. It is the single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team.”

Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 22: “The Product Owner may delegate some of their work to others who can help them with the product development, such as business analysts, domain experts, or user representatives. However, the Product Owner remains accountable for the Product Backlog and its content.”

Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 23: “The Product Owner may scale their role by working with other Product Owners who are responsible for different products, features, modules, or components. However, there should be only one Product Owner per product who has the final say on the product vision and value proposition.”

 As the Scrum Master, your role is to serve the Scrum Team by helping them to work effectively and deliver value. You are not responsible for managing the work or assigning tasks to the Developers. You should respect the self-organization and autonomy of the Developers, and support them in finding their own solutions to the problem. You should also facilitate collaboration and communication among the Developers and with other stakeholders, such as Phil and the Product Owner.

Some reasons why the other options are not correct are:

A: Preparing the Sprint Backlogs each day for the teams so Phil can spend some time in each team. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. The Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Developers, not by the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master should not interfere with or dictate how the Developers plan and execute their work. The Scrum Master should also not impose a solution that may not be optimal or feasible for the teams or for Phil.

B: Allocate Phil to one team per Sprint, so that over four Sprints every team will have had the support it requires. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. The Scrum Master should not allocateresources or assign tasks to the teams or to Phil. The Scrum Master should also not impose a solution that may not be aligned with the Product Owner’s priorities or the teams’ needs.

D: Ask Phil for a plan to hire and train additional people in his domain, and in the meantime work with the Product Owner and Developers to re-prioritize the work so that tasks not depending on Phil can be done first. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. The Scrum Master should not ask Phil to do something that may be beyond his authority or responsibility. The Scrum Master should also not work with the Product Owner and Developers to re-prioritize the work, as this is the Product Owner’s accountability. The Scrum Master should respect the Product Owner’s decisions on what is valuable and what is not, and support the Developers in delivering that value.

References:

What is a Scrum Master?| Scrum.org

What is a Sprint Backlog?| Scrum.org

Who is responsible for dependency management?| Scrum.org

[Managing Dependencies in Scrum - Scrum Alliance]

B: Ask the Developers and the Product Owner if removing regression testing from the Definition of Done allows the team to produce useful and valuable Increments at the end of every Sprint. This is a good way to challenge the decision and make them think about the consequences of lowering the quality standards. The Scrum Master can help them understand the importance of delivering a potentially releasable product increment that meets the expectations of the stakeholders and customers.

C: Ask the Developers and the Product Owner what problem they are going to solve by altering the Definition of Done during the Sprint to remove regression testing. Will this raise transparency or improve quality? This is a good way to explore the root cause of the issue and find out why they are not able to complete regression testing for all of the selected Product Backlog items in the Sprint. The Scrum Master can help them identify and remove any impediments or inefficiencies that prevent them from achieving their Sprint Goal.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, page 9: “The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 13: “The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in several ways, including coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality.”

Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 12: “The Definition of Done is a crucial aspect of transparency. If it is not clear when work is done, then stakeholders may make wrong assumptions about the state of the software.”

A. They discuss in the upcoming Sprint Retrospective why this happened and what changes will make it less likely to recur. This is a good action to take, as it shows that the Scrum Team is willing to inspect and adapt their process and improve their collaboration and communication. The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to identify the root causes of the problem and create a plan for implementing improvements in the next Sprint.

D. The Developers forecast the most likely Product Backlog items to meet the business objective and create a Sprint Backlog based on a likely initial design and plan. Once the timebox for the Sprint Planning event is over, they start the Sprint and continue to analyze, decompose, and create additional functionality during the Sprint. This is also a good action to take, as it shows that the Scrum Team is flexible and adaptive, and does not let uncertainty or ambiguity prevent them from delivering value. The Developers can use the Sprint Goal as a guide to select and refine the Product Backlog items during the Sprint, and collaborate with the Product Owner to ensure that they are meeting the expectations and needs of the stakeholders.

References:

The Scrum Guide, section 3.1 (The Sprint), page 8

The Scrum Guide, section 3.3 (The Sprint Goal), page 9

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

The Scrum Guide, section 3.7 (The Sprint Retrospective), page 12

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 6 (The Sprint Retrospective)

 As a Scrum Master, you could help the Product Owner by suggesting working with the program manager and the project managers of the other components on the ordering and the value of your open Product Backlog items to redefine the possible delivery date. This would allow you to collaborate with the stakeholders and align on the expectations and priorities of the product. You could also inspect and adapt your integration process and communication channels with the other teams to minimize the impact of changes and dependencies.

References:

The Scrum Guide 2020, section “The Scrum Master”

The Scrum Master Learning Path, module “The Scrum Master as a Coach”

The Professional Scrum Master II Course, topic “Stakeholder Management”