Efficient Backlog Management in Distributed Scrum

Correct Answer: Have the Product Owner define the business value for each backlog item explicitly.

In the Scrum framework, the Product Owner is responsible for defining the business value of each backlog item and prioritizing them accordingly. This is defined in the role of the Product Owner who is the one person responsible for managing the Product Backlog and ensuring the value of the work performed by the team. This means that 'Have the Product Owner define the business value for each backlog item explicitly.' is the best answer. The option 'Let the team members vote on the priority of backlog items.' is not efficient, because team members may not have the full visibility and understanding of the overall business strategy and its value, which Product Owner has The choice 'Consider all backlog items as equal priority.' is incorrect because it would impede the process of value-based prioritization, which is key to the successful delivery of a product. Finally, 'Decide the priority based on the complexity of the backlog items.' is also not a good approach as the complexity of a task does not necessarily correlate with its value. Some high-value tasks might be simple to complete while some complex tasks might not deliver much value.

Correct Answer: Record the meetings and provide the team member with the recording. Allocate time for the remote team member to ask questions separately

During a Scrum Meeting, all team members' participation is important to discuss and address the backlog items. Therefore, the contribution of a remote team member that faces connection issues should not be ignored. The best approach is to record the meetings and provide the team member with the recording. This way, the team member can stay updated with the discussion. Afterward, a dedicated time slot should be allocated to this team member to ask questions or provide their input. Asking the team member to join when they have a stable connection might not be feasible due to different time zones, ongoing connection issues, etc. Hence, this solution, suggesting changing the Internet Service Provider, or completely ignoring the team member are not ideal responses to the given problem. These options may not necessarily solve the problem and might lead to a lack of participation from the team member.

Correct Answer: Plan the refinement meetings at a time that is suitable for all members even though this might be outside the normal working hours for some participants.

In distributed Scrum teams facing timezone differences, the best resolution is to plan the refinement meetings at a time that suits all members, even if this might be outside the normal working hours for some participants. This approach respects the importance of each team member's contribution and balances the inconvenience of irregular hours among all team members. Ignoring the communication gap and proceeding with the remaining team members, as one of the options suggests, can lead to missed inputs and decreased team cohesion. Replacing the team member with someone in a more compatible time zone might not be a feasible solution given the team member's critical role within the team, and the effort required for a new team member to pick up their responsibilities. Also, shifting the entire team's working hours to match that of the late team member could lead to dissatisfaction and inconvenience for the rest of the team. Therefore, finding a mutually suitable time for meetings would be the best approach.