Understanding Users and Markets

Correct Answer: Encourage the team to engage in a spike to experiment and gather more insights on the feature's potential market validation.

The correct answer involves experimentation and gaining further insights, which is a key part of the empirical process Scrum is based on. This approach allows the team to validate assumptions with real data. Consulting with stakeholders, while important, may not lead to new insights about the feature's viability. Prioritizing backlog items based solely on existing market research may disregard potential innovation. Organizing a workshop to consider multiple factors reflects a balanced approach, but it doesn't focus specifically on validating the innovative feature's assumptions through experimentation.

Correct Answer: Suggest creating a minimal viable product(MVP) to gather user feedback and usage data to support their case.

Creating a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) is a good approach when there is not enough data to evidence the value of a feature. This allows the Scrum Team to test the market, gather user feedback, and collect usage data to support their hypothesis. This approach is consistent with Scrum principles of iterative development, testing and integrating feedback, as well as risk mitigation. The other suggested solutions would not be aligned with Scrum values and principles. Ignoring objections and adding the feature directly to the product would disregard the stakeholders' concerns and potentially waste time and resources on a feature that might not be valuable. Scrapping the feature without any investigation contradicts Scrum's experimental mindset. Lastly, disregarding stakeholders' input is against Scrum's emphasis on collaboration and open communication, and could lead to problems down the line.

Correct Answer: Act as a mediator to help both parties understand the implications of the decision concerning the project’s value and organizational goals.

As a Scrum Master, the focus should be on fostering collaboration and understanding between the Scrum Team and senior management, helping them align on project priorities while addressing concerns related to business needs and budget constraints. The correct answer emphasizes the Scrum Master’s role in mediation without making unilateral decisions or pushing for actions that avoid confronting the underlying issues, such as reallocating backlog priorities based on presumed budget constraints, focusing exclusively on technical debt, or elongating the decision process with extensive financial justifications.