Scrum Theory and Values practice questions

Answer: A) Inspecting work that is not transparent is misleading, and inspection that leads to no adaptation is pointless

The Scrum Guide says transparency enables inspection and inspection enables adaptation. Inspection without transparency is misleading and wasteful, and inspection without adaptation is pointless, so the three pillars only work together.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says that transparency enables inspection and that inspection without transparency is misleading and wasteful. It also says that inspection enables adaptation and that inspection without adaptation is considered pointless. Each pillar depends on the one before it.
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Guide does not assign the pillars to specific accountabilities. The whole Scrum Team and its stakeholders take part in transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
• CIncorrect. This reverses the order: transparency enables inspection, which then enables adaptation. The Guide also says adjustments should be made as soon as possible, not held back for one event.
• DIncorrect. The pillars do not map one-to-one to events. The Scrum Guide describes the Sprint as containing four formal events for inspection and adaptation, all of which depend on transparent artifacts.

Answer: A) A lightweight framework that is purposefully incomplete, within which various processes and techniques can be employed

The 2020 Scrum Guide defines Scrum as a lightweight, purposefully incomplete framework. Teams can use various processes, techniques and methods within it.

• ACorrect. The 2020 Scrum Guide calls Scrum a lightweight framework. It says the framework is purposefully incomplete, defining only the parts needed to implement Scrum theory, and that various processes, techniques and methods can be employed within it.
• BIncorrect. The Guide says the rules of Scrum guide people's relationships and interactions instead of giving them detailed instructions. It also says the framework is purposefully incomplete.
• CIncorrect. Scrum is built on empiricism, and its events exist to inspect and adapt. It is not a fixed, defined process that guarantees results.
• DIncorrect. Scrum does not prescribe engineering techniques. The Guide says it wraps around existing practices or renders them unnecessary, and that other techniques can be used within it.

Answer: A) It includes stakeholders. The Guide states that the Scrum Team and its stakeholders are open about the work and the challenges.

The Scrum Guide states that the Scrum Team and its stakeholders are open about the work and the challenges. Openness therefore extends beyond the team to stakeholders.

• ACorrect. The 2020 Scrum Guide says: 'The Scrum Team and its stakeholders are open about the work and the challenges.' Openness is not limited to the team itself.
• BIncorrect. The Guide names stakeholders directly in its description of Openness. It does not make the Product Owner a filter for what stakeholders hear.
• CIncorrect. The Sprint Review is one place where stakeholders and the team work together, but the Guide's description of Openness is not limited to a single event.
• DIncorrect. The Guide describes Openness for the whole Scrum Team and its stakeholders, not only for the Developers or a single artifact.

Answer: A) The rules of Scrum

The 2020 Scrum Guide says that, rather than giving detailed instructions, the rules of Scrum guide relationships and interactions. Scrum stays deliberately incomplete and relies on the collective intelligence of the people using it.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide states: 'Rather than provide people with detailed instructions, the rules of Scrum guide their relationships and interactions.'
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Master serves the team and the organization, but the Guide says the rules of Scrum, not the Scrum Master's decisions, guide relationships and interactions.
• CIncorrect. Organizational standards can affect things like the Definition of Done, but the Guide names the rules of Scrum as what guides relationships and interactions.
• DIncorrect. The Product Owner orders the Product Backlog, but that ordering does not govern how the framework's elements relate and interact. The rules of Scrum do.

Answer: A) As soon as possible, to minimize further deviation

If any aspect of a process deviates outside acceptable limits, or if the resulting product is unacceptable, the adjustment must be made as soon as possible to minimize further deviation.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says that if any aspect of a process deviates outside acceptable limits, or if the resulting product is unacceptable, the adjustment must be made as soon as possible to minimize further deviation.
• BIncorrect. The Retrospective is a formal chance to plan improvements, but the Guide does not delay adaptation until then. Adjustments are made as soon as possible.
• CIncorrect. Adaptation does not wait for stakeholder approval at the Sprint Review. The people doing the work adjust as soon as possible to stop further deviation.
• DIncorrect. The Sprint Backlog is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned. Waiting until the Sprint ends would let the deviation grow.

Answer: A) An adjustment is required once a deviation moves outside acceptable limits, so some variation within those limits is tolerated

Under Scrum's adaptation pillar, an adjustment is required when a process deviates outside acceptable limits or the product is unacceptable. The adjustment must then be made as soon as possible.

• ACorrect. The Guide ties the requirement to adjust to deviation outside acceptable limits, or to an unacceptable product. This means some variation can be expected without forcing a change. When an adjustment is needed, the Guide says it must be made as soon as possible.
• BIncorrect. The Guide does not require escalating to management. The phrase 'acceptable limits' means not every small deviation calls for action, and adaptation is done by the people involved, who should be empowered to self-manage.
• CIncorrect. The Scrum Guide does not define numeric thresholds. What counts as acceptable depends on the product, the process and the context.
• DIncorrect. The Guide says an adjustment must be made as soon as possible to minimize further deviation. It does not say to wait for a particular event.

Answer: A) Adaptation is delayed, because process changes wait months instead of being made as soon as possible each Sprint

The Scrum Guide says adjustments must be made as soon as possible, and a Sprint Retrospective concludes every Sprint. A quarterly lessons-learned meeting that is detached from the Sprints delays adaptation and replaces a required event.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide requires adjustments to be made as soon as possible to minimize further deviation. It also places a Sprint Retrospective at the end of every Sprint so the team can plan improvements. A quarterly meeting that is cut off from the Sprints delays adaptation and replaces a required event.
• BIncorrect. Stakeholders inspect the Increment at the Sprint Review, which this scenario does not change. The problem here is how rarely the team inspects and adapts its own way of working, which is about adaptation.
• CIncorrect. The Sprint Retrospective is a required Scrum event that concludes every Sprint. Teams cannot replace it with an infrequent meeting and still be doing Scrum.
• DIncorrect. Refinement is an ongoing activity, and the scenario does not concern it. The issue is the delayed inspection and adaptation of the team's process, which goes to empiricism's adaptation pillar.

Answer: A) Focus, because the team's primary attention belongs on the work of the Sprint and progress toward its goals

The Scrum Guide describes Focus as the Scrum Team's primary focus being on the work of the Sprint to make the best possible progress toward its goals. Constant unrelated interruptions conflict most directly with this value.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says the Scrum Team's 'primary focus is on the work of the Sprint to make the best possible progress toward these goals.' Repeated diversion onto unrelated work directly undermines this value.
• BCommitment is about the team committing to its goals and to supporting each other. It is related, but the value that most directly covers keeping attention on the Sprint's work instead of unrelated requests is Focus.
• COpenness helps make the interruptions visible, but it describes being open about work and challenges. It does not describe where the team's attention should be during the Sprint.
• DCourage may help a Developer push back on interruptions, but the Scrum Guide ties it to doing the right thing and working on tough problems. Concentrating on the Sprint's work is the definition of Focus.

Answer: A) Sprints are one month or less; a longer horizon may invalidate the Sprint Goal, raise complexity and increase risk

Scrum uses an iterative, incremental approach to optimize predictability and control risk. Sprints are one month or less, because longer horizons may invalidate the Sprint Goal, raise complexity and increase risk.

• ACorrect. The Guide defines Sprints as fixed-length events of one month or less. It warns that when a Sprint's horizon is too long the Sprint Goal may become invalid, complexity may rise and risk may increase. It adds that shorter Sprints generate more learning cycles and limit risk of cost and effort to a smaller time frame.
• BIncorrect. Scrum is founded on empiricism: knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed. It controls risk through short iterative, incremental cycles, not extended upfront analysis.
• CIncorrect. The Guide makes no exception to the one-month-or-less limit for experienced teams.
• DIncorrect. The Guide directly links Sprint length to risk and complexity. The Definition of Done is the quality standard for the Increment, not the only way risk is managed.

Answer: A) No. Scrum has its roots in software product development but is adopted in many domains with complex work.

The Scrum Guide says Scrum has its roots in software product development but is adopted in many domains that involve essentially complex work. It uses the term 'Developers' inclusively for researchers, analysts, scientists, and other specialists.

• ACorrect. The Scrum Guide says Scrum is being adopted in many domains holding essentially complex work, beyond software product development where Scrum has its roots.
• BIncorrect. The Scrum Guide doesn't restrict Scrum to software. It explicitly notes that Scrum is adopted in many domains with complex work beyond software product development.
• CIncorrect. The Scrum Guide says that 'Developers' is not meant to exclude anyone and covers researchers, analysts, scientists, and other specialists.
• DIncorrect. In the Scrum Guide, Developers are the people committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint. The word is used inclusively and doesn't mean software engineers.