The Scrum Team practice questions

Answer: A) The Scrum Guide sets no co-location requirement; distributed members can fulfill their accountabilities and hold every event.

The Scrum Guide does not require co-location. A distributed Scrum Team can fulfill all its accountabilities and hold all events, as long as it stays one cohesive team without sub-teams.

• ACorrect. The Guide describes the team's composition, accountabilities, and events without requiring members to share a physical location. Distributed teams can practice Scrum.
• BIncorrect. 'Same time and place' is there to reduce complexity. It does not require a physical office, and a consistent virtual place meets the guidance.
• CIncorrect. The Scrum Guide has no rule about where the Scrum Master or Product Owner must be located relative to the Developers.
• DIncorrect. The Guide says a Scrum Team has no sub-teams or hierarchies, and a product has a single Product Owner and a single Product Backlog.

Answer: A) Guiding the organization's Scrum adoption through leadership, training, and coaching, and advising on how Scrum is implemented

The Scrum Guide says the Scrum Master serves the organization by leading, training, and coaching it in its Scrum adoption and by planning and advising Scrum implementations. It does not give the Scrum Master authority over standards, backlog ordering, or staffing.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says the Scrum Master serves the organization by leading, training, and coaching it in its Scrum adoption, and by planning and advising Scrum implementations within it.
• BIncorrect. The Guide says that if the Definition of Done is part of the organization's standards, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum. It does not make the Scrum Master the one who sets that standard.
• CIncorrect. Managing and ordering the Product Backlog is the Product Owner's accountability. When several teams work on one product, they share one Product Owner.
• DIncorrect. The Guide gives the Scrum Master no authority to assign people or work. Scrum Teams are self-managing and decide internally who does what, when, and how.

Answer: A) This is inconsistent with Scrum; how to turn Product Backlog items into Increments is decided by the Developers, and the Scrum Master coaches self-management

The Scrum Guide gives the Developers sole discretion over how they turn Product Backlog items into Increments. A Scrum Master establishes Scrum by teaching and coaching, not by making technical decisions.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says how the work is done is 'at the sole discretion of the Developers' and that no one else tells them how to turn Product Backlog items into Increments. The Scrum Master establishes Scrum by helping people understand Scrum theory and practice and by coaching self-management.
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Master's accountability for effectiveness is met by improving practices within the Scrum framework and by coaching. It does not mean making the Developers' technical decisions.
• CIncorrect. The Scrum Guide has no transition period in which someone outside the Developers decides how the work is done. The Scrum Master coaches self-management from the start.
• DIncorrect. The Product Owner decides what is most valuable, not how it is built. Neither the Product Owner nor the Scrum Master tells the Developers how to create Increments.

Answer: A) I'm accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness, and I meet that by enabling you to improve your practices within Scrum.

The Scrum Guide makes the Scrum Master accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness. The Scrum Master meets this accountability by enabling the team to improve its own practices within the Scrum framework, not by directing the team's work.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says the Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness and does this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices within the Scrum framework. This matches the Scrum Master's role as a true leader who serves the team and coaches it in self-management.
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Guide makes the Product Owner, not the Scrum Master, accountable for maximizing the value of the product. The Scrum Master's accountability is the Scrum Team's effectiveness.
• CIncorrect. Facilitation is only one of many ways the Scrum Master serves the team. The Scrum Master is accountable for the team's effectiveness, which includes coaching self-management and removing impediments. The role is not limited to scheduling events.
• DIncorrect. The Scrum Guide does not make the Scrum Master accountable for the Developers' output and does not mention velocity. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness.

Answer: A) Ensuring the Product Backlog is transparent, visible, and understood

The Scrum Guide lists ensuring the Product Backlog is transparent, visible, and understood among the Product Owner's Product Backlog management activities. This activity is what helps stakeholders see upcoming work and why it is prioritized.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide lists ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible, and understood among the Product Owner's Product Backlog management activities. The Product Owner's decisions show in the content and ordering of the Product Backlog, so a transparent backlog lets stakeholders see what is coming and why.
• BIncorrect. Sprint Planning covers only the upcoming Sprint: why it is valuable, what can be Done, and how the work will get done. It does not produce forecasts for several future Sprints, and making the Product Backlog understood is the Product Owner's accountability.
• CIncorrect. The Scrum Master can help by facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed. Accountability for a transparent and understood Product Backlog stays with the Product Owner.
• DIncorrect. The Product Backlog is emergent and is adapted as new information comes in. Committing the content of future Sprints in advance goes against empiricism and does not reflect how the Scrum Guide describes Product Backlog management.

Answer: A) Scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned, but no changes should be made that would endanger the Sprint Goal

• AThe Scrum Guide's 'During the Sprint' section states that scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned — but no changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal, meaning the new item can be discussed, but the Sprint Goal itself must remain protected.
• BThis overstates the restriction — the Scrum Guide specifically allows scope to be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned during the Sprint; what's specifically protected is the Sprint Goal, not every detail of scope.
• CThis overstates the Product Owner's unilateral authority mid-Sprint — the Scrum Guide describes scope being renegotiated (implying discussion), with the key constraint being that no change should endanger the Sprint Goal.
• DThis isn't how the Scrum Guide describes this — scope renegotiation during the Sprint happens between the Developers and the Product Owner, with the key constraint being protecting the Sprint Goal, not requiring separate Scrum Master approval for the discussion itself.

Answer: A) A true leader who serves the Scrum Team and organization, accountable for establishing Scrum

The Scrum Guide describes the Scrum Master as accountable for establishing Scrum and for the Scrum Team's effectiveness, acting as a true leader who serves. It does not describe a line manager, project manager or supervisor.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says the Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Guide, and that Scrum Masters are true leaders who serve the Scrum Team and the larger organization.
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Guide describes no such accountability. The Scrum Master's role is about establishing Scrum and making the team effective, not about line management.
• CIncorrect. The Developers create and adapt their own Sprint plan, and Scrum Teams are self-managing. The Scrum Master coaches self-management and does not assign work.
• DIncorrect. The Guide does not describe the Scrum Master as a supervisor tracking individual output. Developers hold each other accountable as professionals, and the Scrum Master serves the team.

Answer: A) Helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items

One way the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner, according to the Scrum Guide, is by helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items. The Scrum Master doesn't write, approve or take over the items.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide lists this among the ways the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner, together with helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management.
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Guide describes the Scrum Master helping the team see why items need to be clear. It doesn't describe the Scrum Master taking over the writing of item details.
• CIncorrect. The Scrum Master has no approval gate over Product Backlog items. The Product Owner is accountable for Product Backlog management, and refinement is done by the Scrum Team.
• DIncorrect. The Product Owner may delegate work, but remains accountable. The Scrum Guide describes the Scrum Master as helping and coaching, not as taking over Product Backlog management.

Answer: A) Serving the Product Owner

The Scrum Guide lists helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management as a way the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide lists 'helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management' as one way the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner.
• BIncorrect. Serving the Scrum Team covers things like coaching in self-management and cross-functionality, removing impediments, and making sure events take place and are productive. Product Goal and Product Backlog management techniques are listed under serving the Product Owner.
• CIncorrect. Serving the organization covers things like leading and coaching Scrum adoption, planning Scrum implementations, and removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams. It does not cover Product Goal and Product Backlog techniques.
• DIncorrect. The Scrum Guide describes three ways the Scrum Master serves: the Scrum Team, the Product Owner and the organization. Serving the stakeholders is not one of them.

Answer: A) Ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive, and kept within the timebox

Under how the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team, the Scrum Guide includes ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive, and kept within the timebox. This does not mean running every event or making decisions for the team.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide lists this, word for word, as one of the ways the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team. Coaching self-management, helping the team focus on Done Increments, and causing impediments to be removed are on the same list.
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Master makes sure the events happen and are effective, but does not have to run each one. For example, the Daily Scrum belongs to the Developers. The Scrum Master also does not make decisions for a self-managing team.
• CIncorrect. The Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog. It is not a status meeting for stakeholders.
• DIncorrect. The Scrum Master's job is to make sure all Scrum events take place. Skipping an event means losing a chance to inspect and adapt.