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Guide to Epics and Themes for PSM I

What it is:
Within Scrum, you'll often come across terms like Epics and Themes. An Epic is a large user story, typically one that is too big to be implemented in a single sprint and therefore needs to be broken down into several smaller user stories for implementation. A Theme is a collection of user stories, epics or initiatives that share a common objective or are related in some way.

Why it's important:
Epics and Themes help in aggregating and organizing work in Scrum. They guide the Scrum team in planning, prioritizing, and executing work, which ultimately leads to more efficient delivery of value to the stakeholder.

How it works:
During backlog refinement or sprint planning, the Scrum team identifies Epics and Themes. They further break down Epics into smaller, manageable user stories which can be implemented in a single sprint. Themes help in grouping related user stories or epics, aiding efficient planning and prioritization.

Exam Tips - Answering Questions on Epics and Themes:
1. Understand the definitions and differences between epics, themes, and user stories.
2. Be aware of how and why these are used in Scrum. For questions on making choice, consider the impact on deliverable value and stakeholder satisfaction.
3. Practice identifying and breaking down epics to user stories and grouping stories to themes in given scenarios.
4. Remember, Epics are more about breadth (large scope) while user stories are about depth (detail).

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Epics and Themes practice test

Epics and Themes are ways to organize User Stories into larger categories. "Epics" are big User Stories that are too large to be completed in one sprint and hence need to be broken down further. Whereas, "Themes" are groups of related user stories. So, if several user stories together contribute to realize a business goal, they can be categorized as a theme. Both Epics and Themes are beneficial in managing large products, as they offer the possibility to organize the user stories at a higher level by reducing the complexity and improving the ability to plan ahead.

Time: 5 minutes   Questions: 5

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