Velocity Tracking

Correct Answer: Adjust the sprint commitment and re-estimate after understanding the scope of the issue.

In the Scrum framework, adaptability and responsiveness to change are key principles. When a critical production issue arises during a sprint, it's essential to address it promptly to minimize its impact on users. The correct action is to first understand the scope of the issue and then adjust the sprint commitment accordingly, which may involve re-estimating the work. This approach prioritizes addressing critical issues while maintaining the integrity of the Sprint Goal as much as possible. The options suggesting to leave the issue unaddressed or to ask the team to work overtime ignore the Scrum values of respect and courage by either disregarding the team's ability to adapt or by putting undue pressure on the team, which could lead to burnout and decreased quality of work. Delaying the current sprint to fix the issue could disrupt the delivery schedule and the rhythm of the Scrum team, which is why it's generally not recommended without a thorough assessment and agreement that this is the best course of action.

Correct Answer: Allow the team to adapt and know that their velocity may decrease temporarily while the new member gets up to speed.

When a new member joins a team, it is normal for the team's velocity to decrease temporarily. This is because the new member needs time to adjust and learn. The ScrumMaster should allow the team to adapt rather than trying to quickly push the new member or enforcing a high pace, which could lead to burnout or mistakes. Besides, the new member might also bring new ideas and perspectives, hence a drop in velocity is a form of investment for a more diverse team. The other options are not ideal. Assigning only minor tasks to the new member is not the best way to optimize their potential and adding pressure by increasing the expected velocity does not provide a conducive environment for learning and can lead to a decrease in morale. Also, replacing the new member with a more experienced one may not fix the issue as every new member requires some adaptation and learning time.

Correct Answer: Acknowledge that addressing technical debt is necessary for long-term sustainability. Encourage the team to reflect the time required to address technical debt in their velocity.

The best approach as a ScrumMaster is to acknowledge that addressing technical debt is an essential part of software development and is necessary for a team's long-term sustainability. A decrease in velocity due to this is not necessarily a negative sign, but rather an indication of important work being done on code quality and sustainability. The team should be encouraged to account for this work in their velocity to provide a more accurate representation of their actual commitments and capacity. This approach is in line with one of the core principles of Scrum - transparency. On the other hand, the other answers reflect incorrect or detrimental practices. Urging the team to neglect technical debt can lead to significant problems down the line with code quality, reliability, and future development speed. Blaming the team does not foster a constructive environment and might put a dent in the team's morale and productivity. Lastly, ignoring the trend could result in missed opportunities for process and development improvements.