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Guide for Breaking Down Epics - PSM-I Exam

What it is:
Breaking Down Epics refers to the 'splitting' or 'partitioning' of a larger user story (epic) into smaller, manageable user stories. This is done because an epic is too big to be worked on in a single sprint.

Why it is important:
Breaking Down Epics promotes the incremental delivery of product features, facilitates better estimation of work, reduces complexity, and enables faster feedback from stakeholders.

How it works:
The Product Owner, in collaboration with the Scrum Team, breaks down epics into smaller user stories based on value delivery, functional components, or other logical reasoning. Each user story contains a discrete unit of value that can be developed, tested, and delivered independently of others.

Answering Questions in an Exam:
Understand that breaking down epics is driven by the need to deliver value in a more incremental, manageable way. Refer to the INVEST criteria (Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable) when explaining how an epic can be broken down.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Breaking Down Epics:
1. Use real-world examples to illustrate your understanding of the concept.
2. Emphasize the benefits of breaking down epics such as constant feedback, improved accuracy in estimation, and incremental value delivery.
3. Remember that breaking down epics involves team collaboration and is guided by value delivery.

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Breaking Down Epics practice test

An essential part of backlog management is breaking down larger backlog items, or 'epics', into manageable, implementable parts, usually referred to as 'user stories' or 'tasks'. This makes planning, estimation, and execution far more manageable and reduces uncertainty. Each story should be a self-contained piece of work that can be developed, tested, and implemented independently while delivering value. This process is usually handled by the product owner and the Scrum team during product backlog refinement sessions.

Time: 5 minutes   Questions: 5

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  • 3547 Superior-grade Professional Scrum Master I practice questions.
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