PSM study guide
PSM · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Professional Scrum Master™ I (PSM I) certification is issued by Scrum.org and is described by its publisher as evidence that a holder has demonstrated a fundamental level of Scrum mastery. It validates knowledge of the Scrum framework, the Scrum Master accountabilities, and how to apply Scrum, and Scrum.org states that PSM I holders have a consistent terminology and approach to Scrum. The PSM study guide has 13 sections and about 2,954 words.
01Empiricism
Empiricism is the decision-making stance tested through how Scrum creates transparency, inspects work, and adapts. The exam asks you to distinguish empirical process control from plan-driven control and to spot when an event or artifact fails to support it.
246 words, about 1 min02Scrum Values
Scrum Values are tested as behavioral commitments that make empiricism work, not as a slogan. The five values are commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage.
231 words, about 1 min03Scrum Team
The Scrum Team questions focus on accountabilities, size, and self-management. The exam expects you to know that Scrum has one Scrum Team, not a set of sub-teams, and that accountabilities are complementary.
253 words, about 1 min04Events
Scrum events create regularity and limit risk. The exam tests each event's purpose, timebox, participants, and how events support inspection and adaptation.
261 words, about 1 min05Artifacts
Artifacts make work transparent. The exam tests the three artifacts, their commitments, and how they support empiricism.
243 words, about 1 min06Done
Definition of Done questions test quality, transparency, and shared understanding. Done is not a formality; it determines whether an Increment is usable and whether progress is real.
253 words, about 1 min07Self-Managing Teams
Self-managing teams are tested through accountability, decision rights, and the Scrum Master's stance. Self-management is not the absence of structure; it is the team's authority to decide how to do its work.
218 words, about 1 min08Facilitation
Facilitation questions test whether a Scrum Master can design and run events that achieve their purpose. Facilitation is about process, participation, and outcomes, not about the facilitator's content expertise.
201 words, about 1 min09Coaching
Coaching questions test how a Scrum Master develops people and teams without taking over. Coaching is a stance: ask, listen, reflect, and support growth; it is not always telling or fixing.
208 words, about 1 min10Forecasting & Release Planning
Forecasting and release planning test how Scrum handles uncertainty. The exam expects forecasts based on evidence, not promises, and release plans that can adapt.
209 words, about 1 min11Product Value
Product Value questions test how the Product Owner maximizes value and how the team measures outcomes. Value is not the same as output, utilization, or the number of features.
205 words, about 1 min12Product Backlog Management
Product Backlog management tests ordering, refinement, transparency, and Product Owner accountability. The backlog is a living tool for value, not a one-time requirements baseline.
213 words, about 1 min13Stakeholders & Customers
Stakeholders and customers questions test engagement, feedback loops, and the Product Owner's role as value interface. The exam expects collaboration, not stakeholder management as gatekeeping.
213 words, about 1 min