Free Scrum PSM-I Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 4

Three topics for the Developers to discuss at the Daily Scrum as they inspect their progress toward the Sprint Goal are:

What have we learned since yesterday, and how should we modify our plan to increase our ability to meet the Sprint Goal?

Are there any impediments blocking progress toward the Sprint Goal?

Are there any decisions that need to be made to maintain progress toward the Sprint Goal?

These topics are suggested by [6]: “The structure of the meeting is set by the Developers and can be conducted in different ways if it focuses on progress toward the Sprint Goal. Some Development Teams will use questions, some will be more discussion based.”

The timebox for the Sprint Review is four hours for a one-month Sprint, as stated in [4]: “The Sprint Review is held at the end of the Sprint to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if needed. During the event, the Scrum Team and stakeholders review what was accomplished in the Sprint and what has changed in their environment. Based on this information, attendees collaborate on what to do next. The Product Owner explains what Product Backlog items have been “Done” and what has not been “Done”; additionally, they discuss any changes to scope or budget or potential value. The entire group then collaborates on what to do next, so that the Sprint Review provides valuable input to subsequent Sprint Planning. The Sprint Review is a working session and attendees should inspect based on facts. A Sprint Review is held at the end of every Sprint for a maximum duration of four hours for a one-month Sprint.”

According to the Scrum Guide, Developers do meet with stakeholders, especially during the Sprint Review and Sprint Planning events. The Product Owner is the primary person who interacts with stakeholders, but Developers also need to communicate with them to understand their needs, expectations, and feedback. The Product Owner may also invite stakeholders to provide clarifications or inputs during the Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers of the Scrum Team. The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work. The Daily Scrum optimizes the probability that the Developers will meet the Sprint Goal. Every day, the Developers should understand how they intend to work together as a self-organizing team to accomplish the Sprint Goal and create the anticipated Increment by the end of the Sprint. Management external to the Scrum Team is not involved in the Daily Scrum, as they may interfere with the self-management and empowerment of the Developers.

The correct answers are D and E, because these are two activities that a Product Owner can engage in during a Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “the Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from work of the Development Team.” Therefore, the Product Owner can answer questions from the Development Team about items in the current Sprint, and work with the stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations.

 The Scrum Master should be concerned about the ability of the Development Teams to produce integrated Increments, as this is one of the goals of Scrum. The Scrum Master should also encourage the Development Teams to figure out a solution for themselves, as this fosters self-management and collaboration. The other options are not relevant or important for the Scrum Master in this situation.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , when multiple Scrum Teams are working together on one product, they must coordinate their work with each other. One way to do this is through Nexus, a framework for scaling Scrum. Nexus helps to reduce cross-team dependencies and integration issues by making them more transparent. The key concern when multiple Development Teams are working from the same Product Backlog is minimizing dependencies between teams so that they can deliver an integrated Increment that meets the definition of “Done”.

The correct answers are C, E, and F, because these phrases best describe the purpose of a definition of “Done”. It creates transparency over the work inspected at the Sprint Review, as it defines what it means for an Increment to be potentially releasable. It guides the Development Team in creating a forecast at the Sprint Planning, as it helps them estimate how much work they can accomplish in a Sprint. It defines what it takes for an Increment to be ready for release, as it ensures that the product meets the quality expectations of the stakeholders.

The correct answer is A. During the Sprint, the Product Owner remains actively engaged with the Scrum Team, especially by helping clarify Product Backlog items and answering questions from the Developers about the work selected for the Sprint. This supports transparency and helps the Developers better understand the desired outcome, business context, and value of the work.

Option B is incorrect because the Sprint Backlog belongs to the Developers. They organize the work required to meet the Sprint Goal and manage the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint. The Product Owner does not prioritize the Developers’ tasks inside the Sprint. Option C is incorrect because the Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers. The Product Owner does not run it. Option D is incorrect because updating management is not defined as a Product Owner accountability during the Sprint.

The Product Owner’s key accountability is maximizing product value, primarily through Product Backlog management and collaboration with the Scrum Team. During a Sprint, that often includes clarifying items, answering questions, and helping the team stay aligned on value and product direction. This makes Option A the best answer.

In Scrum, the Developers have the autonomy to manage their work and the Sprint Backlog. When an unexpected request comes in, even from someone as authoritative as the CEO, it should not be added directly to the Sprint Backlog without discussion.  The correct approach is for the Developers to discuss the new item with the Product Owner and the rest of the Scrum Team to understand its impact on the current Sprint Goal and to collaboratively decide the best course of action 1 2 .

This is in line with the Scrum values of  Courage ,  Focus ,  Commitment ,  Respect , and  Openness .  The team must have the courage to push back on changes that could disrupt their Sprint Goal, stay focused on their commitments, respect the agreed-upon process, and be open about the implications of introducing new work mid-Sprint 1 .

The Scrum Guide also states that once the Sprint begins, no one can force the Development Team to work on different requirements than those they forecasted for the Sprint 1 . If the CEO’s request is deemed important enough to warrant a change in the Sprint’s direction, it may lead to a negotiation of scope with the Product Owner or, in extreme cases, to the cancellation of the Sprint if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.  However, these are decisions that should be made collaboratively by the entire Scrum Team, not unilaterally by any single member, regardless of their position in the company