PSM-I Professional Scrum Master I Questions and Answers

According to the Scrum Guide, two activities that a Product Owner may engage in during a Sprint are updating management on what is being worked on and answering questions from the Development Team about items in the current Sprint. These activities are part of the Product Owner’s responsibilities to manage and prioritize the Product Backlog, communicate with stakeholders, and collaborate with the Development Team. The other options are not activities that a Product Owner should engage in during a Sprint, as they are either done by the Scrum Master (such as running the Daily Scrum) or by the Development Team (such as prioritizing their work on the Sprint Backlog).

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , an Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each Increment is additive to all prior Increments and thoroughly verified, ensuring that all Increments work together. In order to provide value, an Increment must be usable. Multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint. The sum of the Increments is presented at the Sprint Review thus supporting empiricism. However, an Increment may be delivered to stakeholders prior to the end of the Sprint. The Sprint Review should never be considered a gate to releasing value. Therefore, the best description of an increment of working software is additional features in a usable state that complement those delivered in previous iterations.

The correct answer is B, because when multiple teams work together on the same product, they should not maintain separate Product Backlogs. The Scrum Guide states that “multiple Scrum Teams often work together on the same product. One product goal unites them. Therefore, they must mutually define and comply with a definition of ‘Done’ that applies to their combined work product. … Multiple Scrum Teams working on the same product use the same Product Backlog.”

The correct answer is B, because the Scrum Guide states that “the Development Team modifies the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint, and the Sprint Backlog emerges during the Sprint. This emergence occurs as the Development Team works through the plan and learns more about the work needed to achieve the Sprint Goal.” Therefore, new work or further decomposition of work can be added to the Sprint Backlog as soon as possible after they are identified by the Development Team.

The correct answer is C, because the second Sprint starts immediately after the first Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.”

A cross-functional Development Team is one that includes cross-skilled individuals who are able to contribute to do what is necessary to deliver an increment of software, as stated in the Scrum Guide 1 : “Cross-functional teams have all competencies needed to accomplish the work without depending on others not part of the team.”

A Product Owner releases each Increment when it makes sense, as stated in [2]: “The Product Owner decides when to release an Increment. This can be done at any time during or after a Sprint. The Product Owner may choose to release an Increment when it delivers enough value to customers or users, when it meets a market opportunity, when it reduces risk or uncertainty, or when it aligns with other business goals.”

During the Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team may add items to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint, as stated in [5] : “The purpose of each Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Scrum Team plans ways to implement improvements identified during this meeting into its way of working. By doing this it reinforces empiricism throughout its work. Improvements may be implemented at any time during a Sprint or they may be planned for subsequent Sprints.”

According to the Scrum Guide, a Scrum Master fulfills a different role from a traditional project manager. A Scrum Master is a servant-leader and a coach for the Scrum Team and the organization, not a manager or a supervisor. A Scrum Master does not assign tasks, set deadlines, or monitor progress, but rather facilitates self-organization, collaboration, and empiricism within the Scrum Team and the organization.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , each Sprint is a project with no more than a one-month horizon. The Sprint Goal gives guidance to why the Scrum Team is building an Increment. The Development Team consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of “Done” product at the end of each Sprint. Therefore, in the first Sprint, as in any other Sprint, the Development Team should develop at least one piece of functionality and create an increment of potentially releasable software. The other options are not consistent with Scrum values and principles.

The correct answers are B and D. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness and helps the team improve its practices within the Scrum framework. One important way this happens is by facilitating Scrum Team decisions. That makes Option B correct. The Scrum Master does not make decisions for the team, but helps create the conditions for effective collaboration, self-management, and sound decision-making. This support improves the team’s ability to inspect, adapt, and work productively.

Option D is also correct because the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team’s progress. Impediments reduce flow, create delays, and lower effectiveness. By helping remove those obstacles, the Scrum Master enables the team to focus on creating valuable Increments.

Option A is incorrect because ordering the Product Backlog is the Product Owner’s accountability, not the Scrum Master’s. Option C is too narrow. While the Scrum Master helps ensure Scrum events are positive, productive, and within the timebox, simply starting and ending meetings on time is not one of the two primary ways they help maximize team productivity. Their deeper contribution is enabling effectiveness and removing barriers.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint. The Sprint Retrospective occurs after the Sprint Review and prior to the next Sprint Planning. The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Product Owner is part of the Scrum Team and should participate as a Scrum Team member in the Sprint Retrospective.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint. The topics that are appropriate for discussion are those that relate to how the team does its work, such as team relations, Definition of Done, and processes, tools, communication, collaboration, quality, etc. The other options are not appropriate topics for discussion in a Sprint Retrospective, as they belong to other Scrum events (such as arranging the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint in the Sprint Planning or evaluating the value of work in the Product Backlog in the Sprint Review).

The correct answer is B, because the time-box for the Sprint Planning meeting is 8 hours for a monthly Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “Sprint Planning is time-boxed to a maximum of eight hours for a one-month Sprint. For shorter Sprints, the event is usually shorter.”

The correct answers are A, C, and E, because these are feedback loops in Scrum. The Sprint Review is a feedback loop that allows the Scrum Team and the stakeholders to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog. The Sprint Retrospective is a feedback loop that allows the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements. The Daily Scrum is a feedback loop that allows the Development Team to inspect its progress and plan its work for the next 24 hours.

A Sprint may be cancelled only if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. This makes Option A the correct answer. The Scrum Guide is very clear that only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint, although that decision may be influenced by stakeholders, the Developers, or the Scrum Master. The reason for cancellation is not general disruption, poor forecasting, or the appearance of new work. It is specifically tied to the Sprint Goal no longer having value or relevance.

Option B is incorrect because a new business opportunity does not automatically justify cancelling a Sprint. Scrum is designed to handle change without disrupting the Sprint unless the Sprint Goal itself is no longer valid. Option C is incorrect because feasibility concerns should be addressed through collaboration and adaptation, but they do not by themselves define the cancellation rule. Option D is incorrect because not finishing all selected work is not a reason to cancel a Sprint. Scrum accepts uncertainty, and the team inspects and adapts. The Sprint Goal remains the key commitment, and as long as it is still relevant, the Sprint should continue.

In the Scrum framework, there is no specific role or accountability for a Tester. Instead, the responsibility for quality lies with the entire Scrum Team, particularly the Developers. Scrum emphasizes cross-functional teams, where every team member contributes to all aspects of the development process, including testing. The Developers collectively ensure that the work meets the Definition of Done and maintains high-quality standards. This approach fosters collaboration, shared responsibility, and continuous improvement, aligning with the core principles of Scrum.

The correct answers are B, C, and D, because moving away from component teams toward feature teams may involve some challenges and trade-offs. Productivity may suffer when making this kind of move, as teams need to learn new skills, coordinate with other teams, and deal with legacy code. Getting support from the business side first helps, as they can provide the vision, value, and feedback for the features. Feature teams have less communication overhead, as they can deliver end-to-end functionality without depending on other teams.

The Scrum Master should talk to the IT manager and explain that progress in Scrum comes from inspecting an Increment at the Sprint Review, as stated in [5]: “The Scrum Master should educate the IT manager about how Scrum works and how progress is measured. The Scrum Master should invite the IT manager to attend the Sprint Review where the Development Team demonstrates what was accomplished during the Sprint. The Scrum Master should also explain that status reports are not necessary in Scrum, as transparency is ensured by using artifacts such as Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment.”

The next Sprint begins immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint, as stated in the Scrum Guide: “Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.”

The correct answers are A and B. When multiple Scrum Teams work on the same product, Scrum calls for one Product Owner and one Product Backlog for that product. This ensures a single source of prioritization, clear accountability for maximizing value, and consistent product direction. One Product Owner helps avoid conflicting priorities across teams and provides one clear voice for product decisions.

One Product Backlog is equally important because it creates transparency for all work needed to develop the product. If each team had its own separate Product Backlog, the organization would risk fragmentation, duplicate work, inconsistent ordering, and confusion about the overall product direction. A single Product Backlog supports coordinated planning and alignment across all teams contributing to the same product.

Options C, D, and E are incorrect because they divide product accountability across multiple backlogs or multiple Product Owners. Scrum does not define a Chief Product Owner structure. For one product, there should be one Product Owner and one Product Backlog, even when multiple Scrum Teams are involved. This setup best supports focus, transparency, and value optimization.

a burndown chart is a graphical representation of work left to do versus time. It is very useful for predicting when all of the work will be completed. It is often used in agile software development methodologies such as Scrum. However, burndown charts can be applied to any project containing measurable progress over time. A release burndown chart tracks progress across multiple Sprints towards a product release. It shows how much work remains in the Product Backlog at any given time during the release cycle. A trend line through a release burndown chart indicates when the work remaining will likely be completed if nothing changes on the Product Backlog or the Development Team.

The correct answer is A, because the best way the Scrum Master can ensure that the Development Team communicates effectively with the Product Owner is to monitor communications between them and facilitate direct collaboration. The Scrum Guide states that “the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner in several ways, including … facilitating Scrum events as requested or needed.” Therefore, the Scrum Master should help the Development Team and the Product Owner interact regularly and productively during the Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective events.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , self-organization is one of the essential characteristics of Scrum Teams. Self-organizing teams choose how best to accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the team. Self-organization enables teams to deliver faster and better results by harnessing their creativity and skills. Some benefits of self-organization are:

Increased creativity, as team members have more freedom and autonomy to explore new ideas and solutions.

Increased self-accountability, as team members take ownership and responsibility for their work and outcomes.

Increased commitment, as team members are more engaged and motivated by having a say in how they work.

The other options are not benefits of self-organization, as they may imply external control or pressure.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the definition of “Done” is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. The definition guides the Development Team in creating a “Done” Increment. The definition of “Done” is created by the development organization (or Development Team if none is available from the development organization). The definition of “Done” may vary significantly per Scrum Team, depending on the context. One aspect of Scrum Teams inspecting how they work toward their Product Goal is that they improve their definition of “Done” over time. Therefore, one reason why the Product Owner wants the Development Team to adhere to its definition of “Done” is to have complete transparency into what has been done at the end of each Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the definition of “Done” is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. The definition guides the Development Team in creating a “Done” Increment. The definition of “Done” is created by the development organization (or Development Team if none is available from the development organization). The definition of “Done” may vary significantly per Scrum Team, depending on the context. One aspect of Scrum Teams inspecting how they work toward their Product Goal is that they improve their definition of “Done” over time. Therefore, if a Product Backlog item worked on during the Sprint does not meet the definition of “Done”, two things that should happen with the undone Product Backlog item are:

Put it on the Product Backlog for the Product Owner to decide what to do with it, as they are accountable for effective Product Backlog management and ordering.

Do not include the item in the Increment this Sprint, as it does not meet the quality standards and may compromise value.

The other options are not appropriate, as they may compromise transparency, inspection, or adaptation.

The correct answers are B and D, because adding non-functional requirements to the Product Backlog and keeping the Product Owner posted on the expected effort helps prioritize and plan them in alignment with the product vision and goals. Additionally, adding non-functional requirements to the definition of ‘Done’ ensures that they are met every Sprint and do not accumulate technical debt.

The best answer is C. Ensure every Increment meets them.  Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are system qualities that guide the design of the solution and often serve as constraints across the relevant backlogs 1 .  NFRs are persistent qualities and constraints typically revisited as part of the definition of done (DoD) for each Iteration, PI, or release 1 . The Scrum Team should ensure that every Increment meets the NFRs, as they are part of the product requirements and affect the value delivery and customer satisfaction.

The best answer is C. When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done. This is because the Definition of Done creates transparency and ensures that the product Increment meets the quality standards required for the product 1 . If each Scrum Team has its own Definition of Done, it may lead to inconsistencies, conflicts, and technical debt in the product. Therefore, the Scrum Teams should collaborate and agree on a common Definition of Done that applies to all Product Backlog Items and Increments. This way, the Scrum Teams can deliver a potentially releasable product Increment at the end of every Sprint 2 .

The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and for helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice. Option A is correct because Scrum events are timeboxed, and the Scrum Master helps the Scrum Team understand and properly use those timeboxes so events remain focused, productive, and effective. Teaching the team how timeboxing supports empiricism, focus, and predictability is part of the Scrum Master’s service to the team.

Option D is also correct because the Scrum Master serves the organization by helping those outside the Scrum Team understand how to interact effectively with the team. This includes removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams and coaching the organization in Scrum adoption.

Option B is incorrect because Scrum does not require the Scrum Master to maintain burndown charts. Option C is incorrect because Developers are self-managing and the Scrum Master does not assign tasks. Option E is incorrect because the Sprint Review is a collaborative inspection of the Increment, and completion is determined by whether work meets the Definition of Done, not by the Scrum Master declaring it.

There is no such thing as Sprint 0 in Scrum, as stated in [7]: “Sprint 0 is a term used by some people who use Scrum to describe an initial period before starting Sprints where they do some upfront planning or analysis. However, this is not part of Scrum and contradicts its principles of empirical process control, iterative delivery, and responding to change.”

The correct answer is B, because a product Increment does not have to be released to production at the end of each Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “at the end of a Sprint, the new Increment must be ‘Done,’ which means it must be in useable condition and meet the Scrum Team’s definition of ‘Done’. An increment is a body of inspectable, done work that supports empiricism at the end of the Sprint. The increment is a step toward a vision or goal.” Therefore, a product Increment must be potentially releasable, but the decision to release it is up to the Product Owner.

The correct answer is B, because the Development Team determines how work is performed during the Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “development Teams are self-organizing. No one (not even the Scrum Master) tells the Development Team how to turn Product Backlog into Increments of potentially releasable functionality.” Therefore, the Development Team has the autonomy and responsibility to organize and manage its own work.

According to the Scrum Guide, two intended outcomes of the Daily Scrum are a shared understanding of the most important work to be undertaken next to achieve the best possible progress toward the Sprint goal, and new impediments for the Scrum Master to take care of. The other options are not intended outcomes of the Daily Scrum, as they are either irrelevant (such as updating a Scrum board) or inappropriate (such as providing an update or a status report).

During the Sprint, the Scrum Master’s role is to facilitate inspection and adaptation opportunities as requested or needed, and to coach the team members in self-management, as stated in  3 : “The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. They do this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices, within the Scrum framework.”

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

According to the Scrum Guide, when multiple Scrum Teams are working on the same product, they should integrate their Increments every Sprint, in order to accurately inspect what is done and ensure that there is no technical debt or unfinished work at the end of each Sprint. The other options are not valid, as they imply that integration can be skipped, delayed, or done only for some teams, which is not consistent with Scrum values and principles.

The correct answer is B, because a Scrum Master is not the same thing as a traditional PM (Project Manager). The Scrum Guide states that “the Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. Scrum Masters do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values.” Therefore, a Scrum Master is not a manager, but a servant-leader and a coach for the Scrum Team and the organization.

The correct answer is B, because the Development Team is responsible for managing the progress of work during a Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that “the Development Team tracks this total work remaining at least for every Daily Scrum to project the likelihood of achieving the Sprint Goal. By tracking the remaining work throughout the Sprint, the Development Team can manage its progress.”

A Developer is accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog, and organizing the work required to meet the Sprint Goal, as stated in the Scrum Guide: " Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint. The specific skills needed by the Developers are often broad and will vary with the domain of work. 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; and,

Holding each other accountable as professionals. "

 According to the Scrum Guide 1 , ordering Product Backlog items is solely up to the Product Owner’s discretion. The Product Owner orders items in the Product Backlog to best achieve goals and missions. To do this, they optimize value by considering various factors such as cost and benefit, risk, dependencies, date needed, etc. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the work the Development Team does. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization. Therefore, an appropriate action for the Scrum Master to take if the Product Owner is struggling with ordering the Product Backlog is to offer the Product Owner help in understanding that the goal of ordering the Product Backlog is to maximize value.

A Scrum Master fulfills a different role than a traditional project manager, as stated in  2 : “A project manager helps manage the project timeline, resources, and scope in order to meet business requirements. A Scrum Master, however, helps ensure the Scrum Team follows Scrum theory, practices, and rules. The Scrum Master is a servant-leader who helps optimize the value created by the Scrum Team.”

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the definition of “Done” is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. The definition of “Done” is created by the development organization (or Development Team if none is available from the development organization). The definition guides the Development Team in creating a “Done” Increment.

The correct answers are C and E, because these statements explain what “Done” means. No work left from the definition of “Done” means that all Product Backlog items selected for a Sprint meet the quality criteria agreed upon by the Scrum Team. All work to create software that is ready to be released to end users means that the Increment is potentially releasable at any time during the Sprint.

In Scrum, the term " done " refers to the state where the Increment meets the Definition of Done (DoD), which is a shared understanding within the Scrum Team of what it means for work to be complete. The best two answers are:

C. No work is left to meet the Definition of Done: This statement aligns with the Scrum Guide, which states that the Increment must be in a usable condition and meet the DoD by the end of the Sprint. The DoD ensures that the work is fully completed, tested, and integrated, leaving no outstanding tasks.

D. Ready to be released to end users: This reflects the goal of Scrum that the Increment should be in a potentially releasable state at the end of each Sprint, meaning it is of sufficient quality and functionality to be delivered to users if the Product Owner chooses to do so.

The other options are incorrect because:

A. Ready for integration: While integration is part of the process, " done " implies more than just being ready for integration; it includes being fully completed and meeting the DoD.

B. All work the Developers are willing to do: This is subjective and does not align with the objective standard of the DoD, which is agreed upon by the entire Scrum Team.

E. Whatever the Product Owner defines as quality: The DoD is a team responsibility, not solely defined by the Product Owner, ensuring a collective standard rather than an individual judgment.

According to the Scrum Guide, the best approach for Scrum Teams in order to produce valuable Increments is to have each Developer work on the component where they feel that they can contribute. This means that the Developers can self-organize and collaborate effectively to deliver a valuable Increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Sprint Goal. The other options are not valid approaches, as they either imply that the Developers work in silos or rely on external people (such as developing functionality from beginning to end, working on an independent set of components, or working only as an independent layer of the system).

The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint. The topics that are appropriate for discussion are those that relate to how the team does its work, such as processes, tools, communication, collaboration, quality, etc. The value of work currently represented in the Product Backlog and arranging the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint are not appropriate topics for discussion in a Sprint Retrospective, as they belong to the Sprint Review and Sprint Planning events respectively.

According to the Scrum Guide, a self-organizing Development Team chooses how to best accomplish its work, rather than being directed by others outside the team. The other options are not choices that a self-organizing Development Team makes, as they are either determined by the Scrum framework (such as Sprint length and Product Backlog ordering) or by collaboration with other roles (such as stakeholders for the Sprint Review and when to release).

The correct answer is B because in Scrum, Developers are collectively accountable for creating a usable Increment every Sprint, and they share accountability for the Sprint Backlog. Scrum emphasizes self-management and collective ownership rather than assigning individual accountability for separate backlog items in the traditional sense. The Developers decide how to turn selected Product Backlog items into an Increment and how to organize their work, but the responsibility remains shared across the team.

This shared accountability supports collaboration, flexibility, and focus on the Sprint Goal. It prevents siloed behavior where individuals protect only their own tasks instead of working together to achieve the Sprint outcome. The Sprint Backlog is created by and for the Developers, and they adapt it throughout the Sprint as more is learned.

Option A is incorrect because accountability does not begin during the Daily Scrum. Option C is incorrect because capacity does not create individual ownership in Scrum. Option D is incorrect because Scrum does not require even task splitting or pre-assigned ownership at Sprint Planning. The Developers remain collectively accountable throughout the Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , only people who are actively working on items in the Sprint Backlog participate in updating it during a Sprint; this includes tracking progress made on those items. This is typically done by Developers updating their remaining work every day after their Daily Scrum. The Development Team tracks this total work remaining at least for every Daily Scrum to project the likelihood of achieving their Sprint Goal.

The correct answer is B because cross-functional teams in Scrum are not optimized to work on only one component or one technical layer of a system. A cross-functional Scrum Team has all the skills necessary to create value each Sprint and deliver a usable Increment. This means the team should be capable of working across the different skills and disciplines needed to complete Product Backlog items according to the Definition of Done.

If a team is organized around only one component or specialty, it creates handoffs, dependencies, and silos. Those conditions reduce agility and make it harder to deliver a complete Increment each Sprint. Scrum instead favors teams that can collaborate across analysis, design, development, testing, and other needed capabilities so they can produce finished product value rather than partial technical output.

Cross-functionality supports self-management and reduces delays caused by waiting on other specialists or teams. It helps the Scrum Team focus on outcomes instead of isolated activities. In Scrum, the goal is not local optimization of a single layer or function. The goal is delivering complete, useful, high-value Increments frequently and transparently.

The best answer is B. The need for the team to learn based on doing work and measuring results.

The Sprint length should be chosen based on the complexity and volatility of the product and the environment, as well as the team’s capability and Definition of Done. The Sprint length should enable the team to deliver a usable Increment of value that meets the feedback needs of the stakeholders and the business. The Sprint length should also allow the team to inspect and adapt their work processes and practices based on the outcomes of the Sprint.

The other options are not valid reasons for choosing the Sprint length. The organization’s mandate, team formation, and release schedule should not dictate the Sprint length, but rather be aligned with it. The Scrum Team should have the autonomy to choose the Sprint length that best suits their product and context.

You can learn more about how to choose the right Sprint length from these sources: How Long A Sprint Should Be? , How to Choose the Right Sprint Length in Scrum , What is a Sprint? , Determining the Sprint Length , and Sprint Length: What’s the Right Length? .

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the heart of Scrum is a Sprint, a time-box of one month or less during which a “Done”, useable, and potentially releasable product Increment is created. Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint. The length of a Sprint should be short enough to keep the business risk acceptable to the Product Owner, short enough to be able to synchronize the development work with other business events, and no more than one calendar month.

According to the Nexus Guide 2 , which is a framework for scaling Scrum, one way to form multiple Development Teams from a large group of people is to ask them to self-organize into teams based on dependencies, skills, domain knowledge, and personal preferences. This approach respects the autonomy and empowerment of the Developers and allows them to choose how they want to work together.

 Scrum Teams are cross-functional, meaning the members have all the skills necessary to create value each Sprint.  They are responsible for all product-related activities from stakeholder collaboration, verification, maintenance, operation, experimentation, research and development, and anything else that might be required 1 2 .  The Scrum Team’s goal is to deliver a “Done” Increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Sprint Goal 3 .

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , an Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each Increment is additive to all prior Increments and thoroughly verified, ensuring that all Increments work together. In order to provide value, an Increment must be usable. Multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint. The sum of the Increments is presented at the Sprint Review thus supporting empiricism. However, an Increment may be delivered to stakeholders prior to the end of the Sprint. The Sprint Review should never be considered a gate to releasing value. Therefore, in order to turn Product Backlog items into an Increment of potentially releasable product functionality, the Development Team should have all the skills needed.

The correct answer is E because Scrum depends on transparency, collaboration, and collective accountability. If a Developer raises concerns about data security, the Scrum Master should encourage that concern to be brought to the Scrum Team as soon as possible so it can be openly inspected and addressed. Security is a serious product quality concern, and in Scrum, important issues should not remain private between two people when they affect the whole team’s work and the quality of the Increment.

Option A may sound reasonable, but the Scrum Master should not unilaterally add security to the Definition of Done. The Definition of Done is created and evolved appropriately through the Scrum Team’s work and organizational standards. Option B is too directive and bypasses team inspection and collaboration. Option C could eventually happen, but immediately creating a Product Backlog item does not address the need for transparency within the Scrum Team. Option D is incorrect because Scrum does not rely on a separate tester role to own quality concerns.

The Scrum Master should help the team surface the issue quickly so they can determine the right action together.

The correct answer is C, because if necessary, the Development Team is responsible for removing a team member who is creating a hostile environment. The Scrum Guide states that “development Teams are self-organizing. No one (not even the Scrum Master) tells the Development Team how to turn Product Backlog into Increments of potentially releasable functionality.” Therefore, the Development Team should manage its own composition and dynamics, and may need help from the Scrum Master to facilitate this process.

The correct answers are A, B, and D, because these techniques would be most helpful in this situation. Consulting with the Development Team may help identify the root causes of the impediments and possible solutions. Prioritizing the list and working on them in order may help reduce the backlog and focus on the most important or urgent issues. Alerting management to the impediments and their impact may help escalate the problems and get support from the organization.

The correct answer is B, because a Product Owner is best described as a value optimizer. 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, a Product Owner should focus on delivering value to the customers and stakeholders through the product.

Two techniques that would be most helpful in this situation are to discuss the impediments with the Development Team, and to prioritize the list and work on them in order, as stated in [3]: “The Scrum Master should facilitate a discussion with the Development Team to identify and prioritize the impediments that are blocking their progress. The Scrum Master should then work with the Development Team and other stakeholders to remove or mitigate these impediments as soon as possible.”

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 Scrum Master and Product Owner may attend as observers, but only if it is useful for the Developers.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , each event in Scrum is a formal opportunity to inspect and adapt something. These events are specifically designed to enable critical transparency and inspection. Failure to include any of these events results in reduced transparency and is a lost opportunity to inspect and adapt. All events are time-boxed events, such that every event has a maximum duration. Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixed and cannot be shortened or lengthened. The remaining events may end whenever the purpose of the event is achieved, ensuring an appropriate amount of time is spent without allowing waste in the process. The time-box for the Sprint Review is four hours for a one-month Sprint.

The correct answers are B and E, because these statements are true about the length of the Sprint. It is best to have Sprints of consistent length throughout a development effort, as this helps establish a reliable rhythm and cadence for the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. All Sprints must be one month or less, as this ensures that the Scrum Team can inspect and adapt frequently and deliver value incrementally.

The correct answer is A, because if two Scrum Teams are added to the development of a product that previously had only one Scrum Team, the immediate impact on the productivity of the original Scrum Team is likely to decrease. This is because adding more teams may introduce some challenges and trade-offs, such as increased communication and coordination overhead, reduced alignment and cohesion, and potential conflicts or dependencies.

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. Multiple Scrum Teams working on one product use one Product Backlog.

The correct answer is B, because the Scrum Guide states that “at the end of a Sprint, the new Increment must be ‘Done,’ which means it must be in useable condition and meet the Scrum Team’s definition of ‘Done’. An increment is a body of inspectable, done work that supports empiricism at the end of the Sprint. The increment is a step toward a vision or goal.” Therefore, all the increments from different Scrum Teams working on the same product should be integrated every Sprint to enable inspection and adaptation by the Product Owner and stakeholders.

The product has one Product Backlog, as it is a single source of requirements for any changes to be made to the product. There should be only one Product Owner, who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Development Team. Having multiple Product Owners or Product Backlogs would create confusion, inconsistency, and waste.

The correct answer is A, because keeping component teams while starting Scrum may cause less initial disruption than organizing into new teams. As they start using Scrum, they will discover what works best for them and how to potentially re-organize towards feature teams. However, component teams may face some challenges in delivering a working Increment of software that provides business value every Sprint, as they may depend on other teams or layers.

The correct answer is A, because the Scrum Guide states that “the definition of ‘Done’ is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.” Therefore, non-functional requirements should be part of the definition of ‘Done’ and ensure every Increment meets them.

The correct answer is B, because the guideline that a Scrum Master should give is that estimates are made by the Development Team. The Scrum Guide states that “the number of items selected from the Product Backlog for the Sprint is solely up to the Development Team. Only the Development Team can assess what it can accomplish over the upcoming Sprint.” Therefore, the Development Team should estimate the work in Scrum, using any method or unit they prefer.

The correct answer is B, because the Sprint Backlog is created during the Sprint Planning meeting. The Scrum Guide states that “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.”

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , each event in Scrum is a formal opportunity to inspect and adapt something. These events are specifically designed to enable critical transparency and inspection. Failure to include any of these events results in reduced transparency and is a lost opportunity to inspect and adapt. All events are time-boxed events, such that every event has a maximum duration. Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixed and cannot be shortened or lengthened. The remaining events may end whenever the purpose of the event is achieved, ensuring an appropriate amount of time is spent without allowing waste in the process.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , a Sprint can be cancelled before the Sprint time-box is over. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint, although he or she may do so under influence from the stakeholders, the Developers, or the Scrum Master. A Sprint would be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. This might occur if the company changes direction or if market or technology conditions change. In general, a Sprint should be cancelled if it no longer makes sense given the circumstances. But, due to the short duration of Sprints, cancellation rarely makes sense.

A Developer becomes accountable for an item in the Sprint Backlog never as Developers on the Scrum Team share accountability for items in the Sprint Backlog, as stated in the Scrum Guide: “The Developers can select whatever items they want as long as they feel they can complete the work by the end of the Sprint. The Scrum Team is responsible for all estimates. The Product Owner may influence the Developers by helping them understand and select trade-offs, but the people who will perform the work make the final estimate.”

The correct answers are B and C, because these are two responsibilities of a self-organizing Development Team. The Scrum Guide states that “the Development Team consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of ‘Done’ product at the end of each Sprint. Development Teams are structured and empowered by the organization to organize and manage their own work.” Therefore, the Development Team should pull Product Backlog items for the Sprint and do the work planned in the Sprint Backlog.

The Product Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner with the most valuable items placed at the top, as stated in [6]: “The Product Owner is responsible for ordering items on their product backlog based on their value to customers and users. Value can be measured by various factors, such as business value, customer satisfaction, risk reduction, learning opportunities, etc. The most valuable items are placed at the top of the product backlog so that they can be delivered sooner by the development team.”

The correct answers are B and C. According to the Scrum Guide, the Developers are accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint, which is the Sprint Backlog. That makes Option C correct. They are also accountable for organizing the work required to meet the Sprint Goal, which makes Option B correct. These are core elements of self-management in Scrum. Developers decide how to turn selected Product Backlog items into a valuable, usable Increment and how to adapt their plan throughout the Sprint.

Option A is incorrect because Scrum does not define “reporting productivity” as a Developer accountability. Scrum focuses on outcomes, transparency, and progress toward the Sprint Goal rather than traditional productivity reporting. Option D is incorrect because selecting the Product Owner is not a Developer accountability. Role assignments are determined by the organization, not by the Developers.

These accountabilities matter because Scrum relies on Developers to manage their own work rather than wait for direction from others. By creating and adapting the Sprint Backlog and organizing work toward the Sprint Goal, the Developers enable collaboration, flexibility, and accountability for producing a Done Increment each Sprint.

The correct answers are A and D, because a Development Team is responsible for resolving internal team conflicts and organizing the work required to meet the Sprint Goal. The Scrum Guide states that “development Teams are self-organizing. No one (not even the Scrum Master) tells the Development Team how to turn Product Backlog into Increments of potentially releasable functionality.” Therefore, a Development Team should manage its own work and resolve its own issues.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , there are three roles in a Scrum Team:

The Product Owner

The Developers

The Scrum Master

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing value resulting from work by Developers. Developers are accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization. Every Scrum team must have a Product Owner and Scrum Master, as outcomes are affected by their participation and availability. The other options are false, as they imply that the Product Owner and Scrum Master roles are optional or interchangeable.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Development Team consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of “Done” product at the end of each Sprint. Development Teams are structured and empowered by the organization to organize and manage their own work. The resulting synergy optimizes the Development Team’s overall efficiency and effectiveness. Cross-functional teams have all competencies needed to accomplish the work without depending on others not part of the team. The team model in Scrum is designed to optimize flexibility, creativity, and productivity.

The correct answer is B because as a Scrum Team matures, it is expected to strengthen its quality standards and improve its Definition of Done. The Scrum Guide explains that the Definition of Done creates transparency by making clear what it means for work to be complete. As the team becomes more capable, disciplined, and technically proficient, it often raises those standards to ensure higher quality, greater releasability, and more dependable Increments.

This improvement reflects empirical learning. A mature Scrum Team does not become less Scrum-like. It usually becomes more effective at applying Scrum. That means the team may refine engineering practices, strengthen testing, improve integration, and include more rigorous completion criteria in the Definition of Done.

Option A is incorrect because timeboxes do not expand simply because a team matures. Option C is incorrect because the Scrum Master remains accountable for Scrum effectiveness even with a mature team. Option D is incorrect because the Sprint remains a fixed timebox and a core element of Scrum. Option E is incorrect because Sprint Reviews continue to be essential for inspection and adaptation with stakeholders.