Free Practice Questions for Scrum Alliance CSM Exam

Thetypical size of an effective Scrum Team is ten or fewer people, as stated in the2020 Scrum Guide. This includes the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. Smaller teams ensure better communication, collaboration, and effectiveness, as larger teams can introduce inefficiencies and coordination challenges.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Size doesn't matter as long as the Scrum Master coordinates the work in collaboration with the Product Owner:Scrum Teams are self-managing and self-organizing; they do not rely on the Scrum Master to coordinate work. Team size does matter for effectiveness.

C. Bigger teams communicate better, are more productive and produce better results:Larger teams often face communication and coordination challenges, reducing productivity and effectiveness.

D. When a team expands beyond ten, activities, like verification and operations, are assigned to a different team:Scrum encourages cross-functional teams that handle all activities required to deliver a usable Increment without assigning work to other teams.

If a Scrum Team becomes too large, the team shouldreorganize into multiple cohesive Scrum Teamsthat share the sameProduct GoalandProduct Backlog. This approach ensures that all teams remain focused on delivering value while maintaining transparency and alignment.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

Theideal sizefor a Scrum Team is small enough to remain nimble (typically 10 or fewerpeople).

When a Scrum Team becomes too large, it should form multiple smaller teams, all working from the same Product Backlog and pursuing the same Product Goal.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Split into sub-teams based on function:Scrum encourages cross-functional teams, so dividing based on function contradicts Scrum principles.

C. Divide into separate teams each with their own Product Owner:A single Product Owner should manage the Product Backlog to ensure alignment and avoid conflicting priorities.

D. Do nothing and focus on delivering a usable product Increment:Not addressing the issue of an oversized team can lead to inefficiencies and reduced team effectiveness.

The Scrum Master is aservant leader, focused on enabling the Scrum Team to work effectively. By taking action to resolve the Developer's impediment (lack of hardware), the Scrum Masterdemonstratesleadershipby facilitating the team’s progress and ensuring they can meet the Sprint Goal.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by:

Removing Impediments: Resolving obstacles that block the team’s progress is a key responsibility of the Scrum Master.

Supporting Team Effectiveness: By addressing issues outside the team’s control, the Scrum Master ensures that the Developers can focus on their work.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Disciplinarian:A Scrum Master does not enforce rules or discipline team members. They lead by fostering collaboration and resolving issues, not by control.

B. Project Manager:Scrum Masters do not perform traditional project management tasks like resource allocation or task assignment. Their role is to serve and support the team rather than manage it.

C. Authoritarian:The Scrum Master is not an authoritarian leader. Their approach is grounded in servant leadership, enabling and empowering the team rather than commanding it.

TheSprint Backlogis owned solely by theDevelopers, as they are responsible for planning, managing, and executing the work required to meet the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Backlog is ahighly visible, real-time planfor delivering the Increment. It includes:

TheSprint Goal.

The set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint.

A plan for delivering the Increment.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Developers:

Have full ownership and accountability over the Sprint Backlog.

Decide how to adapt their work plan daily to achieve the Sprint Goal.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Scrum Master:The Scrum Master facilitates the Scrum process but does not own the Sprint Backlog.

C. Product Owner:The Product Owner manages the Product Backlog, not the Sprint Backlog.

D. Scrum Team:While the Sprint Goal is owned by the entire Scrum Team, the Sprint Backlog is specifically managed and executed by the Developers.

Product Backlog management is primarily the responsibility of theProduct Owner. One of their key activities is toclearly express Product Backlog items, ensuring they are transparent and understandable for the Developers. This helps the Scrum Team deliver valuable Increments.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, Product Backlog management includes:

Clearly expressing Product Backlog items.

Ordering the items to maximize value.

Ensuring the Product Backlog is transparent, visible, and understood.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Creating Sprint tasks:Sprint tasks are part of the Developers’ detailed planning during the Sprint and are not part of Product Backlog management.

C. Facilitating the Daily Scrum:This is a responsibility of the Developers, and the Scrum Master may only facilitate if explicitly requested.

D. Planning the Sprint Backlog:The Sprint Backlog is planned during Sprint Planning and is primarily the Developers' responsibility, not part of Product Backlog management.

Scrumis a lightweight framework designed to help teams and organizations addresscomplex problemsand deliver value in an adaptive manner. It is based on the principles of empiricism (transparency, inspection, and adaptation) and is widely used for developing, delivering, and sustaining products in a flexible and iterative way.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, Scrum is:

A lightweight framework that helps people, teams, and organizationsgenerate valuethroughadaptive solutionsfor complex problems.

Defined by roles, events, artifacts, and rules that are intentionally simple yet highly effective.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Kanban:Kanban is a method for visualizing work and improving flow, but it is not a framework specifically designed for solving complex problems like Scrum.

C. Agile:Agile is a broader philosophy or mindset that includes various frameworks (such as Scrum, Kanban, etc.), but Scrum itself is a specific framework.

D. Waterfall:Waterfall is a traditional, sequential approach to project management that lacks the flexibility and adaptiveness of Scrum.

ScrumArtifactsrepresent work or value, providing transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation. TheSprint Backlogis one of the three primary Scrum Artifacts defined in the2020 Scrum Guide:

Product Backlog: The ordered list of everything that is needed in the product.

Sprint Backlog: The plan for the Sprint, including the Sprint Goal, selected Product Backlog items, and the work plan for delivering the Increment.

Increment: The sum of all work completed during a Sprint that meets the Definition of Done.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Definition of Done:While critical to ensuring quality, the Definition of Done is not an Artifact but rather a standard that applies to the Increment.

C. Sprint Goal:The Sprint Goal is part of the Sprint Backlog but is not a standalone Artifact.

D. Sprint Burndown Chart:This is a complementary tool used for tracking progress but is not an official Artifact in Scrum.

When the Scrum Team does not understand the goal, scope, or product domain, theScrum Master should facilitate a discussion between the Stakeholders, Product Owner, and Developers. This ensures clarity and shared understanding, enabling the team to move forward effectively.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the team by:

Facilitating stakeholder collaborationas needed.

Ensuring that the Product Backlog is understoodby the Scrum Team.

Removing any barriers that hinder the team's ability to achieve the Sprint Goal.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Direct the Developers to stop working until the Product Owner improves the acceptance criteria:Stopping work is not productive, and collaboration with the Product Owner and stakeholders is the proper approach to resolving misunderstandings.

B. Cancel the Sprint and schedule a new Planning meeting:Cancelling the Sprint should be an absolute last resort and is typically done only when the Sprint Goal becomes unachievable.

C. Do nothing because this is the responsibility of the Product Owner:While the Product Owner owns the Product Backlog, the Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating collaboration and resolving impediments.

TheDaily Scrumis the event where impediments to achieving the Sprint Goal are shared. It is a time-boxed event (15 minutes) held every day during the Sprint. During this event, the Developers inspect their progress toward the Sprint Goal and identify any blockers or impediments that need to be addressed.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

The Developers use the Daily Scrum to inspect progress andadapt their planto achieve the Sprint Goal.

Impediments are raised and addressed by the Scrum Master if they cannot be resolved by the team.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Sprint Planning:Sprint Planning is focused on creating the Sprint Goal and selecting Product Backlog items for the Sprint, not sharing impediments.

C. Sprint Retrospective:The Retrospective focuses on process improvements and team dynamics, not day-to-day impediments during the Sprint.

D. Sprint Review:The Sprint Review is about presenting the Increment and gathering feedback, not resolving impediments.