Scrum Master

5 minutes 5 Questions

The Scrum Master is key to utilizing the Scrum framework correctly. They serve as a facilitator for both the Product Owner and the development team, making sure the team adheres to Scrum theory, practices, and rules. The Scrum Master helps the team to understand the need for clear and concise Produ…

Guide: Scrum Master - Importance, Functionality and Exam Tips

The Scrum Master is a pivotal role in any Scrum team, with a primary focus on guiding and coaching the team to use Agile/Scrum practices effectively.

Importance:
Scrum Master ensures that the Scrum Team adheres to Scrum theory, practices, and rules. They help those outside the Scrum team to understand which interactions with the team are helpful and which are not. This role is vital in creating a productive and creative environment for the team to achieve its goals.

What is it:
A Scrum Master is not a manager but a servant leader for the Scrum Team. They act as a facilitator and alleviate any obstacles that the team may encounter during the Scrum process. Scrum Masters also work to create a balance between the team's well-being and productivity.

How it works:
The Scrum Master guides, coaches, and educates the team in Scrum practices, ensuring a high level of performance. They also assist in stakeholder communication to maximize value.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Scrum Master:
1. Understand the role and responsibilities of a Scrum Master in depth.
2. Review the Scrum Guide thoroughly, as most of the questions are Scrum Guide based.
3. Always remember that Scrum Master is a leadership role and not a managerial one.
4. Be able to differentiate between Scrum Master, Product Owner and team roles.
5. Practice scenario-based questions as they form a major part of the examination.

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PSM I - Scrum Master Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Scrum Master

Question 1

You're the Scrum Master on a new project. The Product Owner is constantly changing the requirements even when the sprint is ongoing. What should be your course of action?

Coach the Product Owner about the stability of the Sprint Backlog after the Sprint Planning and its significance for the team's focus and productivity. Implement a rotating role within the development team dedicated to assessing and integrating changes requested by the Product Owner throughout the Sprint. This role would ensure that changes are feasible and minimally disruptive, while also respecting Scrum principles. The main objective is to provide a structured way to manage changes without sacrificing the agility and flexibility inherent in Scrum methodology. This role requires deep understanding of both the project specifics and Scrum framework to efficiently balance between adhering to the Sprint Goals and accommodating necessary adjustments. Suggest that the development team should prioritize any incoming changes from the Product Owner regardless of the state of the Sprint. Organize a Sprint Review meeting immediately to re-assess and possibly re-prioritize the Product Backlog items, even if it's in the middle of the Sprint.

Correct Answer: Coach the Product Owner about the stability of the Sprint Backlog after the Sprint Planning and its significance for the team's focus and productivity.

According to Scrum guidelines, once the Sprint Planning is completed and the Sprint has begun, the Sprint Backlog is expected to remain stable. This stability is crucial to ensure that the Development Team can focus on their commitments without the disruption of shifting goals. The Scrum Master should coach the Product Owner on understanding the impact of changing requirements during the Sprint, emphasizing the importance of respecting the mutually agreed upon goals for the Sprint's duration. The wrong answers, although relevant to Scrum's adaptiveness and agility, misinterpret the roles' responsibilities and the purpose of Scrum ceremonies, potentially leading to reduced efficiency and increased frustration within the team.

Question 2

The Product Owner is unsatisfied with the current progress of the project and feels that it is lagging behind schedule. What should the Scrum Master do?

Suggest the Product Owner adjusts the release plan milestones to better reflect current progress. Assist in refining the product backlog to ensure alignment with the Product Owner's goals. Advocate for assigning additional tasks to the Development Team outside of the sprint to catch up. Coordinate an increase in the sprint duration to allow more work to be completed.

Correct Answer: Assist in refining the product backlog to ensure alignment with the Product Owner's goals.

A Scrum Master facilitates by assisting the Scrum Team in finding ways to improve their processes and work more effectively, not by altering the fundamentals of Scrum like sprint duration or bypassing Scrum ceremonies and artifacts. Refining the product backlog can help to clarify priorities and better align the team’s efforts with the Product Owner's expectations, ensuring that the most valuable work is being done. Increasing sprint duration or assigning additional tasks outside the sprint goes against Scrum principles and could lead to burnout and reduced quality of work. Adjusting the release plan is a possible action, but it does not address the root cause of why the progress might be lagging, nor does it promote better teamwork and understanding between the Product Owner and the Development Team.

Question 3

A key stakeholder is consistently interrupting the development team during the Sprint with ad-hoc demands, which are causing distractions. What should the Scrum Master do?

Update the current sprint backlog to include the stakeholder's ad-hoc demands to ensure they are addressed immediately. Encourage direct communication between the development team and the stakeholder to resolve any misunderstandings and ensure smoother collaboration throughout the sprint. Have the development team increase their daily scrum meetings to two times a day to reassess their capacity to take in additional work and report their progress to the stakeholder. Educate the stakeholder about Scrum principles and the negative impact of disrupting the sprint, suggesting the incorporation of their needs into the sprint backlog for future sprints.

Correct Answer: Educate the stakeholder about Scrum principles and the negative impact of disrupting the sprint, suggesting the incorporation of their needs into the sprint backlog for future sprints.

The correct approach involves educating the stakeholder about how Scrum operates, particularly the importance of protecting the team's focus during a sprint. Randomly incorporating ad-hoc demands can disrupt the team's workflow and negatively impact the sprint's outcome. The answers that involve changing the sprint backlog mid-sprint, encouraging unscheduled direct communication, or increasing the frequency of scrum meetings can all lead to scope creep, confusion, and a further breakdown in the delineation of roles within Scrum. It's crucial to maintain structured communication and proper sprint planning practices to ensure that the team remains productive and focused.

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