Scrum in Fixed-Price Projects

Correct Answer: Engage in a discussion about the project's scope and suggest reprioritizing the work based on value and team capacity.

In a fixed price Scrum project facing pressure to include more work than the team can handle, the correct approach is to communicate transparently about the team's capacity and work together with the client to reprioritize the work, ensuring the most valuable items are completed first. Adjusting the Definition of Done or postponing the release does not address the core issue of overcommitment and may lead to reduced quality or missed timelines. Using the team's velocity for justification and proposing a phased delivery approach aligns with agile principles, but the primary step should be to engage stakeholders in a discussion about scope and prioritization.

Correct Answer: Discuss the implications with the Product Owner and stakeholders to evaluate the impact on budget, scope, and timeline.

In a Scrum context, especially in fixed-price projects, any request to add new features requires a careful analysis of its implications on the project's scope, timeline, and budget. The correct approach involves discussing these implications with the Product Owner and relevant stakeholders to make an informed decision. This keeps the process transparent and ensures that any adjustments align with the project's goals and constraints. Simply prioritizing the new request, increasing project resources, or seeking external decisions contradicts Scrum principles, where decisions should be based on the impact on the project and made by or with the relevant stakeholders and Scrum Team.

Correct Answer: Discuss with the Product Owner and consider the value of such a change. Only take action if it is agreed upon and reflected in the contract amendments.

In the Scrum framework, the Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Development Team. Any opportunity for optimization, even if it seems straightforward, should be evaluated in terms of value and impact on the agreed scope and budget. It's essential to have these discussions with the Product Owner to ensure alignment and proper documentation in contract amendments if necessary. The wrong options represent actions that bypass the critical role of the Product Owner, potentially disrupt current sprint commitments, or mistakenly prioritize an optimization without proper stakeholder agreement.