Daily Standup

Correct Answer: Rotate the meeting times so that the inconvenience is distributed equally among the team members.

The best answer is 'Rotate the meeting times so that the inconvenience is distributed equally among the team members'. This is in line with the core principle of Scrum which emphasizes individuals and interactions over processes and tools. It's a solution that respects the fact that team members are in different timezones and takes into account their convenience. The other answer options such as ignoring the problem and insisting on a fixed time ignore the aspects of respect and collaboration which are key to Agile and Scrum ways of working. It would be counter-productive and against the values of Scrum. Similarly, canceling Daily Standups and replacing them with emails would neglect the importance of face-to-face interaction in Agile methodology. Finally, asking team members in the 'least important' time zones to adjust would be disrespectful and could lead to conflict in the team. It would also be a form of discrimination which is again against the principle of respect that is held highly in Agile methodologies.

Correct Answer: Try to find a way for the team to continue to deliver value while the defect is being addressed.

The most appropriate action for a Scrum Master in this situation is to 'Try to find a way for the team to continue to deliver value while the defect is being addressed.' This maintains the flow of work and encourages problem-solving. It doesn't disrupt or halt the entire process, but helps to manage the situation more effectively. 'Ignoring the defect and asking the team to proceed as planned' is not a responsible course of action. The defect could potentially have a significant impact on the project, leading to the delivery of a less-than-optimal final product. 'Asking the team to stop work until the defect is fixed' would likely be counter-productive, stalling all progress and potentially demoralizing the team. Removing the team member responsible for the defect is out of question. In Scrum, we value individuals over process and any failure should be considered a team failure, not a failure of a single individual.

Correct Answer: Suggest that these discussions be held after the Daily Standup or in a separate meeting.

The best way to address the issue where the Daily Standup consistently runs over the 15-minute timebox due to in-depth technical discussions is to suggest that these discussions be held after the Daily Standup or in a separate meeting. This ensures that the primary purpose of the Daily Standup, which is to synchronize the activities and plan for the next 24 hours, is not compromised, and the technical issues still get the focus they require, but at an appropriate time. Scheduling longer Standups or skipping them does not address the root problem, and it might inconvenience team members who have other meetings or tasks lined up. Furthermore, insisting that the team stops discussing technical issues altogether might stifle important communication and collaboration within the team, leading to unaddressed problems or reduced team morale.