PSL N41 cheat sheet
PSL N41 · Keep the key ideas within reach.
Scrum Theory and Principles
Scrum is founded on empiricism: knowledge comes from experience and decisions are made on what is observed.
Three empirical pillars: transparency (visible state), inspection (frequent checks), adaptation (adjust when off-track).
Four values: commitment, focus, openness, respect; courage is often listed alongside as the fifth value in the 2020 guide.
Scrum is lightweight, simple to understand, and difficult to master; it is a framework, not a process or technique.
Lean thinking contributions: limit work in progress, eliminate waste, and deliver value incrementally.
Iterative and incremental approach optimizes predictability and controls risk.
Transparency requires a shared definition of what work is expected; without it inspection misleads.
Inspection without adaptation is pointless; adaptation happens fastest at the Sprint level, sooner if a Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.
The Scrum Team
Scrum Team is one cohesive unit of professionals: one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers; size typically 10 or fewer.
No sub-teams or hierarchies; the team is cross-functional (all skills needed to create value each Sprint) and self-managing.
Product Owner maximizes product value and owns Product Backlog management, ordering, and clarity of Product Backlog items.
Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness and for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide.
Developers create the Sprint Backlog, instill quality, adapt the plan daily, and hold each other accountable.
The whole Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint.
Scrum Master serves the team, the Product Owner, and the organization; true servant-leader with no management authority over the team.
Accountabilities are distinct; only the Product Owner orders the Product Backlog, and only Developers estimate and decompose items.
Scrum Events
Five events: Sprint (container), Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective.
Sprint is fixed length, one month or less, with no changes that endanger the Sprint Goal and no scope reduction.
Sprint Planning (timebox 8 hours max for a one-month Sprint) answers why (Sprint Goal), what (items), and how (plan).
Daily Scrum is 15 minutes, for Developers, to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog.
Sprint Review (4 hours max for one-month Sprint) inspects the outcome and determines future adaptations; it is a working session, not a status report.
Sprint Retrospective (3 hours max for one-month Sprint) plans ways to increase quality and effectiveness.
Timeboxes shrink proportionally for shorter Sprints; all events are opportunities to inspect and adapt.
A Sprint can be cancelled only by the Product Owner, and only if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.
Scrum Artifacts and Commitments
Three artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment; each has a commitment attached.
Product Backlog commitment is the Product Goal, a long-term objective describing a future state of the product.
Sprint Backlog commitment is the Sprint Goal, the single objective for the Sprint.
Increment commitment is the Definition of Done, a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets quality measures.
Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list; the Product Owner orders it and it is the single source of work.
Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal, selected Product Backlog items, and the actionable plan to deliver them.
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal; multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint.
If the Definition of Done is not an organizational standard, the Scrum Team must create one; work not meeting it is not part of the Increment.
Facilitating Scrum Events and Team Effectiveness
Facilitation aims for a clear purpose, a defined timebox, and an outcome the participants own.
Effective Daily Scrum keeps focus on progress toward the Sprint Goal, not on individual status reporting.
Sprint Planning outcome: a Sprint Goal, selected items, and a plan; if the Sprint Goal is unclear, planning is incomplete.
Sprint Review outcome: a revised Product Backlog that defines probable items for the next Sprint.
Retrospective outcome: at least one concrete, actionable improvement; track whether prior improvements were done.
Timeboxing technique: park off-topic items, use a visible timer, and separate divergent (generating) from convergent (deciding) phases.
Healthy team signals: shared ownership, psychological safety, and conflict about ideas rather than persons.
Dysfunction signals: status-only standups, no Sprint Goal, retrospectives with no follow-through, and decisions made outside the team.
Coaching, Mentoring, and Servant Leadership
Servant leadership: shift from commanding to serving - remove impediments and enable the team's self-management.
Coaching uses questions and reflection to help the team find its own answers; mentoring shares experience and guidance directly.
Powerful coaching questions are open-ended, start with what/how, and avoid embedded advice.
The GROW model: Goal, Reality, Options, Will - a sequence for structuring a coaching conversation.
Coaching stance: listen more than speak, withhold judgment, and reflect back what you observe.
Mentoring is appropriate when the team lacks knowledge; coaching is appropriate when the team has capability but needs clarity.
Scrum Master removes impediments, teaches Scrum, and coaches the organization on empirical product development.
Resistance is data: explore the concern before advocating the practice.
Scrum Theory and Principles
Scrum is founded on empiricism: knowledge comes from experience and decisions are made on what is observed.
Three empirical pillars: transparency (visible state), inspection (frequent checks), adaptation (adjust when off-track).
Four values: commitment, focus, openness, respect; courage is often listed alongside as the fifth value in the 2020 guide.
Scrum is lightweight, simple to understand, and difficult to master; it is a framework, not a process or technique.
Lean thinking contributions: limit work in progress, eliminate waste, and deliver value incrementally.
Iterative and incremental approach optimizes predictability and controls risk.
Transparency requires a shared definition of what work is expected; without it inspection misleads.
Inspection without adaptation is pointless; adaptation happens fastest at the Sprint level, sooner if a Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.
The Scrum Team
Scrum Team is one cohesive unit of professionals: one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers; size typically 10 or fewer.
No sub-teams or hierarchies; the team is cross-functional (all skills needed to create value each Sprint) and self-managing.
Product Owner maximizes product value and owns Product Backlog management, ordering, and clarity of Product Backlog items.
Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness and for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide.
Developers create the Sprint Backlog, instill quality, adapt the plan daily, and hold each other accountable.
The whole Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint.
Scrum Master serves the team, the Product Owner, and the organization; true servant-leader with no management authority over the team.
Accountabilities are distinct; only the Product Owner orders the Product Backlog, and only Developers estimate and decompose items.
Scrum Events
Five events: Sprint (container), Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective.
Sprint is fixed length, one month or less, with no changes that endanger the Sprint Goal and no scope reduction.
Sprint Planning (timebox 8 hours max for a one-month Sprint) answers why (Sprint Goal), what (items), and how (plan).
Daily Scrum is 15 minutes, for Developers, to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog.
Sprint Review (4 hours max for one-month Sprint) inspects the outcome and determines future adaptations; it is a working session, not a status report.
Sprint Retrospective (3 hours max for one-month Sprint) plans ways to increase quality and effectiveness.
Timeboxes shrink proportionally for shorter Sprints; all events are opportunities to inspect and adapt.
A Sprint can be cancelled only by the Product Owner, and only if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.
Scrum Artifacts and Commitments
Three artifacts: Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment; each has a commitment attached.
Product Backlog commitment is the Product Goal, a long-term objective describing a future state of the product.
Sprint Backlog commitment is the Sprint Goal, the single objective for the Sprint.
Increment commitment is the Definition of Done, a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets quality measures.
Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list; the Product Owner orders it and it is the single source of work.
Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal, selected Product Backlog items, and the actionable plan to deliver them.
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal; multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint.
If the Definition of Done is not an organizational standard, the Scrum Team must create one; work not meeting it is not part of the Increment.
Facilitating Scrum Events and Team Effectiveness
Facilitation aims for a clear purpose, a defined timebox, and an outcome the participants own.
Effective Daily Scrum keeps focus on progress toward the Sprint Goal, not on individual status reporting.
Sprint Planning outcome: a Sprint Goal, selected items, and a plan; if the Sprint Goal is unclear, planning is incomplete.
Sprint Review outcome: a revised Product Backlog that defines probable items for the next Sprint.
Retrospective outcome: at least one concrete, actionable improvement; track whether prior improvements were done.
Timeboxing technique: park off-topic items, use a visible timer, and separate divergent (generating) from convergent (deciding) phases.
Healthy team signals: shared ownership, psychological safety, and conflict about ideas rather than persons.
Dysfunction signals: status-only standups, no Sprint Goal, retrospectives with no follow-through, and decisions made outside the team.
Coaching, Mentoring, and Servant Leadership
Servant leadership: shift from commanding to serving - remove impediments and enable the team's self-management.
Coaching uses questions and reflection to help the team find its own answers; mentoring shares experience and guidance directly.
Powerful coaching questions are open-ended, start with what/how, and avoid embedded advice.
The GROW model: Goal, Reality, Options, Will - a sequence for structuring a coaching conversation.
Coaching stance: listen more than speak, withhold judgment, and reflect back what you observe.
Mentoring is appropriate when the team lacks knowledge; coaching is appropriate when the team has capability but needs clarity.
Scrum Master removes impediments, teaches Scrum, and coaches the organization on empirical product development.
Resistance is data: explore the concern before advocating the practice.