Free Practice Questions for Scrum PSPO-I Exam

 In order to maximize the value of the product, a Product Owner needs awareness of the following:

Competitive research. The Product Owner should be aware of the competitive landscape and the market trends that affect the product. They should know who are the competitors, what are their strengths and weaknesses, how do they differentiate themselves, and what are their strategies and goals. This can help the Product Owner to identify opportunities, threats, and gaps in the market, and to position the product accordingly.

Customer feedback. The Product Owner should be aware of the customer needs, preferences, expectations, and satisfaction with the product. They should collect and analyze feedback from various sources, such as surveys, interviews, reviews, analytics, etc. This can help the Product Owner to validate assumptions, test hypotheses, measure outcomes, and discover insights that can inform the product decisions and priorities.

Product vision. The Product Owner should be aware of the product vision, which is a clear and compelling statement of the desired future state of the product. The product vision describes the purpose, value proposition, target audience, and key features of the product. It also aligns with the organizational vision and mission. This can help the Product Owner to communicate and inspire the stakeholders, to guide and focus the Scrum Team, and to evaluate and adjust the product direction.

Forecasting & feasibility. The Product Owner should be aware of the forecasting and feasibility of the product. They should estimate and plan the scope, time, cost, quality, and risk of delivering the product. They should also assess the technical, operational, legal, ethical, and social feasibility of developing and releasing the product. This can help the Product Owner to optimize the value of the work of the Scrum Team, to manage expectations and dependencies, and to handle uncertainties and changes.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “The Product Goal describes a future state of the product which can serve as a target for the Scrum Team to plan against.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “The Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes … optimizing the value of the work the Scrum Team performs.”

The Developers are the people in the Scrum Team who are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint. The Developers are accountable for organizing and managing their work. Only the Developers can decide how to perform the work during the Sprint1. The Developers plan the work necessary to create an Increment that meets the Definition of Done during the Sprint Planning event. This is often done by decomposing Product Backlog items into smaller work items of one day or less. How this is done is at the sole discretion of the Developers. The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment and realizing the Sprint Goal1. The Developers are responsible for creating and maintaining the Sprint Backlog1. The Developers are not accountable for selecting the Product Owner, reporting productivity, or any other activities that are not related to creating a Done Increment that meets the Sprint Goal123. References:

Scrum Guide

What is a Developer?

Who Determines How Work Is Performed During The Sprint?

[What is Sprint Planning?]

Scrum

According to the Scrum Guide 2020, the entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint1234. This includes the Developers, the Product Owner, and the Scrum Master4. The Developers are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint12, while the Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team12. The Scrum Master fosters an environment where the Scrum Team can work effectively1.

The Scrum Guide states that "The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute time-boxed event for the Development Team to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours."1 The Daily Scrum is a quick and simple planning meeting designed to keep everyone in the loop with how other team members are getting on. It ensures that team members are fully aligned with each other and on track to hit the Sprint Goal.

References:

1: The Scrum Guide2, page 11

2: The Scrum Guide

 An Increment is the sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints.1 An Increment is a concrete, tangible, and usable outcome of the work done by the Developers in a Sprint. It is not a plan, a mock-up, a design, or a roll-out plan, as these are not valuable or useful products in themselves. An Increment must meet the definition of “Done”, which means it must adhere to the quality standards agreed upon by the Scrum Team and the stakeholders.1 An Increment must also be potentially releasable, which means it must be in a state that it could be delivered to the customer or user if the Product Owner decides so.1

References:

1: The Scrum Guide2, page 14

2: The Scrum Guide

The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment and realizing the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Backlog is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work that the Developers plan to accomplish during the Sprint, and it belongs solely to the Developers.

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 also responsible for updating the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint. The Sprint Backlog is a plan with enough detail that changes in progress can be understood in the Daily Scrum. The Developers modify the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint, and the Sprint Backlog emerges during the Sprint. This emergence occurs as the Developers work through the plan and learn more about the work needed to achieve the Sprint Goal.

As new work is required, the Developers add it to the Sprint Backlog. As work is performed or completed, the estimated remaining work is updated. When elements of the plan are deemed unnecessary, they are removed. Only the Developers can change its content and order during a Sprint.

References:

Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html

Sprint Backlog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-sprint-backlog

Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum

It is not true that the Product Owner makes sure the correct stakeholders are invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They might have important instructions for team improvements. This is because:

The Sprint Retrospective is an event where the Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done. The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to improve quality and effectiveness.

The Sprint Retrospective is an internal event for the Scrum Team only. It is a safe and confidential space where the Scrum Team can openly and honestly reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, and identify actions to improve their performance and collaboration.

The stakeholders are not invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They do not have a say in how the Scrum Team works or what they should improve. The stakeholders can provide feedback and suggestions to the Scrum Team in other events, such as the Sprint Review or the Product Backlog refinement sessions.

The Product Owner is a member of the Scrum Team who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They are responsible for identifying and articulating the Product Goal, which is a long-term objective for the product that guides all the activities of the Scrum Team.

The Product Owner does not make sure the correct stakeholders are invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They might have important instructions for team improvements. This would violate the self-management and autonomy of the Scrum Team and undermine their trust and empowerment.

References:

[Scrum Guide], page 18, section “Sprint Retrospective”

[Scrum Guide], page 7, section “The Scrum Team”

[Scrum Guide], page 17, section “Sprint Review”

[Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”

[Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Product Goal”

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

Explanation: 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.

References:

[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”

Sprint Planning is an event where the Scrum Team collaborates on the work to be performed during the Sprint1. The topics covered in Sprint Planning are:

What can be done. The Product Owner proposes how the product could increase its value and utility in the current Sprint, based on the Product Goal, the Product Backlog, and the latest market and stakeholder feedback. The Developers assess the capacity and the technical feasibility of the work, and select the Product Backlog items that they can commit to for the Sprint. The Scrum Team crafts the Sprint Goal, which is a concise statement of the purpose and focus of the Sprint2.

How to do it. The Developers plan how they will deliver a “Done” product Increment that meets the Sprint Goal. They create a plan for the first days of the Sprint, and decompose the selected Product Backlog items into smaller work items. The Developers also identify any dependencies, risks, or impediments that may affect their work. The resulting plan is captured in the Sprint Backlog, which is owned and managed by the Developers[3][3].

Why to do it. The Product Owner explains the value and the outcome of the work to be done in the Sprint, and how it aligns with the Product Goal and the stakeholder needs. The Product Owner also clarifies the acceptance criteria and the Definition of Done for the Product Backlog items, and answers any questions from the Developers. The Scrum Team ensures that they have a common understanding of the Sprint Goal and the expected product Increment4.

References:

1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 9

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10

[3][3]: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10

4: Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

The following are true about Scrum:

Scrum is based on empiricism and lean thinking. Empiricism is the principle of making decisions based on what is observed and experienced, rather than on theory or speculation. Lean thinking is the philosophy of eliminating waste and maximizing value in any process or system. Scrum applies these concepts by providing a framework for inspecting and adapting the product and the process, and by focusing on delivering the most valuable features to the customers and stakeholders.

Scrum is a framework for developing and sustaining complex products. A complex product is one that has unpredictable or unknown aspects that require creativity, experimentation, and adaptation to deliver. A framework is a set of minimal and essential rules and roles that provide structure and guidance, but leave room for flexibility and innovation. Scrum provides such a framework for teams to collaborate and deliver complex products iteratively and incrementally, while embracing change and feedback.

Each component of Scrum serves a specific purpose and is essential to Scrum’s success and your usage of Scrum to develop complex products. Scrum consists of three roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), five events (Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective), and three artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment). Each of these components has a clear definition, accountability, and goal that contributes to the overall effectiveness and value of Scrum. Removing or changing any of these components may cause the benefits of Scrum to be lost or diminished.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, page 3: “Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 3: “Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 4: “Each component within the framework serves a specific purpose and is essential to Scrum’s success and usage.”