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PSL N41 study materials
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PSL N41 practice questions

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Question 1Scrum Theory and Principles

According to the Scrum Guide, what are the three pillars of empirical process control?

  1. Transparency, inspection, and adaptation Correct answer.
  2. Planning, execution, and review
  3. Estimation, commitment, and velocity
  4. Courage, focus, and openness

Explanation

Empirical process control rests on transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Transparency makes the process visible, inspection checks the artifacts and progress, and adaptation adjusts when deviations are found.

Question 2Scrum Theory and Principles

Why does Scrum favor an empirical approach over a defined or predictive approach?

  1. It copes with complexity by inspecting results and adapting frequently Correct answer.
  2. It removes the need for any documentation
  3. It eliminates the need for stakeholder feedback
  4. It guarantees a fixed scope at a fixed date

Explanation

Empiricism is suited to complex work where requirements and technology are not fully knowable in advance. Frequent inspection and adaptation let the team steer based on what actually happens rather than a fixed plan.

Question 3Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best describes the Scrum value of 'Focus'?

  1. Doing only work that the Product Owner personally approves
  2. Primary focus on the work of the Sprint and its goals Correct answer.
  3. Focusing on individual performance metrics
  4. Focusing on completing all backlog items regardless of quality

Explanation

Focus in Scrum means the team concentrates on the work of the Sprint and its goals. It keeps attention on the current Sprint's objectives rather than scattering effort.

Question 4Scrum Theory and Principles

A team hides a failing integration so that the Sprint Review looks successful. Which Scrum value is most directly undermined?

  1. Respect
  2. Openness Correct answer.
  3. Courage
  4. Commitment

Explanation

Openness requires the team and stakeholders to be transparent about the work and its challenges. Concealing a failing integration breaks transparency, which in turn weakens inspection and adaptation.

Question 5Scrum Theory and Principles

Which of the following is a timeboxed event in Scrum?

  1. The code review session
  2. The release planning workshop
  3. The daily stand-up meeting of a different team
  4. The Sprint Retrospective Correct answer.

Explanation

All Scrum events are timeboxed, and the Sprint Retrospective has a maximum duration. Release planning workshops and code reviews are not Scrum events, so they are not timeboxed by Scrum.

Question 6Scrum Theory and Principles

What is the primary purpose of the Sprint timebox?

  1. To create a consistent cadence for inspection and adaptation with a fixed horizon Correct answer.
  2. To prevent the Product Owner from changing the Product Backlog
  3. To ensure every Sprint lasts exactly four weeks
  4. To allow scope to grow as long as quality holds

Explanation

The Sprint is a container for the other events and provides a fixed horizon so the team can inspect and adapt at a regular cadence. Sprints are of consistent length but not required to be exactly four weeks.

Question 7Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement reflects the principle that Scrum is founded on self-managing teams?

  1. The Scrum Master assigns tasks to each developer daily
  2. The team decides internally how to turn backlog items into value Correct answer.
  3. Managers decide the Definition of Done for the team
  4. The Product Owner prioritizes individual tasks for each developer

Explanation

Self-management means the team determines how to do the work and who does what. The Scrum Master, Product Owner, and managers do not direct the team's internal task allocation.

Question 8Scrum Theory and Principles

In Scrum, who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team?

  1. The Product Owner Correct answer.
  2. The Developers
  3. The stakeholders
  4. The Scrum Master

Explanation

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing product value, primarily through effective Product Backlog management. This accountability is explicitly defined in the Scrum Guide.

Question 9Scrum Theory and Principles

What does the principle of 'inspection' require of Scrum artifacts?

  1. They must be inspected frequently enough to detect undesirable variance Correct answer.
  2. They must be inspected by an external auditor each Sprint
  3. They must be approved by every stakeholder before use
  4. They must be inspected only at the end of the project

Explanation

Inspection must be frequent enough to detect undesirable variances early. The Scrum events provide the cadence for inspecting artifacts and progress.

Question 10Scrum Theory and Principles

A team discovers during the Sprint that its plan is no longer viable. What does the principle of adaptation suggest?

  1. Adjust the plan or process as soon as possible to stay on the Sprint Goal Correct answer.
  2. Cancel the Sprint immediately in all cases
  3. Escalate to the Scrum Master to reassign tasks
  4. Continue with the original plan to protect the commitment

Explanation

Adaptation means adjusting the process or plan promptly when inspection reveals deviation. If the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete the Product Owner may cancel the Sprint, but cancellation is not automatic.

Question 11Scrum Theory and Principles

Which pairing correctly matches a Scrum value with its meaning?

  1. Openness: sharing only information that is favorable
  2. Courage: avoiding risky technical decisions
  3. Respect: treating team members as capable, independent people Correct answer.
  4. Commitment: promising to deliver every backlog item in the Sprint

Explanation

Respect means team members treat each other as capable and independent people. The other pairings misstate the values they claim to describe.

Question 12Scrum Theory and Principles

What is the relationship between the Scrum values and the three pillars of empiricism?

  1. The values enable the pillars by fostering transparency and trust Correct answer.
  2. The values replace the pillars once a team matures
  3. The values are optional and unrelated to empiricism
  4. The pillars apply only to the Product Owner role

Explanation

The Scrum values create the trust and openness that make transparency, inspection, and adaptation work. Without them, people hide information and empiricism breaks down.

Question 13Scrum Theory and Principles

What is the primary reason Scrum is described as a lightweight framework?

  1. It defines many mandatory processes and templates
  2. It defines only the essential roles, events, artifacts, and rules Correct answer.
  3. It requires no meetings at all
  4. It prescribes a detailed technical architecture

Explanation

Scrum is lightweight because it defines only the minimum of roles, events, artifacts, and rules needed to enable empiricism. It deliberately leaves detailed practices to the team.

Question 14Scrum Theory and Principles

Which of these best illustrates the principle of 'transparency' in practice?

  1. A team reports only completed work and hides work in progress
  2. A team changes its Definition of Done silently each day
  3. A team uses a private spreadsheet only the Scrum Master can see
  4. A team keeps its Sprint Backlog visible and its Definition of Done agreed and shared Correct answer.

Explanation

Transparency requires that artifacts be visible and understood by those accountable for them, with a shared Definition of Done. Hiding work or using private records undermines it.

Question 15Scrum Theory and Principles

What does the principle of 'emergence' imply about the Product Backlog?

  1. It is owned and written only by stakeholders
  2. It is fixed at project start and never changes
  3. It emerges and evolves as understanding of the product grows Correct answer.
  4. It is replaced by the Sprint Backlog after the first Sprint

Explanation

In complex work, requirements emerge over time, so the Product Backlog is a living artifact that evolves with learning. It is not frozen at the outset.

Question 16Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team claims to be 'doing Scrum' but holds no Sprint Retrospective. Which principle is most directly compromised?

  1. Emergence of the product vision
  2. Self-management of the Product Owner
  3. Adaptation of the team's process through regular inspection Correct answer.
  4. Transparency of the product increment

Explanation

The Retrospective is the event for inspecting and adapting the team's way of working. Skipping it removes a key adaptation loop for the process itself.

Question 17Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement correctly describes the Scrum Master's accountability under Scrum theory?

  1. Establishing the team's effectiveness and its adoption of Scrum Correct answer.
  2. Maximizing the value delivered by the product
  3. Approving the technical design of the increment
  4. Deciding which backlog items enter each Sprint

Explanation

The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness and for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. Value maximization and backlog ordering belong to the Product Owner.

Question 18Scrum Theory and Principles

Why does Scrum insist that the Definition of Done be shared and explicit?

  1. To fix the number of items delivered per Sprint
  2. To give managers a tool for performance ranking
  3. To provide a common standard so that transparency about completeness is real Correct answer.
  4. To ensure the Product Owner cannot change scope

Explanation

A shared Definition of Done creates a common understanding of what 'done' means, making the increment's completeness transparent. Without it, inspection and adaptation rest on unclear assumptions.

Question 19Scrum Theory and Principles

Which of the following best captures the Scrum principle that the team should be cross-functional?

  1. Only specialists may attend the Daily Scrum
  2. Each member works on a single function for the whole project
  3. The team collectively has all skills needed to create value each Sprint Correct answer.
  4. Every member must be able to perform every task equally well

Explanation

Cross-functional means the team as a whole possesses the skills needed to deliver value each Sprint. It does not require every individual to be equally skilled at everything.

Question 20Scrum Theory and Principles

What is the role of the Sprint Goal within empirical control?

  1. It replaces the need for a Definition of Done
  2. It locks the exact list of backlog items to be delivered
  3. It provides a flexible objective that guides the team's inspection and adaptation during the Sprint Correct answer.
  4. It is set by stakeholders at the Sprint Review

Explanation

The Sprint Goal gives the Sprint a single objective that provides focus and flexibility. The team inspects progress toward it and adapts its Sprint Backlog accordingly.

Question 21Scrum Theory and Principles

Which is an example of a Scrum event that enables inspection and adaptation of the product increment?

  1. The backlog refinement session
  2. The Sprint Review Correct answer.
  3. The Daily Scrum
  4. The Sprint Retrospective

Explanation

The Sprint Review inspects the increment and adapts the Product Backlog based on stakeholder feedback. The Daily Scrum and Retrospective focus on the team's plan and process, respectively.

Question 22Scrum Theory and Principles

A manager asks the Scrum Master to report individual velocity per developer. What does Scrum theory suggest?

  1. Provide it, since transparency requires all metrics to be shared
  2. Ask the Product Owner to assign tasks so metrics can be tracked
  3. Explain that Scrum measures value and progress at the team level, not individual output Correct answer.
  4. Refuse and report the manager to stakeholders

Explanation

Scrum focuses on team-level value delivery and self-management, not individual output metrics. The Scrum Master can educate the manager about team-based empirical progress.

Question 23Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement about the Sprint Backlog is consistent with Scrum theory?

  1. It is a forecast by the Developers of the work needed to meet the Sprint Goal Correct answer.
  2. It is a fixed contract that cannot change during the Sprint
  3. It is created once and reused unchanged each Sprint
  4. It is owned exclusively by the Product Owner

Explanation

The Sprint Backlog is the Developers' forecast of the work needed to achieve the Sprint Goal. It is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned.

Question 24Scrum Theory and Principles

Which of these best describes the Scrum value of 'Commitment'?

  1. Guaranteeing every Product Backlog item will be finished
  2. Committing to a fixed release date for stakeholders
  3. Committing to never change the Sprint Backlog
  4. Dedicating to achieving the Sprint Goal and supporting the team Correct answer.

Explanation

Commitment means the team dedicates itself to the Sprint Goal and to supporting one another. It is not a guarantee to deliver a fixed set of items or dates.

Question 25Scrum Theory and Principles

Why is the Daily Scrum timeboxed to 15 minutes?

  1. To keep the inspection of progress toward the Sprint Goal focused and efficient Correct answer.
  2. To satisfy a legal requirement in most countries
  3. To limit how much Developers may speak to each other
  4. To replace the need for the Sprint Review

Explanation

The 15-minute timebox keeps the Daily Scrum a focused inspection of progress toward the Sprint Goal and adaptation of the plan. It is not a status-reporting ritual for managers.

Question 26Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best describes the purpose of the three pillars of empiricism in Scrum?

  1. They ensure that every Sprint produces a potentially releasable product Increment.
  2. They provide a basis for making decisions based on what is observed and known. Correct answer.
  3. They guarantee that the Scrum Team follows the Scrum Guide without deviation.
  4. They define the specific engineering practices that teams must adopt.

Explanation

Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and decisions should be based on observation. The three pillars-transparency, inspection, and adaptation-support this by making the process and work visible, frequently examined, and adjusted as needed. They do not prescribe engineering practices or guarantee specific outcomes.

Question 27Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team is considering how to organize its work. Which approach is most consistent with the Scrum principle of self-management?

  1. The Product Owner prioritizes tasks and directs the team's daily work.
  2. The Scrum Master assigns tasks to team members based on their expertise.
  3. The line manager approves the team's task assignments each Sprint.
  4. The team collectively decides who will do what, when, and how. Correct answer.

Explanation

Self-managing teams internally decide who does what, when, and how. This empowers the team to take ownership of their work and adapt as needed. External direction from Scrum Master, Product Owner, or managers undermines this principle.

Question 28Scrum Theory and Principles

During a Sprint, the team discovers that a key assumption about a user need was wrong. According to the principle of adaptation, what should happen?

  1. The team should continue with the original plan to avoid disrupting stakeholders.
  2. The team should wait until the Sprint Review to discuss any changes.
  3. The team should adjust its approach as soon as possible to stay on track. Correct answer.
  4. The team should escalate the issue to the Scrum Master for a decision.

Explanation

Adaptation requires that adjustments be made as soon as possible to minimize further deviation. When new information emerges, the team should inspect and adapt promptly. Waiting or escalating unnecessarily reduces the team's ability to respond effectively.

Question 29Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best reflects the Scrum value of Focus?

  1. The team concentrates on the work of the Sprint and its goals. Correct answer.
  2. The team documents all decisions for future reference.
  3. The team works on multiple high-priority items simultaneously to maximize output.
  4. The team ensures that all stakeholders are informed of every decision.

Explanation

Focus means the team concentrates on the work of the Sprint and its goals. This helps the team deliver value incrementally and avoid distractions. The other options describe behaviors related to transparency or collaboration, not focus.

Question 30Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team holds a Daily Scrum that regularly runs over 15 minutes and turns into a problem-solving session. Which principle does this most directly violate?

  1. Inspection, because the team is not examining the Increment.
  2. Transparency, because the team is not sharing all information.
  3. Adaptation, because the team is not adjusting its plan.
  4. Timeboxing, because the event exceeds its maximum duration. Correct answer.

Explanation

The Daily Scrum is timeboxed to 15 minutes to ensure it remains focused and efficient. Exceeding the timebox violates the principle of timeboxing, which is a core rule in Scrum. While transparency, inspection, and adaptation are important, the direct violation here is the timebox.

Question 31The Scrum Team

What is the maximum recommended size for a Scrum Team?

  1. Three or fewer people
  2. Twenty or fewer people
  3. Ten or fewer people Correct answer.
  4. Fifteen or fewer people

Explanation

The Scrum Guide recommends that Scrum Teams be small enough to remain nimble, typically ten or fewer people. Larger groups require too much coordination and generate too much complexity.

Question 32The Scrum Team

Which three accountabilities make up a Scrum Team?

  1. Stakeholders, Managers, Developers
  2. Scrum Master, Developers, Stakeholders
  3. Product Owner, Project Manager, Developers
  4. Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers Correct answer.

Explanation

A Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers. These are the only three accountabilities defined within the team.

Question 33The Scrum Team

Who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team?

  1. The stakeholders
  2. The Developers
  3. The Product Owner Correct answer.
  4. The Scrum Master

Explanation

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing product value and for effective Product Backlog management. This accountability is held by one person rather than a committee.

Question 34The Scrum Team

What is the primary way the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team?

  1. By coaching the team in self-management and cross-functionality Correct answer.
  2. By assigning daily tasks to each Developer
  3. By approving the Sprint Backlog before work begins
  4. By prioritizing the Product Backlog items

Explanation

The Scrum Master serves the team by coaching them in self-management and cross-functionality, helping them focus on high-value increments, and removing impediments. The Scrum Master does not direct the team's daily work.

Question 35The Scrum Team

A Scrum Team is described as cross-functional. What does this mean?

  1. The team has all the skills needed to create a valuable increment each Sprint Correct answer.
  2. The team includes members from every department in the organization
  3. Members rotate accountabilities each Sprint
  4. Every member can perform every task equally well

Explanation

Cross-functional means the team collectively possesses all competencies needed to accomplish the work without depending on others outside the team. It does not require every individual to be able to do every task.

Question 36The Scrum Team

Which statement best describes the Scrum Team's relationship to self-management?

  1. The team decides internally who does what, when, and how Correct answer.
  2. The Product Owner assigns work to individual Developers
  3. The Scrum Master decides who works on which item
  4. A manager outside the team allocates tasks daily

Explanation

Scrum Teams are self-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how. This authority sits with the team rather than with external direction.

Question 37The Scrum Team

How many Product Owners does a Scrum Team have?

  1. One per Developer group
  2. Two
  3. As many as the organization decides
  4. One Correct answer.

Explanation

A Scrum Team has exactly one Product Owner. Placing accountability for the Product Backlog in a single person allows effective ordering and clear decision-making.

Question 38The Scrum Team

Who is accountable for creating the Sprint Backlog?

  1. The stakeholders
  2. The Developers Correct answer.
  3. The Scrum Master
  4. The Product Owner

Explanation

The Developers are accountable for creating the Sprint Backlog, which is their plan for the Sprint. They own its contents and update it as they learn.

Question 39The Scrum Team

A Developer on the team wants to take on a task outside their usual specialty to help finish the Sprint Goal. What does Scrum suggest?

  1. They should coordinate with the team, which self-manages its work Correct answer.
  2. They should wait for the Scrum Master to reassign them
  3. They should escalate to a functional manager for approval
  4. They should avoid it because accountabilities are fixed per person

Explanation

Because the team is self-managing and cross-functional, Developers coordinate among themselves to decide who does what. Taking on varied work to meet the Sprint Goal is consistent with self-management.

Question 40The Scrum Team

During a Sprint, the Product Owner keeps interrupting Developers with new requests. What is the most appropriate Scrum response?

  1. The Scrum Master should coach on protecting the Sprint's focus and help the team work with the Product Owner Correct answer.
  2. The Developers should accept every request to keep the Product Owner satisfied
  3. The Developers should extend the Sprint to absorb the new work
  4. The team should cancel the Sprint immediately

Explanation

The Scrum Master serves the team by helping it focus and by coaching the organization on effective collaboration with the team. Protecting the Sprint's focus while addressing the Product Owner's needs is the Scrum Master's service.

Question 41The Scrum Team

Two Developers disagree about how to implement a backlog item. Who decides the approach?

  1. The Developers themselves, as the technical experts Correct answer.
  2. The most senior Developer by default
  3. The Scrum Master, as the process authority
  4. The Product Owner, since they own the item

Explanation

Developers are the people who do the work of creating the increment and hold the technical decision-making authority. The team resolves technical disagreements internally.

Question 42The Scrum Team

An organization wants to add a team lead who assigns work and reviews each Developer's output. How does this fit with Scrum?

  1. It is fine as long as the team lead attends the Daily Scrum
  2. It conflicts with the team's self-management and should be reconsidered Correct answer.
  3. It is acceptable only if the team lead is also the Scrum Master
  4. It is required to ensure accountability within the team

Explanation

Scrum Teams are self-managing and internally decide who does what, when, and how. A role that assigns work and reviews individuals undermines that self-management and should be reconsidered.

Question 43The Scrum Team

The Scrum Team grows to about twenty-five people and coordination becomes difficult. What does Scrum guidance suggest?

  1. Keep one large team and add more status meetings
  2. Add a second Product Owner for each new group
  3. Reduce the number of Developers but keep the same scope
  4. Split into multiple smaller Scrum Teams that share the same Product Owner and Product Backlog Correct answer.

Explanation

When teams grow too large, the guidance is to reorganize into multiple cohesive Scrum Teams, each ten or fewer people, sharing the same product, Product Owner, and Product Backlog. This preserves focus and reduces coordination complexity.

Question 44The Scrum Team

A stakeholder asks the Scrum Master to add a high-priority feature directly to the team's work mid-Sprint. What should the Scrum Master do?

  1. Direct the Developers to start on it right away
  2. Help the stakeholder bring the request to the Product Owner for consideration Correct answer.
  3. Reject the request and refuse to discuss it
  4. Add it to the Sprint Backlog immediately

Explanation

The Product Owner is accountable for ordering the Product Backlog and maximizing value, so new requests should flow through the Product Owner. The Scrum Master facilitates this collaboration rather than directing the team's work.

Question 45The Scrum Team

What best describes the Product Owner's accountability for the Product Backlog?

  1. The Product Owner is accountable for its effective management, though the work may be delegated Correct answer.
  2. The Developers must approve all changes to it
  3. Developing it is optional and may be delegated to stakeholders
  4. Only the Scrum Master may update it

Explanation

The Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management but may delegate the actual work. Accountability for the backlog's ordering and content remains with the Product Owner.

Question 46The Scrum Team

A Scrum Team has one Scrum Master who also serves as a Developer on the same team. What is the key concern?

  1. It is required so the Scrum Master understands the technical work
  2. It is prohibited because a Scrum Team must have three distinct people in each accountability
  3. It can create conflicting focus between serving the team's process and doing development work Correct answer.
  4. It eliminates the need for a Product Owner

Explanation

Scrum allows a Scrum Master to also serve as a Developer, but the combined accountabilities can create conflicting demands on focus. The concern is balancing process service with delivery work, not a formal prohibition.

Question 47The Scrum Team

Which outcome best indicates that a Scrum Team is genuinely cross-functional?

  1. The team includes at least one member from each business unit
  2. The team holds joint design sessions with external vendors every Sprint
  3. The team can deliver a valuable, usable increment each Sprint without outside dependencies Correct answer.
  4. Each Developer is certified in every technology the product uses

Explanation

Cross-functionality is demonstrated by the team having all the skills needed to create value without depending on people outside the team. Certification or departmental representation is not the measure.

Question 48The Scrum Team

The Product Owner is unavailable for several Sprints and Developers start making product decisions alone. What is the most accurate Scrum view?

  1. The Scrum Master should permanently take over the Product Owner accountability
  2. The team should ensure the Product Owner accountability is fulfilled to keep clear product direction Correct answer.
  3. This is acceptable because Developers are self-managing
  4. Product decisions should be paused until the next release

Explanation

Self-management covers how the team does its work, while product direction belongs to the Product Owner accountability. When that accountability is unfilled, the team and organization should restore it so value ordering stays clear.

Question 49The Scrum Team

How does the Scrum Team as a whole relate to the three Scrum artifacts?

  1. Each artifact is owned by a different external stakeholder
  2. Artifacts are optional for experienced teams
  3. Only the Scrum Master inspects the artifacts
  4. The team commits to the artifacts and inspects them to adapt Correct answer.

Explanation

The Scrum Team commits to achieving its goals and inspects the artifacts to adapt. The artifacts provide transparency about the work and value, and the whole team uses them.

Question 50The Scrum Team

A Scrum Master notices the team depends on an external specialist for a skill needed every Sprint. What action best serves the team?

  1. Ask the Product Owner to remove items requiring that skill
  2. Help the team acquire the skill internally so it can deliver without outside help Correct answer.
  3. Arrange for the dependency to remain so the specialist stays involved
  4. Have the specialist join every Daily Scrum to assign the work

Explanation

A Scrum Master serves the team by helping it become cross-functional and able to deliver without outside dependencies. Building the needed skill within the team addresses the root cause.