Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) Exam β Questions and Answers
Question 1: Several stakeholders approach the Developers during a Sprint with new, urgent feature requests. What should the Developers do?
- Redirect the stakeholders to the Product Owner to discuss adding the items to the Product Backlog. (Correct answer)
- Complete the new requests first as they are marked 'urgent' by stakeholders.
- Immediately add the new requests to the current Sprint Backlog.
- Implement the requests and inform the Product Owner at the Sprint Review.
Correct answer: Redirect the stakeholders to the Product Owner to discuss adding the items to the Product Backlog.
The Product Owner is responsible for managing the Product Backlog and stakeholder expectations. To maintain transparency and proper ordering, all changes to the Product Backlog should go through the Product Owner. The Developers should focus on the Sprint Goal and the existing Sprint Backlog.
Question 2: What happens to unfinished Sprint Backlog items at the end of a Sprint?
- They are automatically moved to the next Sprint with the same estimates
- They are returned to the Product Backlog for re-ordering (Correct answer)
- They are discarded and re-created from scratch
- They become carry-over tasks assigned to specific Developers
Correct answer: They are returned to the Product Backlog for re-ordering
Unfinished items are returned to the Product Backlog, where the Product Owner re-orders them based on current value and priority.
Question 3: What happens to completed Product Backlog items if a Sprint is cancelled?
- Done items may be accepted by the Product Owner (Correct answer)
- The team must finish them in overtime
- They are discarded and re-estimated
- They are automatically moved to the next Sprint
Correct answer: Done items may be accepted by the Product Owner
When a Sprint is cancelled, any completed and 'Done' Product Backlog items are reviewed, and the Product Owner may accept those that meet the Definition of Done.
Question 4: What is the maximum duration of Sprint Planning for a one-month Sprint?
- 4 hours
- 2 hours
- 16 hours
- 8 hours (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 8 hours
Sprint Planning is time-boxed to a maximum of 8 hours for a one-month Sprint, with shorter Sprints typically requiring less time.
Question 5: A Product Owner is having difficulty communicating the Product Goal and ordering the Product Backlog items to maximize value. How can the Scrum Master best serve the Product Owner in this situation?
- Help find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management. (Correct answer)
- Escalate the Product Owner's performance issues to their line manager.
- Take over the management of the Product Backlog to ensure it is done correctly.
- Instruct the Developers to work directly with stakeholders to determine priorities.
Correct answer: Help find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management.
The Scrum Guide explicitly states that the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management. The Scrum Master acts as a coach and facilitator, empowering the Product Owner rather than taking over their accountabilities.
Question 6: What is the result of effective transparency?
- Better decisions (Correct answer)
- Hidden progress
- Reduced collaboration
- More documentation
Correct answer: Better decisions
Effective transparency ensures that all relevant information about the process and the product is clearly visible to the Scrum Team and stakeholders. When everyone has a shared, accurate understanding of the current state, challenges, and progress, it leads to more informed and better decisions. This clarity minimizes misunderstandings and allows for timely, collective adjustments.
Question 7: A Team member realizes he does not have the skills needed to complete a task he has accepted for the current Sprint. At the Daily Scrum, he talks about his realization and asks for help. Which Scrum Value is being shown?
- Respect
- Openness (Correct answer)
- Courage
- Focus
Correct answer: Openness
Explanation: <br> The Scrum value being demonstrated in this scenario is Openness. By openly discussing his realization and asking for help during the Daily Scrum, the team member is embodying the value of Openness, which encourages transparency, honesty, and willingness to communicate openly within the team.
Question 8: Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking. Empiricism asserts that :
- You must always know the work coming up 5 Sprints ahead
- Experience comes from knowledge
- Not everyone needs to attend all Scrum Events
- Knowledge comes from experience (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Knowledge comes from experience
Explanation: <br> Empiricism, a foundational principle of Scrum, emphasizes that knowledge comes from experience. In the context of Scrum, this means that decisions are based on observation, experimentation, and learning from real-world outcomes rather than speculation or prediction. Empirical process control in Scrum relies on transparency, inspection, and adaptation to continuously improve the product and the process.
Question 9: Who owns the Sprint Backlog?
- Stakeholders
- Development Team (Correct answer)
- Product Owner
- Scrum Master
Correct answer: Development Team
The Sprint Backlog is owned by the Development Team, as they are the ones who forecast the work needed to achieve the Sprint Goal and manage their progress throughout the Sprint. They are self-organizing and empowered to decide how best to accomplish the work. While the Product Owner and Scrum Master support the team, the day-to-day management of the Sprint Backlog is the Development Team's responsibility.
Question 10: What is velocity trend analysis used for?
- Forecasting how many Product Backlog items can be completed in future Sprints (Correct answer)
- Determining the number of bugs per release
- Setting the Definition of Done quality threshold
- Evaluating individual Developer performance
Correct answer: Forecasting how many Product Backlog items can be completed in future Sprints
Tracking velocity trends over multiple Sprints helps teams and Product Owners make realistic forecasts about when features or releases can be expected.
Question 11: The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute Event β what feature of the Daily Scrum is a way to reduce complexity?
- The Daily Scrum is held at the same time and place every day (Correct answer)
- Attending this one meeting means the Developers don't need to talk again that day
- Stakeholders can ask for a daily progress update
- The Scrum Master allocates each person present the same amount of time to speak
Correct answer: The Daily Scrum is held at the same time and place every day
Explanation: <br> Holding the Daily Scrum at the same time and place every day reduces complexity by providing consistency and predictability for the Scrum Team. This practice helps streamline communication and ensures that team members know when and where to gather for the daily synchronization meeting, reducing the cognitive load associated with scheduling and logistics.
Question 12: What is an effective way to manage conflict in a Scrum Team?
- Ignore the team
- Escalate immediately
- Avoid the issue
- Encourage open dialogue (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Encourage open dialogue
An effective way to manage conflict in a Scrum Team is to encourage open and honest dialogue among team members. The Scrum Master can facilitate these discussions, ensuring that all perspectives are heard and that the team collaboratively works towards a resolution. Addressing conflicts directly and constructively helps build trust and strengthens team dynamics, rather than avoiding or immediately escalating issues.
Question 13: A cumulative flow diagram (CFD) is most useful for:
- Visualizing workflow stability and identifying bottlenecks across Scrum stages (Correct answer)
- Comparing velocity between multiple Scrum Teams
- Planning the Sprint Review agenda
- Tracking individual Developer story point contributions
Correct answer: Visualizing workflow stability and identifying bottlenecks across Scrum stages
A CFD shows the quantity of work in each stage over time, revealing bottlenecks, scope changes, and flow issues across the development process.
Question 14: What quality should a Scrum Master promote for effective teamwork?
- Trust (Correct answer)
- Competition
- Silence
- Independence
Correct answer: Trust
The Scrum Master should promote trust within the team as it is fundamental for effective teamwork and psychological safety. When team members trust each other, they are more likely to communicate openly, collaborate effectively, take risks, and provide honest feedback without fear of negative repercussions. This fosters a supportive environment essential for high-performing Scrum Teams and continuous improvement.
Question 15: What is the recommended size for a Scrum Team?
- Between 3 and 9 Developers, plus the Product Owner and Scrum Master.
- Typically 10 or fewer people. (Correct answer)
- As many people as needed to complete the work.
- Exactly 7 members, plus or minus 2.
Correct answer: Typically 10 or fewer people.
The 2020 Scrum Guide states that the Scrum Team is typically 10 or fewer people. This size is small enough to remain nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint. If teams become too large, they should consider reorganizing.
Question 16: In Scrum, who works to remove barriers between Stakeholders and Scrum Teams?
- The Senior Developer
- The Stakeholder sponsoring the project
- The Scrum Master (Correct answer)
- The Scrum Team
Correct answer: The Scrum Master
Explanation: <br> The Scrum Master is responsible for removing barriers between stakeholders and the Scrum Team. This includes facilitating communication, resolving conflicts, and ensuring that the team can focus on delivering value without impediments from external sources.
Question 17: Which is NOT a pillar of Scrum?
- Transparency
- Adaptation
- Inspection
- Control (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Control
The three pillars of Scrum, which underpin its empirical process control, are Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation. These pillars ensure that the Scrum Team can continuously learn, adjust, and improve its process and product. 'Control' is not one of the official pillars; instead, Scrum emphasizes self-organization and emergent processes over rigid control.
Question 18: In Scrum, 'Transparency' requires that:
- Teams share all source code in open-source repositories
- All project documentation is publicly available on the internet
- Significant aspects of the process are visible to those responsible for outcomes (Correct answer)
- The ScrumMaster reports all team conversations to organizational management
Correct answer: Significant aspects of the process are visible to those responsible for outcomes
Transparency means the important aspects of the Scrum process are visible to everyone responsible for outcomes, enabling proper Inspection.
Question 19: Scrum is based on which type of process control theory?
- Empirical (Correct answer)
- Sequential
- Predictive
- Waterfall
Correct answer: Empirical
Scrum is founded on empirical process control theory, which means it relies on experience and making decisions based on what is observed. This approach emphasizes transparency, inspection, and adaptation rather than detailed upfront planning. By regularly inspecting progress and adapting plans, Scrum teams can effectively manage unpredictability and optimize value delivery.
Question 20: What should a Scrum Team do if they complete their Sprint Backlog work before the Sprint ends?
- Reassign team members to other projects
- Collaborate with the Product Owner to pull in more work from the Product Backlog (Correct answer)
- Wait until the next Sprint begins
- End the Sprint early
Correct answer: Collaborate with the Product Owner to pull in more work from the Product Backlog
If a team finishes early, they should work with the Product Owner to bring additional Product Backlog items into the Sprint that align with the Sprint Goal.
Question 21: In a 4-week Sprint, what is the maximum timebox for the Sprint Review?
- Four hours (Correct answer)
- Two hours
- Three hours
- There is no timebox for the Sprint Review
Correct answer: Four hours
Explanation: <br> The maximum timebox for the Sprint Review in a 4-week Sprint is typically four hours. However, the actual duration may vary depending on factors such as the length of the Sprint and the complexity of the product increment being reviewed. It's important to ensure that the time spent in the Sprint Review is sufficient to accomplish its objectives, including inspecting the product increment and gathering feedback from stakeholders.
Question 22: The Product Backlog must have a Product Goal associated with it. What is the purpose of the Product Goal?
- To describe the specific work the Developers will perform in the current Sprint.
- To list all the stakeholders and their contact information.
- To provide a long-term objective for the Scrum Team to plan against. (Correct answer)
- To act as a contract that cannot be changed once the project begins.
Correct answer: To provide a long-term objective for the Scrum Team to plan against.
The Product Goal is the long-term objective for the Scrum Team. It is part of the Product Backlog. The Scrum Team must fulfill (or abandon) one objective before taking on the next. It provides context and a target for the team to plan against.
Question 23: Which of the following is a primary service the Scrum Master provides to the organization?
- Managing the project budget and reporting on return on investment (ROI).
- Leading and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption. (Correct answer)
- Directly resolving all technical impediments on behalf of the Developers.
- Assigning tasks to individual Developers and tracking their performance.
Correct answer: Leading and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption.
According to the Scrum Guide, a key service the Scrum Master provides to the larger organization is leading, training, and coaching it in its adoption of Scrum. This helps the organization understand and enact an empirical approach for complex work. Task assignment is a function of the self-managing Developers, budget management is outside the Scrum framework, and the Scrum Master coaches the team to resolve their own impediments where possible.
Question 24: Who is ultimately responsible for the self-organization of the Development Team?
- The organization's management and leadership
- The Development Team itself (Correct answer)
- The ScrumMaster, who guides and coaches the team
- The Product Owner, who provides direction and vision
Correct answer: The Development Team itself
The Development Team is self-organizing and decides internally how to accomplish Sprint Backlog items without external direction.
Question 25: How long should the Daily Scrum be?
- As long as needed to resolve blockers
- 1 hour
- 30 minutes
- 15 minutes (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 15 minutes
The Daily Scrum is time-boxed to 15 minutes regardless of team size, keeping it focused and efficient.
Question 26: Which Scrum value encourages team members to do the right thing and work on tough problems even when it is difficult?
- Commitment
- Focus
- Courage (Correct answer)
- Respect
Correct answer: Courage
Courage is the value that encourages Scrum Team members to tackle difficult challenges and speak truth openly.
Question 27: What is the recommended Sprint length according to the Scrum Guide?
- Between one and six weeks
- Determined by the Product Owner each quarter
- Exactly two weeks
- One month or less (Correct answer)
Correct answer: One month or less
Sprints are one month or less in duration; shorter Sprints reduce risk by generating feedback and enabling adaptation more frequently.
Question 28: During a Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team identifies that an organizational policy is preventing them from delivering a 'Done' Increment. What is the MOST appropriate stance for the Scrum Master to take?
- Accept the policy as a constraint that cannot be changed.
- Tell the Product Owner to remove any related work from the Product Backlog.
- Work to remove the impediment by engaging with stakeholders and management outside the team. (Correct answer)
- Advise the team to ignore the policy and proceed with their work.
Correct answer: Work to remove the impediment by engaging with stakeholders and management outside the team.
A key accountability of the Scrum Master is to cause the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team's progress. When an impediment is organizational in nature and beyond the team's ability to resolve, the Scrum Master is expected to work with the larger organization to remove it. This serves both the team and the organization's overall agility.
Question 29: The Product Owner has resigned and left the organization. What should happen next?
- A Stakeholder or Developer can step into the Product Owner role (Correct answer)
- The project should stop for now as there is no Product Owner
- The ScrumMaster should assume the Product Owner role
- The Team should complete the project without a Product Owner
Correct answer: A Stakeholder or Developer can step into the Product Owner role
Explanation: <br> In the absence of the Product Owner, a Stakeholder or Developer may temporarily step into the Product Owner role to ensure continuity in the project. While it's not ideal to have a prolonged vacancy in the Product Owner role, the Scrum Team can continue working with temporary measures until a suitable replacement is found. This ensures that the project can progress without unnecessary delays.
Question 30: During Sprint Planning, who is responsible for determining how to build the Increment?
- The entire Scrum Team together
- The Developers (Correct answer)
- The Product Owner
- The Scrum Master
Correct answer: The Developers
The Developers determine how to turn Product Backlog items into an Increment during Sprint Planning, since they own the technical decisions.
Question 31: What defines an Increment in Scrum?
- A concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal that meets the Definition of Done (Correct answer)
- The sum of all Product Backlog items
- A working prototype delivered to stakeholders
- Any work completed during the Sprint
Correct answer: A concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal that meets the Definition of Done
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal and must meet the Definition of Done to be considered releasable.
Question 32: For empiricism to be successful, transparency is essential. Which of the following is an example of a lack of transparency in Scrum?
- The Product Owner re-ordering the Product Backlog based on new market information.
- The Scrum Team discussing impediments during the Daily Scrum.
- The Developers updating the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint as they learn more about the work.
- A stakeholder having a private list of requirements they expect to be completed, which is not visible in the Product Backlog. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A stakeholder having a private list of requirements they expect to be completed, which is not visible in the Product Backlog.
Transparency requires that significant aspects of the process and the work must be visible to everyone responsible for the outcome. A private list of requirements held by a stakeholder undermines the Product Backlog as the single source of work, reducing transparency and leading to decisions that diminish value and increase risk.
Question 33: What is the maximum timebox for a Sprint?
- 2 weeks
- 3 weeks
- 1 month (Correct answer)
- 6 weeks
Correct answer: 1 month
A Sprint is a fixed-length event of one month or less, during which a 'Done,' usable, and potentially releasable Product Increment is created. The consistent duration of Sprints helps establish a regular rhythm for the Scrum Team, promoting predictability. Shorter Sprints generally allow for more frequent learning cycles and faster adaptation to change.
Question 34: Who has the final say on the order of the Product Backlog?
- The Scrum Master
- The Product Owner (Correct answer)
- The Developers
- The stakeholders
Correct answer: The Product Owner
According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Owner is the sole person responsible for managing the Product Backlog, which includes ordering the items to best achieve goals and missions. While they may be influenced by stakeholders and the Developers, the ultimate accountability for the order rests with the Product Owner.
Question 35: A new Scrum Team has been formed. The team members are unsure about the purpose of the Daily Scrum and their discussions are often unfocused. What is the Scrum Master's primary responsibility in this scenario?
- To cancel the Daily Scrum until the team receives more training.
- To facilitate the Daily Scrum and ensure it is kept within the 15-minute timebox. (Correct answer)
- To report the team's lack of focus to senior management.
- To create the agenda for the Daily Scrum and assign speaking times to each Developer.
Correct answer: To facilitate the Daily Scrum and ensure it is kept within the 15-minute timebox.
One of the Scrum Master's services to the Scrum Team is 'Ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive, and kept within the timebox.' For a new team, this often involves active facilitation and coaching to help them understand the purpose of the eventβto inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the upcoming day's plan.
Question 36: A Scrum Master observes that the Developers are consistently struggling to meet their Sprint Goals. Upon investigation, they find that the team is frequently interrupted by requests from stakeholders for new features. Which of the following is the MOST effective action for the Scrum Master to take?
- Remove the stakeholders' access to the Developers during the Sprint.
- Cancel the Sprint and start a new one that includes the stakeholders' requests.
- Tell the Developers to work longer hours to accommodate the stakeholder requests.
- Coach the Product Owner on techniques for stakeholder management and Product Backlog prioritization. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Coach the Product Owner on techniques for stakeholder management and Product Backlog prioritization.
The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by facilitating stakeholder collaboration as needed and serves the organization by removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams. A key part of this is coaching the Product Owner on how to manage stakeholder expectations and effectively order the Product Backlog to maximize value, ensuring that the Scrum Team can focus on the Sprint Goal without disruptive interruptions. The other options are counterproductive to Scrum principles.
Question 37: What is the primary benefit of Scrum Teams being cross-functional?
- The team can complete valuable work without requiring expertise from outside the team (Correct answer)
- Each team member has one clear area of specialization with no ambiguity
- Management can more easily track and measure individual team member contributions
- Team members can be easily reassigned to other Scrum teams as project needs shift
Correct answer: The team can complete valuable work without requiring expertise from outside the team
Cross-functional teams have all necessary skills internally, enabling them to deliver complete Increments without depending on external people.
Question 38: Which scenario best illustrates the Scrum value of Courage?
- The ScrumMaster cancels the Retrospective to save time during a busy Sprint
- A developer agrees to add a feature even though the Sprint backlog is already full
- A team member voices concerns about a technical approach that could cause serious problems (Correct answer)
- The Product Owner prioritizes backlog items solely based on stakeholder preferences
Correct answer: A team member voices concerns about a technical approach that could cause serious problems
Courage means speaking up about problems or difficult truths, even when doing so is uncomfortable or creates tension.
Question 39: Multiple Increments may be created within a single Sprint.
- False
- True (Correct answer)
- Only if the Product Owner approves each one
- Only for Sprints longer than two weeks
Correct answer: True
Multiple Increments can be created during a Sprint, and each must meet the Definition of Done; they may be delivered to stakeholders before the Sprint Review.
Question 40: What is the primary output of Sprint Planning?
- A release plan for the product
- A list of acceptance criteria
- A Sprint Goal and Sprint Backlog (Correct answer)
- An updated Product Backlog
Correct answer: A Sprint Goal and Sprint Backlog
Sprint Planning results in a Sprint Goal that provides a shared objective and a Sprint Backlog containing the work the Developers plan to accomplish.
Question 41: During Sprint Planning, the Product Owner explains the Sprint Goal and the most important Product Backlog items. Who then decides how much work can be taken on in the Sprint and how to turn the selected items into a valuable Increment?
- The Product Owner
- The entire Scrum Team through a majority vote
- The Scrum Master
- The Developers (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The Developers
The Developers are the ones doing the work, and as a self-managing team, they have the sole discretion to determine how much work they can forecast for a Sprint and how they will perform that work. No one else tells them how to turn Product Backlog items into Increments of value.
Question 42: Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity. What is its primary goal?
- To finalize the Sprint Backlog for the next three Sprints.
- To provide performance reviews for the Developers based on completed items.
- To get Product Backlog Items into a 'ready' state for future Sprints. (Correct answer)
- To replace the need for a Sprint Planning event.
Correct answer: To get Product Backlog Items into a 'ready' state for future Sprints.
The purpose of Product Backlog refinement is to add details, estimates, and order to items. It's the act of breaking down and further defining Product Backlog items into smaller, more precise items so that they are 'ready' for selection in a future Sprint Planning event.
Question 43: When we say that the Scrum team should be cross-functional what do we mean?
- The team works across more than one functional area in the organization
- That the team will never have any external dependencies to worry about
- Individually, each person has more than one core skill
- Collectively, they have all the skills necessary to create value in each sprint (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Collectively, they have all the skills necessary to create value in each sprint
Explanation: <br> When we say that the Scrum Team should be cross-functional, it means that collectively, the team possesses all the skills necessary to deliver a potentially shippable product increment each Sprint. This includes skills related to design, development, testing, documentation, and any other capabilities required to create value. Having a cross-functional team reduces dependencies and bottlenecks, enabling faster and more efficient delivery.
Question 44: A new ScrumMaster notices the team never challenges the Product Owner's decisions, even when those decisions clearly threaten product quality. Which Scrum values is the team failing to live?
- Respect and Focus
- Courage and Openness (Correct answer)
- Commitment and Transparency
- Focus and Adaptation
Correct answer: Courage and Openness
Courage means raising difficult issues and Openness means being honest about problems; teams should respectfully challenge decisions that harm quality.
Question 45: Which of the following BEST describes the Product Backlog?
- The single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team, which is emergent and ordered. (Correct answer)
- A static, comprehensive list of all requirements for the product, finalized before the first Sprint.
- A list of technical tasks and architectural improvements managed by the Developers.
- A plan for a single Sprint, containing all the tasks for the Developers.
Correct answer: The single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team, which is emergent and ordered.
The Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product. It is the single source of all work performed by the Scrum Team. It is never complete and evolves as the product and its environment evolve.
Question 46: A Product Owner is struggling to keep the Product Backlog organized due to a high volume of stakeholder requests. What is a valid action for the Product Owner to take?
- Transfer ownership of the Product Backlog to a business analyst committee.
- Delegate the responsibility of creating and communicating Product Backlog Items to the Developers, while remaining accountable. (Correct answer)
- Only allow the lead Developer to add new items to the Product Backlog.
- Instruct the Scrum Master to prioritize the backlog based on stakeholder demands.
Correct answer: Delegate the responsibility of creating and communicating Product Backlog Items to the Developers, while remaining accountable.
The Scrum Guide states that the Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management. However, they 'may do the above work or may delegate the responsibility to others.' The key is that the Product Owner remains accountable. Delegating the creation of items to Developers is a valid way to manage the workload.
Question 47: A Development Team is arguing about who should be assigned to each task. What should the ScrumMaster do?
- Escalate the conflict to management for resolution
- Ask the Product Owner to clarify which tasks are highest priority
- Coach the team on self-organization and allow them to decide (Correct answer)
- Assign tasks to team members based on their individual skill sets
Correct answer: Coach the team on self-organization and allow them to decide
The ScrumMaster coaches the team toward self-organization rather than imposing structure or bypassing the team's autonomy.
Question 48: What is the purpose of tracking technical debt in a Scrum context?
- To assign blame for past poor coding decisions
- To calculate the team's overall velocity adjustment factor
- To determine when a Sprint should be cancelled
- To make technical debt visible so it can be prioritized alongside new features (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To make technical debt visible so it can be prioritized alongside new features
Making technical debt visible allows the Product Owner and Developers to prioritize paying it down alongside new feature work, maintaining long-term product health.
Question 49: Scrum is founded on empirical process control theory. Which of the following are the three pillars of empiricism?
- Commitment, Courage, and Focus
- Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment
- Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation (Correct answer)
- Planning, Execution, and Measurement
Correct answer: Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation
Scrum is based on empiricism, which asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is known. The three pillars that uphold every implementation of empirical process control are Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation.
Question 50: Which of the following BEST describes the Scrum Master's accountability regarding impediments?
- Only removing impediments that are explicitly identified during the Sprint Retrospective.
- Maintaining a log of all impediments and presenting it to management at the end of the project.
- Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team's progress. (Correct answer)
- Personally resolving every impediment the Developers encounter to maximize their productivity.
Correct answer: Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team's progress.
The Scrum Guide states that the Scrum Master is accountable for 'Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team's progress.' This doesn't mean they must personally fix every issue, but rather ensure they are addressed, often by coaching the team to resolve them or by working with the wider organization on systemic issues. Impediments should be addressed as they arise, not just during a retrospective.
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) Exam
The CSM certification validates a professional's understanding of the Scrum framework and their ability to facilitate, coach, and serve a Scrum Team.
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