Sprint Backlog

Correct Answer: Assist the team in re-negotiating the Sprint Backlog and consult with the Product Owner.

The correct approach in Scrum when team members express difficulty with the tasks in a Sprint is to engage in a re-negotiation of the Sprint Backlog. This re-negotiation should involve a consultation with the Product Owner, the individual who holds the vision of the product and can help to prioritize the items in the Backlog. This aligns with the Scrum values of courage and openness, as well as its commitment to delivering value. The option where the Scrum Master changes the Sprint Backlog without consulting the Product Owner disregards the crucial role of the Product Owner and could harm the value of the product. It underestimates the importance of collaboration in Scrum. When we think about the option to ignore the team member's suggestion as it's too late to make changes, we see that this is a clear violation of the Scrum values of respect and openness. It also neglects the fact that the Scrum framework allows for change The suggestion for the team member to work extra hours is also incorrect. It suggests a lack of understanding of the principle of sustainable pace in Scrum, which highlights the importance of keeping a consistent, reliable working velocity to avoid burnout.

Correct Answer: Encourage the Development Team to collaborate with the Product Owner to gain a clear understanding of the user story and consider any necessary adjustments to the Sprint Backlog.

In Scrum, collaboration and communication among the team members and the Product Owner are key to clarifying misunderstandings. The correct approach is to have the Development Team collaborate directly with the Product Owner for clarification, rather than proceeding based on assumptions, relying solely on written communication without interaction, or having the Scrum Master unilaterally adjust the Sprint Backlog. The Scrum Master's role is to facilitate this collaboration and ensure that the team can operate effectively, rather than to make unilateral decisions regarding the work items in the Sprint Backlog.

Correct Answer: The User Story remains in the Product Backlog and the team will continue working on it in the next Sprint or when it is prioritised again.

As a Scrum Master, when an item in the Sprint Backlog is completed but the associated User Story is not, the User Story remains in the Product Backlog. It can be worked on in a subsequent Sprint or whenever it is prioritised again. Scrum promotes sustainable development, and does not favour working overtime. Therefore, the idea of asking the team to work overtime is not in line with Scrum principles. Moving to the next User Story without completing the current one leads to unfinished items and potential definition of Done issues. Also, marking the User Story as completed when it is not is misrepresentation of the actual state of the project.