Sprints

5 minutes 5 Questions

Sprints are time-boxed events, usually of two to four weeks, in which specific work is completed and readied for review. It has specific elements, namely Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, Development Work, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective. Once a Sprint has commenced, its duration is fi…

Guide on Sprints for PSM I Exam

Sprints: In Scrum agile methodology, a sprint, also known as an iteration, is a set time period during which specific work has to be completed and made ready for review. Each sprint begins with a planning meeting and ends with a review or retrospective.

Importance: Sprints help teams to manage and prioritize their work. The iterative nature of sprints allows for regular feedback and adjustment to the product or project. This iterative process encourages flexibility and rapid adaptation to changes.

Functioning of Sprints: Each sprint ideally lasts 2-4 weeks. The product owner, scrum master, and scrum team collaborate to select the most valuable user stories or work requirements from the backlog for the upcoming sprint. Post planning, the team works on the execution of the tasks planned. On completion, the team reviews the product increment achieved and lessons learned for continuous improvement.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Sprints: To effectively answer questions on sprints, heed the following tips:
- Familiarize yourself with all aspects of a sprint - planning, execution, review.
- Understand how duration, goals, and outcomes of each sprint tie into the overall project delivery.
- Be sure to understand roles and responsibilities of the Scrum Team, Product Owner and Scrum Master in conducting a sprint.
- Remember, Scrum advocates adaptability and learning, hence reflect this understanding in your responses

Test mode:

Exam (Timed)

Practice (With explanations)

Start practice test

PSM I - Sprints Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Sprints

Question 1

During a Sprint, the Product Owner has received customer feedback indicating that a particular feature should be revised. How should the ScrumMaster react to this change in plan?

The ScrumMaster should advise the Product Owner to directly communicate the changes to the development teams. The ScrumMaster should ignore the feedback as it came during a Sprint. The ScrumMaster should immediately ask the development team to start working on the changes. The ScrumMaster should remind the Product Owner that any changes should be made in the next Sprint planning, and the current Sprint Goals should not be disrupted.

Correct Answer: The ScrumMaster should remind the Product Owner that any changes should be made in the next Sprint planning, and the current Sprint Goals should not be disrupted.

According to Scrum principles, once a Sprint has started, its scope is fixed and cannot be changed. The correct approach if there is a change in requirement or priority is for the ScrumMaster to remind the Product Owner that any changes should be made in the next Sprint planning, and the current Sprint Goals should not be disrupted. If the development team starts working on new changes immediately (option two), it can create confusion and disrupt the planned work of the current Sprint. Ignoring the feedback (option three) is not a good approach either as it is important in an Agile environment. Advising the Product Owner to directly communicate the changes to the development teams (option four) is also not correct practice within Scrum, as changes are incorporated through proper channels and proper planning in the next Sprint. Changes in the middle of Sprint can disrupt the flow and should be avoided.

Question 2

The Scrum Team has finished the sprint tasks but there's still time left before the Sprint ends. What's the most suitable action the ScrumMaster should take?

Encourage the team to spend the remaining time on refining the Product Backlog or conducting a skill-sharing session to improve team capabilities. Recommend that the team conducts an additional Sprint Retrospective to identify improvements for the current Sprint, even though it's not yet finished. Suggest that the team should advance the Sprint Review meeting to conclude the Sprint earlier and start the next Sprint sooner. Advocate for the team to temporarily assist other teams with their Sprints, using their expertise to help where it's most needed across the organization. This collaboration could involve knowledge transfer sessions, pair programming, or cross-team reviews, allowing for a fruitful exchange of insights and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collective ownership.

Correct Answer: Encourage the team to spend the remaining time on refining the Product Backlog or conducting a skill-sharing session to improve team capabilities.

While pulling additional items into the current Sprint might seem beneficial at first glance, it goes against the principles of Scrum, which emphasizes respect for the Sprint Goal agreed upon at the Sprint Planning. Similarly, advancing ceremonies or diving into the next Sprint's work prematurely can disrupt the team's rhythm and miss opportunities for improvement and growth. Encouraging the team to refine the backlog or engage in skill-shares respects the integrity of the Sprint, maintains a sustainable pace, and invests in the team's and product's future success.

Question 3

A Sprint Goal has been achieved earlier than expected. What is the next course of action that the Scrum Master should take?

The ScrumMaster should advise the team to focus on improving their individual skills for the remainder of the Sprint. The ScrumMaster should facilitate a meeting with the Product Owner and development team to discuss the possibility of bringing more Product Backlog items into the Sprint if feasible. The ScrumMaster should immediately start the Sprint Review and Retrospective, then start a new Sprint. The ScrumMaster should reward the team with time off for the rest of the Sprint.

Correct Answer: The ScrumMaster should facilitate a meeting with the Product Owner and development team to discuss the possibility of bringing more Product Backlog items into the Sprint if feasible.

The best course of action when a Sprint Goal is achieved earlier than expected is for the Scrum Master to facilitate a meeting with the Product Owner and the development team to discuss the possibility of adding more Product Backlog items into the Sprint, if feasible. This is because the primary objective of Scrum is to deliver value as early and as frequently as possible. Hence, if there is more time in the Sprint, it is useful to pull more work if it does not cause burnout. The idea of immediately starting the Sprint Review and Retrospective and then starting a new Sprint is not the best course of action, as there may still be time left in the Sprint to pull in more work. Which can help to deliver more value. Contrarily, rewarding the team with time off for the rest of the Sprint or advising the team to focus on individual skills for the remainder of the Sprint contradicts the Scrum principles of maximizing work effort and value delivery. The team should always be striving to contribute to the project. Therefore, these options are not the most advantageous courses of action in this scenario.

🎓 Unlock Premium Access

Professional Scrum Master I + ALL Certifications

🎓 Access to ALL Certifications: Study for any certification on our platform with one subscription
2149 Superior-grade Professional Scrum Master I practice questions
Unlimited practice tests across all certifications
Detailed explanations for every question
PSM I: 5 full exams plus all other certification exams
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed: Full refund if unsatisfied
Risk-Free: 7-day free trial with all premium features!

Start Your Free 7-Day Trial