Sprint Execution

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Sprint Execution is the phase when the teams actually carry out the tasks agreed upon during the Sprint Planning. The goal is to create the most valuable product increment possible over the Sprint duration. This phase also involves daily meetings known as Daily Scrum where the development team members synchronize their activities and plan work for the next 24 hours. This is the phase to address and remove any blocking issues as quickly as possible and is coordinated by the Scrum Master.

Guide to Sprint Execution

Sprint Execution plays a vital role in Scrum, an agile workflow methodology. It takes place after Sprint Planning and involves carrying out the tasks mandated in the Sprint Backlog.

Importance: It directs team efforts towards achieving stated goals within an agreed timeline and ensures seamless collaboration to resolve issues. It is crucial for the smooth progression of project tasks, team communication, and achieving deliverables.

What it is: Sprint Execution refers to the period where the team works to deliver the set of features committed during the Sprint Planning Meeting. The duration of a typical sprint can be between one week to one month.

How it works: During the Sprint, team members pick up tasks from the sprint backlog, work on them, and upon completion, move them to the 'Done' column.

Exam Tips - Answering Questions on Sprint Execution:
  • Understand the principles: Have a clear grasp of Sprint mechanics, including roles and responsibilities.
  • Practice with real-life examples: Hands-on experience or case study analysis can increase comprehension.
  • Revisit course materials: Regularly review any training materials for a solid understanding.
  • Think Agile: Always answer considering Agile principles and values.
  • Specificity: Be specific and avoid generic statements. Show your understanding of Sprint Execution in your answers.
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CSM - Sprint Execution Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Sprint Execution

Question 1

In the middle of a sprint, a senior stakeholder demands to change some feature priorities. What should the ScrumMaster do?

Correct Answer: Politely explain that changes will be considered for future sprints, but the current sprint commitments will remain the same.

According to the principles of Scrum framework, once a sprint has started, its scope is supposed to be fixed and unchangeable. This is mainly to ensure that the team can focus on their set goals without distractions or disruptions. Thus, the ScrumMaster should politely tell the senior stakeholder that any changes will be considered for future sprints, but the current sprint commitments will remain the same. This is the reason why this answer is the correct one. The other options suggest changing the current sprint upon request, ignoring the stakeholder’s demand completely or letting the stakeholder directly instruct the team, all of which are against Scrum principles and can lead to chaos, misunderstandings and productivity loss.

Question 2

A team member is consistently battling with personal issues, leading to their poor performance. How should the ScrumMaster handle this?

Correct Answer: Privately discuss the situation with the team member and help them find a way to balance their personal life and work.

The role of a ScrumMaster requires ensuring a productive and comfortable environment for the team members. If a team member is battling personal issues affecting their performance, the best approach would be privately discussing the situation with the team member and helping them find a way to balance their personal life and work. This fosters a supportive and empathetic environment. The option of publicly reprimanding the team member for their poor performance contradicts with the concept of maintaining a respectful and positive workplace. Moreover, asking an individual to leave the team due to their performance issues, without attempting to address underlying problems, is contrary to the ScrumMaster's responsibility of team well-being and performance. Lastly, ignoring the issue entirely as it's personal and not work-related, is an irresponsible approach as personal issues can significantly affect work performance.

Question 3

During a sprint execution, the development team encounters a critical obstacle that could potentially derail project deadlines. What is the most appropriate action for the ScrumMaster?

Correct Answer: Facilitate a focused meeting with the team to identify solutions and adjust the sprint backlog as necessary.

The role of the ScrumMaster is to facilitate the team and ensure that Scrum practices are followed. When a development team encounters a critical obstacle during a sprint, the most appropriate action for the ScrumMaster is to facilitate a meeting with the team to collaboratively identify solutions and make necessary adjustments to the sprint backlog. This maintains the self-organizing nature of the team and ensures that solutions are found through collaboration, staying true to Agile principles. Directly assigning team members specific tasks goes against the self-organizing principle of Agile teams and undermines team autonomy. Requesting an immediate halt to the sprint could be premature and disruptive, not allowing the team to creatively overcome challenges. Consulting with external experts may not be immediately feasible and can delay the problem-solving process, besides detaching the team from solution ownership. Therefore, facilitating a focused meeting with the team is the most suitable approach for a ScrumMaster.

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Other Sprint Planning and Execution concepts

Burndown ChartsCapacity PlanningDesign and Technical StrategyProduct Backlog RefinementProduct Owner’s Role in Sprint Planning & ExecutionScrum Meeting (Daily Stand-up)Sprint BacklogSprint DurationSprint Goal SettingVelocity Calculation
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