Sprint Backlog

Correct Answer: Move the unfinished items to the product backlog, prioritize, and possibly assign them for the next Sprint.

The best step when few items in the Sprint Backlog remain unfinished even after the Sprint, as a Scrum Master, is to 'Move the unfinished items to the product backlog, prioritize, and possibly assign them for the next Sprint.' This helps in ensuring that the sprint backlog is re-prioritized and planned for the next sprint effectively. The rationale behind this being that any unfinished work from the sprint backlog should be reviewed and re-prioritized before being factored into the planning of the next sprint. If they are still deemed necessary, they will be included in the next sprint, or otherwise, they might be discarded or kept in the product backlog for future consideration. The answer 'Reassign the unfinished items to the team members to complete them after hours.' is wrong because it goes against the principles of Scrum, as it encourages overloading team members with work, infringing their work-life balance, and this may lead to burnout. The answer 'Ignore the unfinished items as they were probably not important' is incorrect because each item in the Sprint Backlog was prioritized and chosen for development in the sprint planning meeting, indicating its importance and value to the product, client, or team. Finally, 'Punish the team members who didn't finish their tasks.' is not at all a good practice in Scrum or any other Agile methodology, or in any work setting for that matter, as it discourages team spirit, damages morale, and could lead to a toxic work environment.

Correct Answer: Facilitate a conversation for the team to decide how to incorporate the blocker into the Sprint Backlog

As a Scrum Master, the primary duties involve facilitating the effectiveness of Scrum practices within a team rather than direct involvement in product development or backlog management. Thus, the Scrum Master should 'Facilitate a conversation for the team to decide how to incorporate the blocker into the Sprint Backlog'. The power to update, maintain, or change the Sprint Backlog lies with the Development Team, not the Scrum Master. Hence, the Scrum master should not 'Update the Sprint Backlog yourself immediately to include the new blocker'. Also, Scrum does not advocate for creating new events for specific issues but rather relies on existing events to address challenges. Therefore, it is not fitting to 'Suggest a new Scrum Event to discuss the blocker'. Lastly, completely ignoring the blocker because it wasn't part of the original Sprint Backlog, represented by 'Ignore the blocker as it was not initially part of the Sprint Backlog', goes against Scrum principles which encourage adaptability and continual improvement. Therefore, this is also the incorrect approach.

Correct Answer: Review the Definition of Done with the team, clarify any misunderstandings, and adjust the current Product Backlog item accordingly

The correct action is to engage the team in reviewing the Definition of Done to ensure there are no misunderstandings and to collaboratively adjust any incomplete work. Directly updating the product backlog without team input overlooks the importance of team collaboration and decision-making. Adding a buffer sprint is not a recommended practice in Scrum, as it can lead to inefficiencies and delays. Encouraging prioritization of incomplete items in the next Sprint is a good practice, but it is essential first to address any discrepancies with the Definition of Done to prevent recurrence.