Burn-down Chart

Correct Answer: An external dependency or bottleneck is stalling progress.

When a burn-down chart shows a rise followed by a halt while the sprint continues, it typically indicates that an external dependency or bottleneck is stalling progress. The rise in the burn-down chart suggests that additional work or complexity was added to the sprint, possibly due to unforeseen issues or dependencies. The subsequent halt indicates that progress has stopped, likely because the team is unable to move forward due to these external factors. This situation often occurs when the team encounters obstacles beyond their control, such as waiting for input from stakeholders, technical issues with third-party systems, or delays in receiving necessary resources. It's important for the Scrum Master and the team to identify and address these impediments quickly to resume progress and minimize the impact on sprint goals.

Correct Answer: Tasks are front-loaded and completed earlier in the sprint.

The most likely reason burn-down chart is showing more substantial progress in the first few days of the sprint, and then it plateaus is that tasks are being front-loaded and completed earlier in the sprint, hence seeing a decline in progress as the sprint continues. The other answers are not entirely accurate. The idea that teammates are working slower than at the beginning of the sprint is possible but not necessarily true because burn-down charts don't necessarily measure speed, but measures how much work remains. The proposition that there are more complex tasks at the end of the sprint could be possible, but that would typically be considered poor sprint planning. A well-balanced sprint aims to spread the workload evenly. Finally, while the Scrum Master plays an essential role in guiding the team, the burn-down progress is not solely indicative of their guiding ability.

Correct Answer: The remaining work estimate for a large task was off and it was completed ahead of time.

In Scrum, burn-down charts are used to visualize the amount of work remaining in a sprint. A sudden drop in the chart usually indicates that a substantial amount of work has unexpectedly been completed. This can occur when the team finishes a big task that was initially overestimated, as the first answer suggests. This would cause a large amount of remaining work to suddenly disappear from the chart, resulting in the noted drop. The other options are less likely: While overwork (second answer) can potentially lead to faster progress, it's not a sustainable or healthy practice, nor is it promoted within Scrum. Poor planning (third answer) typically causes inconsistencies or delays, not sudden jumps in progress. Lastly, a malfunctioning issue logging system (fourth answer) could cause a drop in the chart, but it's more of an issue with the logging tool than an accurate reflection of the team's progress.