Free Practice Questions for Scrum PSPO-I Exam

In accordance with Scrum theory, a group of 100 people should be divided into multiple Scrum Teams by understanding the product, the product vision and the rules of the Scrum framework, and then dividing themselves into teams because:

It respects the self-organization and empowerment of the people. The people are the ones who have the knowledge, skills, and experience to create and deliver the product. They are also the ones who will work together as Scrum Teams, collaborating and coordinating their efforts. Therefore, they should have the autonomy and authority to decide how to form their teams, based on their preferences, interests, and capabilities.

It supports the alignment and coherence of the Scrum Teams. The people should have a clear and shared understanding of the product, the product vision, and the rules of the Scrum framework before forming their teams. This can help them to align their goals and missions, to ensure that they are working on the same product and towards the same vision. It can also help them to follow the same principles and practices of Scrum, to ensure that they are working effectively and consistently.

It fosters the collaboration and synergy of the Scrum Teams. The people should form their teams in a way that maximizes their collaboration and synergy. This can mean choosing team members that complement each other’s skills and strengths, that have good rapport and trust, that can communicate and coordinate well, and that can deliver a valuable Increment each Sprint.

The Scrum Master should talk to the IT manager and explain that progress in Scrum comes from inspecting an Increment at the Sprint Review. This is because:

The Scrum Team is self-managing and does not need to report to anyone outside the team1.

The Sprint Review is an event where the Scrum Team and the stakeholders collaborate on the product and inspect the Increment2.

The Increment is a concrete and usable outcome of the Sprint that provides a measure of progress and value delivery3.

The IT manager can attend the Sprint Review as a stakeholder and provide feedback on the product and the process4.

Correct Answer: D. Never. The entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating value every Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Scrum Team consists of one Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and Developers. The Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities, including delivering a valuable, usable product increment every Sprint. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers. The Developers are accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog; instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done; and adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide, helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, and removing impediments to the Scrum Team’s progress.

Therefore, the Developers are not individually accountable for the value of a Product Backlog item selected for the Sprint, but collectively accountable as part of the Scrum Team. The value of a Product Backlog item is determined by the Product Owner, who orders the Product Backlog items based on stakeholder needs and feedback. The Developers collaborate with the Product Owner to understand the value and requirements of each Product Backlog item and deliver a potentially releasable product increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Sprint Goal.

[Scrum Guide], section 2.2: “The Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities from stakeholder collaboration, verification, maintenance, operation, experimentation, research and development, and anything else that might be required.”

Accountabilities in Scrum | Scrum.org: “Scrum has three accountabilities, each with a different focus : Product Owner (green figure) The " What " . With a focus on Value, time to market, return on investment and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Developers (red figures) The " How " . Focus on building something that is Done – that the increment is useable and potentially releasable.”

What is a Developer in Scrum? | Scrum.org: “The specific skills needed by the Developers are often broad and will vary based on the type of work they are doing. However, the Developers are always accountable for: Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog Instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done Adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal”

The correct answer isA.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, including creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items. This accountability belongs to the Product Owner alone, even though others may help with refinement or clarification.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. The business analyst who represents the Product Owner— Scrum does not define this as an accountability. Support may exist, but accountability remains with the Product Owner.

C. The Scrum Master— the Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and helping team and organization effectiveness, not for expressing Product Backlog items.

D. The Scrum Master, or the Scrum Master may have the Developers do it— accountability cannot be delegated this way.

The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It is the single source of truth for the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. It contains all the requirements, features, functions, enhancements, fixes, and anything else that can deliver value to the customers and users of the product.

All types of requirements are acceptable on a Product Backlog, as long as they are aligned with the product vision and goals, and they are transparent, clear, and valuable. The Product Backlog can include stability requirements, performance requirements, product functionality, documentation, fixes, or any other aspects that contribute to the quality and usability of the product.

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time.

The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment that meets the Definition of Done each Sprint. The Developers are responsible for planning and executing the Sprint Backlog, designing and building the product functionality, testing and improving the product quality, and delivering a potentially releasable Increment. The Developers work closely with the Product Owner to understand and clarify the Product Backlog items, provide feedback and estimates, and suggest improvements and innovations.

The Developers are the ones who determine how many Product Backlog items they select for a Sprint. The Developers are self-managing and decide how much work they can do in a Sprint1. The Product Owner and the Developers collaborate on the scope of the Sprint during Sprint Planning, but the final decision is up to the Developers2. The Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the stakeholders do not have the authority to tell the Developers how many Product Backlog items they should select, as this would violate the principle of self-management[3][3] .

The practices that might help the Product Owner minimize waste in developing and sustaining the Product Backlog are:

Remove items from the Product Backlog that have not been addressed in a long time. This helps keep the Product Backlog relevant, concise, and focused on delivering value. Items that have not been addressed in a long time may indicate that they are not important, feasible, or desirable anymore. They may also clutter or confuse the Product Backlog and make it harder to order and prioritize.

Only fully describe Product Backlog items when it seems likely they will be implemented. This helps avoid spending too much time or effort on items that may change or be discarded later. Items that are likely to be implemented soon should have more detail and precision than items that are further away or uncertain. The level of detail and precision required for each item depends on its order, size, and complexity.

Other options, such as avoiding distracting the Scrum Team by maintaining newly gathered Product Backlog items in a separate Product Backlog until they are fully understood or handing off ownership of the Product Backlog to someone else, are not practices that might help minimize waste in developing and sustaining the Product Backlog. They may actually create more waste by reducing transparency, collaboration, alignment, or ownership.

The Sprint Review is an event that occurs at the end of each Sprint, where the Scrum Team and the stakeholders inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if needed. The Sprint Review is an opportunity for the Product Owner to validate that the Increment meets their expectations and delivers value to the customers and users. The Sprint Review is also an opportunity for the Developers to demonstrate their work and receive feedback from the Product Owner and the stakeholders.

Stakeholders are people external to the Scrum Team who have a stake or interest in the product, such as customers, users, sponsors, managers, or other teams. Stakeholders provide valuable input, feedback, and insights to the Scrum Team regarding the product vision, goals, value proposition, requirements, features, functions, quality, usability, or market conditions.

Collecting stakeholder feedback is one of the main purposes of the Sprint Review. Stakeholder feedback can help the Scrum Team to:

Assess the value and quality of the product Increment and identify any gaps or issues that need to be addressed.

Understand the needs and expectations of the customers and users and discover new opportunities or ideas for improvement or innovation.

Align and collaborate with the stakeholders on the product direction and priorities and ensure transparency and trust.

Adapt the Product Backlog based on the feedback and data and plan for the next Sprint.

The Developers need a Sprint Goal because it gives them a common yet specific goal to focus on during the Sprint. This is because:

The Sprint Goal is a short-term objective that provides guidance and focus to the Scrum Team throughout the Sprint. It is a flexible and negotiable commitment that can be adjusted as more is learned throughout the Sprint.

The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.

The Developers are self-managing professionals who organize and manage their own work. They decide how to best accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the Scrum Team.

The Developers need a Sprint Goal to align their efforts and collaborate effectively as a team. The Sprint Goal helps them prioritize and optimize their work based on value and impact. The Sprint Goal also helps them cope with uncertainty and complexity by providing a clear direction and a shared purpose.

Other options, such as a Sprint Goal only giving purpose to Sprint 0, Sprint Goals being not valuable, or a Sprint Goal ensuring that all of the Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint are implemented, are not valid reasons why the Developers need a Sprint Goal. They may reflect a misunderstanding of what a Sprint Goal is or how Scrum works.