Retrospectives

Correct Answer: The Scrum Master should facilitate a discussion for the team to agree upon a workable balance between refining and developing features that suits team's situation

The best answer is that the Scrum Master should facilitate a discussion for the team to agree upon a workable balance between refining and developing features that suits the team's situation. In Scrum, the team is self-organizing and should collectively decide how to balance their work. The Scrum Master's role is to facilitate this discussion and decision making process, not to dictate or make the decision for the team. Focusing only on new features or only on refining old ones would be unbalanced and likely not meet the needs of stakeholders or the product. The team needs to find the right mix. Having the Scrum Master or stakeholders decide for the team goes against the principles of self-organization and collective ownership in Scrum. The team is best positioned to determine the appropriate balance for their unique context and situation.

Correct Answer: Facilitate a meeting with the conflicting parties to understand and address the underlying issues.

The best course of action when conflicts arise in a team - particularly when those conflicts are affecting team performance - is proactive mediation. That's why 'facilitate a meeting with the conflicting parties to understand and address the underlying issues' is the right answer. In this way, the underlying cause of the conflict can be addressed and a resolution can be sought that satisfies all parties. Ignoring the conflict hoping it will self-resolve is the wrong action because unresolved conflicts could escalate and impact team performance further. Disciplining team members openly during the retrospective can lead to resentment and further tension within the team, which is not conducive to a healthy work environment. Lastly, talking only to the team member you feel is right shows favoritism, and could be perceived as unfair by the other team members, thus exacerbating the conflict.

Correct Answer: Implement regular check-ins with team members to discuss project updates and address any communication gaps.

The best action for the project manager to address communication breakdowns is to implement regular check-ins with team members to discuss project updates and address any communication gaps. Having regular meetings will allow the team to stay informed, share progress, identify issues early, and collaborate on solutions. This proactive approach helps prevent communication gaps from widening and impacting the project further. A one-time meeting to review protocols is insufficient as it doesn't provide ongoing support and reinforcement of good communication practices. Sending a detailed email about the issues puts the burden on the team without facilitating dialog and collaborative problem-solving. Email alone is not an effective way to resolve complex communication challenges. Assigning a single team member to monitor communications creates an additional role that doesn't address the root causes of poor communication. It's better to foster a culture of open communication among all team members.