Affinity Estimating

Correct Answer: Encourage the team to review the definitions of complexity and effort used during estimation, ensuring alignment and shared understanding.

The correct response from a Scrum Master when facing dissatisfaction with story estimations is to focus on alignment and shared understanding within the team, without imposing changes or external decisions. Encouraging the team to review and align on the foundational concepts used during the estimation process ensures that everyone is on the same page and estimations reflect a collective agreement. The wrong answers, though related to estimation, diverge from the principle of collective team effort and shared understanding, either by suggesting a completely different estimation technique, deferring the decision to the Product Owner, or leaning towards a detailed upfront analysis which contradicts the Agile preference for just-enough, just-in-time planning.

Correct Answer: Ensure the team reaches a consensus on the relative sizes of user stories

As a Scrum Master, the primary role during an Affinity Estimating session is to facilitate the team's discussion and ensure they reach a consensus on the relative sizes of user stories. The Scrum Master should not assign story points themselves or rush the process. While providing guidance on breaking down stories can be helpful, it is not the main focus of Affinity Estimating, which is about relative sizing and team consensus.

Correct Answer: I agree. Let's perform the initial sorting silently, then we will discuss our reasoning.

In an Affinity Estimation process, the aim is to group similar sized stories together. The best practice encourages team members to perform an initial sorting without discussing each story in detail, therefore, the statement 'Let's perform the initial sorting silently, then we will discuss our reasoning.' is correct. As for the other answers, 'No. We need to discuss every story before we place it.' contradicts the core intent of an Affinity Estimation process. Teams are not expected to discuss every story in depth before the grouping process begins. 'The Product Owner will make the final decision.' is wrong because in SCRUM, it's not the Product Owner's job to estimate stories. Estimates are produced by the development team. Lastly, 'Let's vote on this as a team.' is not a suitable approach because the process depends on the collaboration and shared understanding of the team, not on a voting system.