Free Scrum SPS Practice Exam with Questions & Answers

The Nexus Sprint Retrospective is an event that occurs at the end of the Sprint where the Nexus, which is a group of approximately three to nine Scrum Teams working on the same product, plans ways to increase quality and effectiveness across the whole Nexus 11. The purpose of the Nexus Sprint Retrospective is to inspect and adapt the Nexus framework, the integrated work, the processes, the tools, and the interactions among the Scrum Teams 11. Therefore, statement C is correct.

The Nexus Sprint Retrospective follows a three-step process: first, representatives from each Scrum Team identify issues that affect multiple teams; second, each Scrum Team conducts its own Sprint Retrospective; and third, representatives from each team meet again to discuss any actions needed based on the shared challenges 112233. The Nexus Sprint Retrospective enables bottom-up intelligence to improve how the Scrum Teams in a Nexus are working together, as it allows the teams to share their insights, learn from each other, and collaborate on solutions 44. Therefore, statement A is also correct.

Statement B is incorrect because the Nexus Sprint Retrospective is not a forum for management to see how the Nexus is performing, but rather a time for the Nexus to self-organize and self-improve 1144. Statement D is incorrect because the Nexus Sprint Retrospective is not a single meeting to inspect and adapt how all Scrum Teams work together, but rather a combination of three meetings that involve both individual and collective reflection and action 112233.

When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on the same product, each team should not maintain a separate Product Backlog. According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Backlog is the single source of truth for the product, and it is owned and managed by the Product Owner 11. Having multiple Product Backlogs for the same product would create confusion, inconsistency, and duplication among the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders. It would also compromise the transparency, the alignment, and the value of the product development.

Instead of having separate Product Backlogs, the Scrum Teams should work from a common Product Backlog that reflects the vision, the goal, and the priorities of the product 22. The Product Owner should collaborate and communicate with the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders to ensure that the Product Backlog is clear, refined, and ordered. The Scrum Teams should coordinate and integrate their work to deliver a single Integrated Increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Product Goal every Sprint 33.

The purpose of the Nexus Sprint Backlog is to provide a view of dependent Product Backlog items in a Sprint and to make dependencies transparent to the Scrum Teams 15. The Nexus Sprint Backlog is a composite of the Product Backlog items from the Sprint Backlogs of the individual Scrum Teams, and it is used to highlight dependencies and the flow of work during the Sprint. It is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned 21324354.

The other answers are not correct for the following reasons:

• A. To make the work of the Nexus Integration Team transparent. This answer is not accurate because the Nexus Sprint Backlog does not only show the work of the Nexus Integration Team, but also the work of all the Scrum Teams in the Nexus. The Nexus Integration Team is responsible for facilitating the integration and delivery of the work done by the Scrum Teams, but it does not select or assign the work for them 15.
• C. To visualize all Product Backlog items. This answer is not true because the Nexus Sprint Backlog does not contain all the Product Backlog items, but only the ones that the developers in the Nexus believe are necessary to achieve the Nexus Sprint Goal. The Product Backlog is the single source of requirements for the product, and it is managed and ordered by the Product Owner 15.

When six new Scrum Teams are working on one product, they should form a Nexus, which is a framework for scaling Scrum 11. A Nexus has a single Product Owner who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work performed and integrated by the Scrum Teams 1122. Therefore, statement D is correct.

A Nexus also works off a single Product Backlog, which is an ordered list of the work to be done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 11. The Product Backlog has a single source of requirements and priorities for the product, and it is managed by the Product Owner 1122. Therefore, statement C is also correct.

Statements A, B, and E are incorrect because they imply that each Scrum Team has its own Product Owner and Product Backlog, which would create confusion, inconsistency, and duplication of work. Having multiple Product Owners and Product Backlogs would also undermine the transparency and alignment that are essential for scaling Scrum 1122.

The purpose of Nexus Sprint Retrospective is all of the above, meaning that it aims to:

• Plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness across the whole Nexus. The Nexus Sprint Retrospective is a formal opportunity for a Nexus to inspect and adapt itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint to ensure continuous improvement 11.
• To inspect how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, teams, interactions, processes, tools, and its Definition of Done. The Nexus Sprint Retrospective follows the same format and principles as the Scrum Team Sprint Retrospective, but at a larger scale. The Nexus inspects the aspects of the product development that affect the Nexus as a whole, such as the collaboration, the integration, the dependencies, the quality, and the value 22.
• To complement the Scrum Teams’ Sprint Retrospectives by using bottom-up intelligence to focus on issues that affect the Nexus as a whole. The Nexus Sprint Retrospective does not replace the Scrum Teams’ Sprint Retrospectives, but rather enhances them by using the input and output from the individual teams to identify and address the shared challenges and opportunities 33.

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key artifacts in the Nexus framework is the Integrated Increment, which is the integrated aggregation of all work completed by all the Scrum Teams in a Nexus 11.

In Scenario A, the Nexus Sprint Review is not conducted effectively. The teams are not using a shared environment to demonstrate the Integrated Increment, but rather showing their individual work. This means that the stakeholders cannot see the whole product and how it works together. The teams are also delaying the integration of their work, which can lead to quality issues, technical debt, and increased complexity 11. The stakeholders do not provide much feedback, which means that the Nexus cannot adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the customers and users. The event ends without any clear outcomes or next steps.

What could help this Nexus create a single Integrated Increment for inspection at the Nexus Sprint Review is:

• Enforce a Definition of Done across the entire Nexus that includes integration. This is answer B. This is a valid answer because the Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product 11. The Definition of Done is used to assess when work is complete on the product Increment 11. The Definition of Done is defined by the Nexus and applies to all the work done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 11. The Definition of Done should include integration as one of the criteria, which means that the work done by the teams should be integrated frequently and continuously throughout the Sprint 11. By enforcing a Definition of Done that includes integration, the Nexus can ensure that the Integrated Increment is usable and potentially releasable, which means it meets the quality standards and expectations of the stakeholders 11.

The other three answers are not correct because:

• Reserve the last few days of the Sprint for testing and integration. This is answer A. This is not a valid answer because reserving the last few days of the Sprint for testing and integration is not a good practice. It implies that the teams are not testing and integrating their work throughout the Sprint, but rather doing it at the end of the Sprint. This can lead to quality issues, technical debt, and increased complexity 11. It also reduces the time available for inspection and adaptation, which are essential for empiricism and agility 11.
• Have the Nexus Integration Team integrate all the work as early as possible. This is answer C. This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Integration Team is not the only one responsible for integrating all the work. The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the teams in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the integration of the work, but does not do it for the teams 11. The teams are responsible for integrating their own work and delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11.
• Have a Sprint dedicated to integration. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because having a Sprint dedicated to integration is not consistent with Scrum or Nexus. Scrum and Nexus require that the teams deliver a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11. Having a Sprint dedicated to integration means that the teams are not delivering any value or receiving any feedback in that Sprint 11. It also means that the teams are accumulating technical debt and complexity that will make integration more difficult and risky 11.

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key artifacts in the Nexus framework is the Integrated Increment, which is the integrated aggregation of all work completed by all the Scrum Teams in a Nexus 112.

When multiple Scrum Teams work on a product at the same time, the statements that are true are:

• The different Scrum Teams coordinate their work to deliver a single Increment. This is answer A. This is a valid answer because the different Scrum Teams in a Nexus are not working in isolation, but rather collaborating and coordinating their work to deliver a single Increment 113. The single Increment is the Integrated Increment, which is the sum of all the work done by the Scrum Teams in a Sprint that meets the Definition of Done 112. The single Increment is the potentially releasable outcome of the Sprint, which means it meets the quality standards and expectations of the stakeholders 112.
• The Developers must integrate their work before the end of the Sprint. This is answer C. This is a valid answer because the Developers are the people who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 114. The Developers must integrate their work before the end of the Sprint, which means they must combine and verify their work frequently and continuously throughout the Sprint 114. The integration of the work is essential for ensuring the quality and usability of the product, as well as for validating the assumptions and learning from the feedback 114.

The other three answers are not correct because:

• Each Scrum Team develops one or more product components which the Nexus Integration team uses to assemble the Integrated Increment. This is answer B. This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Integration Team is not the one who assembles the Integrated Increment. The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 11[5]. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the integration of the work, but does not do it for the teams 11[5]. The teams are responsible for integrating their own work and delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11[5].
• They are all on the same Scrum Team. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because they are not all on the same Scrum Team. A Scrum Team is a small group of people who are cross-functional and self-organizing, and who deliver a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11[6]. A Scrum Team usually consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and a few Developers 11[6]. When multiple Scrum Teams work on a product at the same time, they are not on the same Scrum Team, but rather on different Scrum Teams that form a Nexus 11[6]. A Nexus is a group of three to nine Scrum Teams who work on a single product and who share a common Product Backlog, a common Definition of Done, and a common Sprint Goal 11[6].
• The Scrum of Scrums assembles the components into an Integrated Increment. This is answer E. This is not a valid answer because the Scrum of Scrums is not a part of the Nexus framework. The Scrum of Scrums is a term that is sometimes used to describe a coordination mechanism for multiple Scrum Teams, where representatives from each team meet regularly to share information and align their work [7][7]. The Scrum of Scrums is not a formal event or role in Scrum or Nexus, and it is not the one who assembles the components into an Integrated Increment [7][7]. The teams are responsible for integrating their own work and delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11[5].

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key events in the Nexus framework is the Nexus Sprint Planning, which is used to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11.

In Scenario B, the Nexus is developing a complex product with different parts that only certain teams can work on. There are also some highly specialized individuals outside the Nexus that are required for some of the work. In past Sprints, the Nexus encountered challenges dealing with the many dependencies between teams. Dependencies are the relationships between the work items that affect the order, timing, or outcome of the work 22. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality 22. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve dependencies as early and as often as possible 22.

The two strategies that would be most effective in dealing with the dependencies are:

• Discover and document dependent work during Cross-Team Refinement of the Product Backlog, so teams are aware of dependencies before Nexus Sprint Planning. This will allow Nexus Sprint Planning to focus on resolving dependencies for the upcoming Sprint. This is answer A. This is a valid strategy because Cross-Team Refinement is an activity where representatives from each team in the Nexus meet to decompose and refine the Product Backlog items into smaller pieces of work that can be delivered by a single team or multiple teams 11. By doing this, the teams can discover and document the dependent work that needs to be done by other teams or external parties 11. This will help the teams to be aware of the dependencies before the Nexus Sprint Planning and to prepare for them 11. This will also allow the Nexus Sprint Planning to focus on resolving the dependencies for the upcoming Sprint, rather than spending time on identifying them 11.
• During Nexus Sprint Planning, have appropriate representatives from each team in the Nexus briefly meet to discuss dependencies for the upcoming Sprint. This conversation will help their individual team’s Sprint Planning. This is answer C. This is a valid strategy because Nexus Sprint Planning is an event where the Nexus, consisting of the Product Owner and appropriate representatives from each team, meet to plan the Sprint 11. The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11. The result of Nexus Sprint Planning is a Nexus Sprint Goal that aligns with the Product Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog that contains the work to be done by the teams to achieve the Nexus Sprint Goal 11. During Nexus Sprint Planning, the representatives from each team can briefly meet to discuss the dependencies for the upcoming Sprint and how to resolve them 11. This conversation will help their individual team’s Sprint Planning, where they can create their own team Sprint Goal and team Sprint Backlog that support the Nexus Sprint Goal and the Nexus Sprint Backlog 11.

The other two answers are not correct because:

• Have the Nexus Integration Team order the Nexus Sprint Backlog. They should control and resolve the dependencies. This is answer B. This is not a valid strategy because the Nexus Integration Team is not the owner or the controller of the Nexus Sprint Backlog. The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the teams in the Nexus 1[1][5]. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the Nexus Sprint Planning, but does not order or dictate the Nexus Sprint Backlog 1[1][5]. The Nexus Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Nexus, not by the Nexus Integration Team 1[1][5]. The Nexus Integration Team helps the teams to identify and resolve the dependencies, but does not control or impose them 1[1][5].
• Gather all people in the Nexus into a 48-hour Nexus Sprint Planning event. Discover, document, and resolve dependencies during this time. This is answer D. This is not a valid strategy because gathering all people in the Nexus into a 48-hour Nexus Sprint Planning event is not feasible, efficient, or effective. The Nexus Sprint Planning is not meant to be a long and exhaustive event that involves all people in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is meant to be a short and focused event that involves only the Product Owner and appropriate representatives from each team in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is not meant to be the only time to discover, document, and resolve dependencies 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is meant to be the time to coordinate the activities of the teams for the upcoming Sprint and to create a Nexus Sprint Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog 11. The discovery, documentation, and resolution of dependencies should be done continuously throughout the Sprint, not only during the Nexus Sprint Planning 11.

The true statements regarding using Scrum for large-scale product delivery are:

• A. Splitting a team member’s time between multiple Scrum Teams is often less productive than focusing that team member on a single team’s Sprint Backlog. This statement is true because splitting a team member’s time between multiple teams can cause context switching, communication overhead, coordination challenges, and reduced commitment and accountability. It can also reduce the team’s ability to self-organize and deliver a potentially releasable product increment at the end of each Sprint. Therefore, it is recommended that team members focus on one team’s Sprint Backlog and work as a cross-functional and cohesive unit 1122.
• D. A well-structured and refined Product Backlog can minimize and often eliminate dependencies between multiple Scrum Teams working together on a product during a Sprint. This statement is true because a well-structured and refined Product Backlog can help the Product Owner and the Scrum Teams to identify and prioritize the most valuable and feasible work items, and to decompose them into smaller and independent pieces that can be delivered by one or more teams. This can reduce the complexity and risk of integration and dependency management, and increase the flow and quality of value delivery 3344.

The other statements are false for the following reasons:

• B. Scrum requires all team members work full time on a single team. This statement is false because Scrum does not prescribe how team members allocate their time or effort. Scrum only defines the roles, events, artifacts, and rules that guide the empirical process of product development. However, as mentioned above, it is often more productive and effective for team members to focus on one team’s Sprint Backlog and avoid splitting their time between multiple teams [5].
• C. Changes to the core Scrum framework are needed to be successful with Scrum at large-scale. This statement is false because Scrum is a lightweight and adaptable framework that can be applied to any complex product development context, regardless of the size or scale. Scrum does not need to be changed or modified to be successful at large-scale, but rather scaled up or down according to the needs and goals of the product organization. There are various frameworks and approaches that can help scale Scrum, such as Nexus, LeSS, SAFe, and Scrum@Scale, but they all adhere to the core principles and values of Scrum [6] [7].

Moving away from component teams toward feature teams is a significant change that should be considered carefully. Here are some of the factors that should be taken into account:

• Feature teams have less communication overhead than component teams, as they are able to deliver end-to-end customer features without relying on other teams or components 11. This reduces the complexity and the dependencies among the teams, and improves the transparency and the feedback loop. Feature teams also foster more collaboration and cross-functional learning among the team members, as they have to work on different aspects of the product 22.
• When making this change, it helps to have support from the organization, as it may require a shift in the culture, the structure, and the processes of the company 33. The organization should provide the necessary resources, training, and coaching to the teams to help them adopt the feature team model. The organization should also align its goals, incentives, and metrics with the feature team approach, and remove any barriers or impediments that may hinder the teams’ performance 44.
• Productivity may decrease when making this kind of change, as the teams may face some challenges and difficulties in the transition period 55. For example, the teams may have to learn new skills, technologies, or domains that they are not familiar with. The teams may also have to deal with legacy code, technical debt, or integration issues that may slow down their delivery. The teams may also experience some resistance or conflict from the existing component teams or stakeholders. Therefore, the teams should expect some temporary setbacks and losses in productivity, and focus on continuous improvement and adaptation.

The other options are not correct for the following reasons:

• With feature teams, it is not easier to calculate the productivity per team, as productivity is not a simple or straightforward metric to measure in software development [6]. Productivity depends on various factors, such as the quality, the value, the complexity, and the customer satisfaction of the product. Moreover, focusing on the productivity per team may create a competitive or individualistic mindset among the teams, rather than a collaborative or collective one. The teams should focus on delivering the best possible product Increment that meets the Product Goal and the Definition of Done, rather than on maximizing their productivity [7].
• You can do Scrum without feature teams, as Scrum does not prescribe any specific team structure or organization [8]. Scrum only requires that the Scrum Team is cross-functional, self-organizing, and accountable for delivering a potentially releasable product Increment every Sprint [9]. However, feature teams are generally more aligned with the Scrum values and principles, as they enable the teams to deliver customer-centric features faster and more frequently, and to respond to changes more effectively [10]. Therefore, feature teams are recommended, but not mandatory, for Scrum.