PSL N41 key terms

The belief that knowledge comes from experience and from making decisions based on what is observed. Scrum applies it through transparency, inspection, and adaptation so teams respond to reality rather than assumptions.

A state in which the true condition of the work and its outcomes is visible to everyone who depends on it. Without it, inspection produces misleading findings and adaptation goes in the wrong direction.

The frequent, careful examination of artifacts and progress toward goals. It surfaces problems early, but only yields value when what is examined is genuinely transparent.

Adjusting process, plans, or products when inspection reveals deviation or a better option. It is the payoff of empiricism and must happen quickly to avoid compounding waste.

A way of reasoning that reduces waste, limits work in progress, and delays commitment until the last responsible moment. It underpins Scrum practices such as timeboxing and backlog refinement.

A group that decides internally who does what, when, and how, rather than being directed task by task. It owns its work end to end within the boundaries set by the organization.

Having all the skills inside the team needed to deliver a done increment without depending on outsiders. It shortens feedback loops and reduces handoffs and waiting.

A small, cohesive unit made of one Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and the Developers. It is collectively accountable for delivering valuable increments each Sprint.

The single person accountable for maximizing product value, chiefly by ordering the Product Backlog and communicating the Product Goal. They decide what to build and why, not how.

The person accountable for the team's effectiveness, coaching the team and organization toward better Scrum practice. They serve as facilitator, teacher, and remover of impediments rather than a boss.

The team members who create the usable increment each Sprint. They self-manage their daily work and hold themselves jointly accountable for quality and for meeting the Sprint Goal.

Leading by serving the team's needs first, removing obstacles and building capability rather than issuing orders. It shifts the leader's focus from controlling work to enabling others to succeed.

Guided questioning and reflection that helps a person reach their own insight and commit to action. It differs from advice-giving because the learner does the thinking and owns the outcome.

Sharing experience, knowledge, and practical guidance to help someone develop skills faster. It is more directive than coaching and works best when the mentee has a specific capability gap to close.

Designing and guiding group interactions so participants can reach shared outcomes, keeping the process while leaving content to the group. It includes managing participation, energy, and time.

An open, concise question that provokes fresh thinking and surfaces assumptions instead of leading to a predetermined answer. It is a core tool for coaches and facilitators.

Listening to understand rather than to reply, reflecting back what was heard and checking interpretation. It builds trust and reveals the real problem behind a stated request.

A fixed-length iteration, usually one to four weeks, in which the team builds a usable increment. It is the container for all other events and provides a regular rhythm for inspection and adaptation.

A maximum duration set for an activity so it stays focused and bounded. Scrum events are timeboxed, and ending on time matters more than finishing every topic.

The event that opens a Sprint, where the team agrees on why the Sprint matters, what can be delivered, and how the work will get done. It produces the Sprint Goal and a starting plan.

A short daily event for Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan for the next day. It is a working session for the team, not a status report to managers.

A working session near the end of the Sprint where the team and stakeholders inspect the increment and adapt the Product Backlog. It is a collaboration about value, not a formal sign-off gate.

The closing event where the team examines how it worked and picks concrete improvements for the next Sprint. Its purpose is continuous improvement of process and collaboration.

A single objective for the Sprint that gives the team a shared reason for the work and flexibility in what to build. It is the commitment attached to the Sprint Backlog.

An ordered, evolving list of everything that might improve the product. It is the single source of work and stays alive through continuous refinement.

The set of items selected for the Sprint plus the team's plan for delivering them. It is updated daily as the team learns more about what the goal requires.

The concrete, usable result produced during a Sprint, adding up with earlier increments into the product. Each increment must meet the Definition of Done to count.

A shared, explicit checklist describing what quality means for the increment. It is the commitment for the Increment and prevents work from being called complete on personal opinion.

A longer-term description of the future state the product is trying to reach, giving direction to the backlog. It is the commitment attached to the Product Backlog.

The explicit target that gives an artifact purpose and focus, such as the Sprint Goal for the Sprint Backlog. Commitments replace vague intentions with something the team can inspect against.

The ongoing activity of splitting, clarifying, and reordering backlog items so they are ready for future Sprints. It is a continuous conversation, not a one-off meeting before planning.

Anything blocking the team from making progress, from missing access to unclear decisions. Surfacing and removing impediments is a core responsibility of the Scrum Master.

A person or group with an interest in the product's outcomes, such as customers, users, or business sponsors. Their input shapes the backlog and is gathered mainly at the Sprint Review.

Disagreement between people that, handled openly, can improve decisions and relationships. A facilitator helps the team address it directly rather than smoothing it over or avoiding it.

A shared belief that speaking up with questions, mistakes, or dissent will not be punished. It is a precondition for honest retrospectives and for learning from failure.

A small set of lightweight group formats, such as structured rounds of questions, that make meetings more participatory and productive. Facilitators use them to draw out every voice.