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PECB Certified PSM Basic study materials
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PECB Certified PSM Basic practice questions

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Question 1Scrum Theory and Principles

In Scrum, which statement best describes the role of the Product Owner?

  1. The person who owns the technical architecture and code quality standards
  2. The person who facilitates Scrum events and removes impediments for the team
  3. The person who assigns tasks to Developers and reviews their daily output
  4. The person accountable for maximizing the value delivered by the Scrum Team's product work Correct answer.

Explanation

Scrum assigns the Product Owner accountability for maximizing product value, primarily through effective Product Backlog management. Facilitation and impediment removal belong to the Scrum Master, and task assignment is not a Scrum role at all.

Question 2Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team is self-managing. What does this mean in practice?

  1. The team chooses internally who does what, when, and how, without external direction Correct answer.
  2. The team can change the Scrum framework rules whenever it finds them inconvenient
  3. The team operates without any accountability to stakeholders or the organization
  4. The team decides its own budget and hiring without organizational oversight

Explanation

Self-management means the Scrum Team internally decides who does what, when, and how. It does not license changing the Scrum framework, which is immutable, nor does it remove accountability to stakeholders or the wider organization.

Question 3Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement correctly captures the Scrum value of courage?

  1. Developers admit they cannot finish the Sprint Backlog and ask for help early Correct answer.
  2. The team avoids raising risks so stakeholders stay confident in progress
  3. The Scrum Master shields the team from all difficult stakeholder conversations
  4. The Product Owner adds items to the Sprint to keep everyone busy

Explanation

Courage in Scrum means doing the right thing and facing hard truths, such as surfacing that work will not be completed. Hiding risks, shielding the team from necessary dialogue, or padding work to look busy all contradict the value.

Question 4Scrum Theory and Principles

What is the primary purpose of the Sprint in Scrum?

  1. To serve as a gate where stakeholders formally approve the release
  2. To allow the team to complete all items originally forecast at Sprint Planning
  3. To provide a reporting period for management to measure individual productivity
  4. To produce a usable Increment that moves toward the Product Goal within a fixed timebox Correct answer.

Explanation

A Sprint is a fixed-length container in which the Scrum Team turns ideas into value by building a usable Increment toward the Product Goal. It is not a productivity-measurement period, a guarantee of finishing the forecast, or a formal release-approval gate.

Question 5Scrum Theory and Principles

An organization wants to adopt Scrum but insists on a fixed scope, fixed date, and fixed price contract with no scope flexibility. Which Scrum principle is most directly violated?

  1. Servant leadership, because managers must not sign contracts
  2. Empirical process control, because scope must be adjustable as learning occurs Correct answer.
  3. Timeboxing, because Sprints must always be exactly two weeks
  4. Collaboration, because contracts prevent any customer contact

Explanation

Scrum relies on empiricism: scope is refined as transparency, inspection, and adaptation reveal new information. Freezing scope, date, and price removes the adaptability that empirical control depends on. The other options misstate Scrum rules or invent constraints.

Question 6Scrum Theory and Principles

Which three pillars underpin every empirical process in Scrum?

  1. Estimation, commitment, and delivery
  2. Transparency, inspection, and adaptation Correct answer.
  3. Vision, value, and velocity
  4. Planning, execution, and control

Explanation

Empiricism rests on transparency, inspection, and adaptation. The other groupings are generic management or delivery phrases that Scrum does not use as its empirical pillars.

Question 7Scrum Theory and Principles

Why does Scrum keep Sprints short and timeboxed?

  1. To limit risk and cost exposure while enabling frequent inspection and adaptation Correct answer.
  2. To reduce the number of Scrum events the team must attend
  3. To ensure the team works at maximum pace throughout the Sprint
  4. To guarantee that every Sprint produces a releasable product

Explanation

Short timeboxes cap the cost and risk of any single direction of work and create frequent opportunities to inspect results and adapt. They do not mandate maximum pace, guarantee releasability, or reduce the number of events.

Question 8Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team decides to skip the Daily Scrum because members already talk throughout the day. Which response is most consistent with Scrum theory?

  1. The event may be replaced by a weekly status report to the Product Owner
  2. Skipping it is fine because Scrum events are optional when the team is co-located
  3. The Daily Scrum is required; the team should keep it and inspect its usefulness Correct answer.
  4. Skipping it is fine if the Scrum Master attends other meetings instead

Explanation

The five Scrum events are prescribed elements of the framework and are used to enable transparency and inspection; they are not optional. If the event feels redundant, the team should inspect why and adapt how it runs the event, not drop it.

Question 9Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best reflects the Scrum value of respect within a Scrum Team?

  1. Members defer to the most senior developer on all technical decisions
  2. Members treat one another as capable professionals and challenge ideas without attacking people Correct answer.
  3. Members rotate the Scrum Master role so no one holds authority
  4. Members avoid disagreeing so that the team appears unified to stakeholders

Explanation

Respect means team members regard each other as capable and independent people, allowing honest disagreement about ideas without personal attack. Deference to seniority, conflict avoidance, and role rotation are not expressions of the value.

Question 10Scrum Theory and Principles

What is the relationship between the Product Goal and the Product Backlog?

  1. The Product Goal is a long-term objective described in the Product Backlog that guides what gets built Correct answer.
  2. The Product Goal is a financial target owned by stakeholders outside the Scrum Team
  3. The Product Goal is a fixed scope list that cannot change once the first Sprint starts
  4. The Product Goal is a Sprint-level target that replaces the Sprint Goal in short Sprints

Explanation

The Product Goal describes a future state of the product and serves as a target the Scrum Team plans against; it is recorded in the Product Backlog. It is long-term rather than Sprint-level, and it is not a fixed scope list or an external financial target.

Question 11Scrum Theory and Principles

A team delivers a potentially releasable Increment every Sprint but stakeholders never see it, and the team's Definition of Done is informal. Which pillar is most weakened?

  1. Inspection, because the team holds too many retrospectives
  2. Focus, because the team selects too few backlog items
  3. Adaptation, because the team is changing too many backlog items
  4. Transparency, because the state of the Increment is not visible or commonly understood Correct answer.

Explanation

Transparency requires that the emergent process and work be visible to those responsible for the outcome and understood in the same way. An informal Definition of Done and invisible Increments make the true state of the product ambiguous, undermining the basis for inspection and adaptation.

Question 12Scrum Theory and Principles

Which of the following is an example of the Scrum value of openness?

  1. The Developers wait until the Sprint Review to reveal any impediment
  2. The team keeps its velocity data private to avoid pressure from management
  3. The team shares bad news about quality problems with the Product Owner as soon as it is known Correct answer.
  4. The Scrum Master reports progress to stakeholders on the team's behalf only

Explanation

Openness means the Scrum Team and its stakeholders agree to be transparent about all aspects of the work, including problems. Withholding data, filtering communication, or delaying disclosure of impediments contradicts the value.

Question 13Scrum Theory and Principles

How does Scrum treat the concept of a 'commitment' in relation to the Sprint Backlog?

  1. The Sprint Backlog is a commitment owned by the Product Owner alone
  2. The Sprint Backlog is a wish list with no relationship to the Sprint Goal
  3. The Sprint Backlog is a binding contract that must be delivered in full or the Sprint fails
  4. The Sprint Backlog is a forecast of work, and the Sprint Goal is the commitment the team pursues Correct answer.

Explanation

The Sprint Backlog is described as a forecast of the work needed to achieve the Sprint Goal, and the Sprint Goal is the commitment the team focuses on. It is not a fixed contract, a wish list, or solely the Product Owner's artefact.

Question 14Scrum Theory and Principles

An organization asks whether Scrum can be applied to work that is highly predictable and rarely changes. Which answer is most aligned with Scrum theory?

  1. Scrum is designed for complex work where empiricism is needed; predictable work may suit other approaches Correct answer.
  2. Scrum cannot be used unless the work is entirely unpredictable
  3. Scrum is mandatory for all work once an organization adopts it
  4. Scrum works only when the team is distributed across multiple countries

Explanation

Scrum is a lightweight framework for delivering value in complex environments, where requirements and approaches emerge. For highly predictable work, other approaches may be more appropriate, and Scrum is never mandatory for all work.

Question 15Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best describes servant leadership as practised by the Scrum Master?

  1. The Scrum Master focuses on the needs of the Scrum Team and others, helping them grow and succeed Correct answer.
  2. The Scrum Master directs daily work and sets priorities for the Developers
  3. The Scrum Master acts as the team's administrative assistant, taking meeting notes
  4. The Scrum Master represents the team's interests by approving all backlog items

Explanation

Servant leadership means putting the needs of the team and others first and helping them grow and succeed. It is not directive management, clerical support, or authority over backlog items, which belong to the Product Owner.

Question 16Scrum Theory and Principles

The Scrum Team is accountable for all product-related activities. Which combination of accountabilities defines the Scrum Team?

  1. Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Stakeholders
  2. Product Owner, Project Manager, and Developers
  3. Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers Correct answer.
  4. Scrum Master, Tech Lead, and Business Analyst

Explanation

A Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers; it is cross-functional and self-managing. Project Manager, Tech Lead, Business Analyst, and Stakeholders are not Scrum Team accountabilities.

Question 17Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team adds a fourth accountability, a 'Release Coordinator', to its structure. Which statement is most accurate?

  1. Scrum does not define sub-teams or additional accountabilities inside the Scrum Team Correct answer.
  2. The addition is acceptable only if the Scrum Master approves it
  3. The addition is required once the team is larger than five people
  4. The addition is acceptable if the person does not attend Scrum events

Explanation

Scrum defines exactly three accountabilities: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. Adding internal sub-teams or extra accountabilities fragments accountability and is not part of the framework, regardless of team size or approval.

Question 18Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best describes the Scrum value of focus?

  1. Members concentrate on the Sprint's work and Sprint Goal, limiting work in progress Correct answer.
  2. Members focus on completing the most backlog items regardless of quality
  3. Members focus on satisfying every stakeholder request within the Sprint
  4. Members concentrate on individual performance goals set by their line managers

Explanation

Focus means the team concentrates on the work of the Sprint and its goal, which naturally limits work in progress. Individual performance goals, item counts, and unlimited stakeholder requests all divert attention from the Sprint Goal.

Question 19Scrum Theory and Principles

How does the Scrum framework support the pillar of adaptation?

  1. It fixes the Definition of Done at the start of the project so it never changes
  2. It requires the Product Owner to approve every change before any work continues
  3. It mandates that scope changes be approved by an external change board
  4. It provides regular events, such as the Sprint Review and Retrospective, at which the team inspects and adjusts Correct answer.

Explanation

Adaptation is enabled by events that create regular inspection points, notably the Sprint Review for the product and the Retrospective for the team's process. Scrum does not require external change boards, fixed definitions of done, or single-person approval of all changes.

Question 20Scrum Theory and Principles

A Product Owner wants to add a new item to the Sprint Backlog mid-Sprint because it is high value. What does Scrum allow?

  1. The Product Owner may unilaterally add items because backlog value decisions are theirs alone
  2. No change is permitted to the Sprint Backlog once the Sprint has started
  3. The Scrum Master must approve any mid-Sprint change to the Sprint Backlog
  4. The Developers may negotiate the change with the Product Owner, provided the Sprint Goal is not endangered Correct answer.

Explanation

Once a Sprint begins, scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned, provided the Sprint Goal is not endangered. The Product Owner does not unilaterally dictate the Developers' plan, and the Scrum Master holds no approval authority over it.

Question 21Scrum Theory and Principles

What distinguishes the Sprint Review from the Sprint Retrospective?

  1. The Review is facilitated by the Product Owner; the Retrospective is facilitated by stakeholders
  2. The Review inspects the Increment and adapts the Product Backlog; the Retrospective inspects the team's process and adapts its practices Correct answer.
  3. The Review is optional; the Retrospective is mandatory
  4. The Review inspects team process; the Retrospective inspects the Increment

Explanation

The Sprint Review examines the outcome and progress toward the Product Goal and adapts the Product Backlog, while the Retrospective examines how the last Sprint went regarding individuals, interactions, processes, and tools. Both are required events; the Scrum Master supports both.

Question 22Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best explains why Scrum favours empirical process control over predictive planning for complex products?

  1. Empirical control removes the need for any planning or estimation
  2. Empirical control guarantees the product will match the original requirements
  3. In complex work, what is needed emerges, so frequent inspection and adaptation are more reliable than detailed upfront prediction Correct answer.
  4. Predictive planning is prohibited in all software development by the Scrum framework

Explanation

Complex work has too many unknowns for detailed prediction to be reliable, so empiricism uses transparency, inspection, and adaptation to steer. Scrum does not ban planning or estimation, and empirical control does not guarantee conformance to original requirements.

Question 23Scrum Theory and Principles

A team holds a Daily Scrum that lasts 45 minutes and becomes a problem-solving session for the Developers. What is the most Scrum-consistent observation?

  1. The 45-minute length is acceptable if the Scrum Master is absent
  2. The Daily Scrum may be extended as long as the team finds it useful
  3. The Daily Scrum should be replaced by a weekly technical design meeting
  4. The Daily Scrum is timeboxed to 15 minutes; detailed problem-solving should occur after the event Correct answer.

Explanation

The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog. Deeper problem-solving is valuable but should happen after the timebox, not inside it.

Question 24Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best describes how Scrum treats the Product Owner's authority over the Product Backlog?

  1. The Product Owner delegates all backlog ordering to the Scrum Master
  2. The Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, including ordering and clarity of items Correct answer.
  3. The Product Owner must obtain approval from the Developers before ordering any item
  4. The Product Owner shares ordering authority equally with all stakeholders

Explanation

The Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes ordering items and ensuring they are clear. The Developers may advise, but ordering authority is not shared with stakeholders or delegated to the Scrum Master.

Question 25Scrum Theory and Principles

A team's Definition of Done is not shared with stakeholders, and each developer applies different quality criteria. Which Scrum principle is most directly compromised?

  1. Focus, because stakeholders are not part of the Scrum Team
  2. Self-management, because developers must not define quality criteria
  3. Timeboxing, because the Sprint length is not fixed
  4. Transparency, because a common, shared understanding of 'done' is required for inspection to be meaningful Correct answer.

Explanation

A shared Definition of Done creates the common understanding of completeness that transparency requires. Without it, inspection of the Increment is unreliable because different people mean different things by 'done'.

Question 26Scrum Theory and Principles

In Scrum, which statement correctly describes the relationship between transparency and inspection?

  1. Transparency applies only to the Increment, while inspection applies only to the Sprint Backlog.
  2. Transparency is achieved automatically once a Sprint Review is scheduled at the end of every Sprint.
  3. Inspection replaces transparency because frequent checking makes the state of the work visible.
  4. Inspection is only meaningful when the process and artifacts are transparent to those doing the inspection. Correct answer.

Explanation

Transparency means the emergent process and work are visible to those performing and receiving the work, and inspection without that visibility produces misleading conclusions. The two pillars are complementary: inspection is only useful when what is inspected is genuinely transparent. Neither pillar substitutes for the other, and both apply across artifacts and events.

Question 27Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team is preparing for a Sprint Review and wants to ensure the event supports empiricism. Which approach best fulfils the purpose of inspection in that event?

  1. Postpone discussion of the Product Goal until the next Sprint Planning session.
  2. Demonstrate only the items that were finished exactly as originally estimated.
  3. Present the updated Product Backlog and discuss progress toward the Product Goal with stakeholders. Correct answer.
  4. Ask stakeholders to sign off the Sprint Backlog tasks completed by each Developer.

Explanation

The Sprint Review inspects the outcome of the Sprint and determines future adaptations, so the Product Backlog and progress toward the Product Goal are central to the conversation with stakeholders. Its value comes from collaborative inspection of the product, not from administrative sign-off. Deferring goal-related discussion removes the adaptation the event exists to enable.

Question 28Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best explains why the Scrum Team should keep its artifacts transparent to everyone who depends on the work?

  1. Transparency guarantees that the Increment will meet the Definition of Done without further review.
  2. Transparency allows managers to compare individual developer productivity across teams.
  3. Transparency removes the need for a Definition of Done because quality becomes self-evident.
  4. Transparency enables meaningful inspection, and inspection enables adaptation toward the Sprint Goal. Correct answer.

Explanation

The empirical pillars form a chain: transparency makes the true state visible, inspection examines that state, and adaptation responds to what is learned. Artifacts are made transparent so that decisions rest on accurate information. Transparency is not a productivity metric and does not replace explicit quality criteria.

Question 29Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Master notices that the team treats the Sprint Retrospective as a status update for management. Which action best realigns the event with Scrum theory?

  1. Refocus the Retrospective on inspecting how the last Sprint went and identifying the most helpful improvements. Correct answer.
  2. Replace the Retrospective with a weekly progress report to reduce time spent in meetings.
  3. Invite managers to assign action items so the Retrospective produces measurable commitments.
  4. Limit the Retrospective to reviewing which Sprint Backlog items were completed.

Explanation

The Sprint Retrospective exists to inspect how the last Sprint went with regard to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and the Definition of Done, and to identify the most helpful changes. Turning it into a management status report removes that inspection and adaptation. The event belongs to the Scrum Team and its output is improvement, not reporting.

Question 30Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best captures the Scrum principle that the Scrum Team is self-managing?

  1. The Scrum Team elects a rotating manager who assigns tasks to each Developer every day.
  2. The Scrum Team may change the Scrum framework whenever its members agree that a rule is inconvenient.
  3. The Scrum Team follows direction from the Product Owner on how each Developer should perform technical work.
  4. The Scrum Team decides internally how to turn the Product Backlog into value, within the boundaries of Scrum. Correct answer.

Explanation

Self-management means the Scrum Team internally decides who does what, when, and how, while remaining accountable for the product and bound by the Scrum framework. It is autonomy over the how, not freedom to discard Scrum. Direction on technical execution does not come from the Product Owner.

Question 31Scrum Theory and Principles

During a Sprint, the Developers discover that a planned technical approach will not work. Which response is most consistent with Scrum's empirical approach?

  1. Cancel the Sprint immediately because the original plan is no longer valid.
  2. Continue with the original plan to protect the Sprint Backlog from change during the Sprint.
  3. Escalate to the Product Owner to obtain approval for any change to the technical approach.
  4. Adapt the Sprint Backlog and approach as more is learned, while keeping the Sprint Goal intact. Correct answer.

Explanation

Empiricism expects the team to inspect and adapt as new information emerges, and the Sprint Backlog is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned. The Sprint Goal provides stability while the approach and scope details can change. Cancellation is reserved for when the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete, not for ordinary technical discovery.

Question 32Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best explains the Scrum value of courage in day-to-day Scrum work?

  1. Team members raise difficult issues and admit uncertainty rather than hiding problems. Correct answer.
  2. Team members commit to finishing every item in the Sprint Backlog regardless of what they learn.
  3. Team members prioritise individual output targets over collaboration to show determination.
  4. Team members avoid conflict by deferring all technical decisions to the Scrum Master.

Explanation

Courage in Scrum means doing the right thing and working on tough problems, which includes surfacing impediments and admitting what is not yet known. It supports transparency rather than hiding difficulty. It is not about avoiding conflict, guaranteeing all planned work, or pursuing individual output.

Question 33Scrum Theory and Principles

A Product Owner wants to make a decision that conflicts with what the Developers believe is technically feasible. How should the Scrum Team handle this under Scrum principles?

  1. The Developers should refuse to work on the item until the Product Owner withdraws the request.
  2. The Developers should comply silently because the Product Owner holds final authority over all decisions.
  3. The Scrum Master should decide the matter to preserve harmony between the two accountabilities.
  4. Respect the Product Owner's accountability for value while the Developers provide technical evidence and negotiate scope. Correct answer.

Explanation

Scrum distributes accountabilities: the Product Owner maximises value, while the Developers own the technical how and the Sprint Backlog. Respect and openness mean technical evidence is shared and the scope is negotiated rather than dictated or silently accepted. The Scrum Master facilitates but does not arbitrate product decisions.

Question 34Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best describes the role of the Sprint Goal in supporting empirical control?

  1. It replaces the Product Goal once the Sprint begins and remains valid until the next release.
  2. It provides a single objective for the Sprint that gives coherence to inspection and adaptation during the Sprint. Correct answer.
  3. It is a contractual commitment to stakeholders that cannot be revised during the Sprint.
  4. It fixes the exact scope that must be delivered so that the Increment can be predicted in advance.

Explanation

The Sprint Goal is the single objective for the Sprint and gives the Developers a shared focus, providing flexibility in the exact work while keeping coherence. It supports inspection by giving a reference against which progress and adaptation are judged. It does not fix scope, replace the Product Goal, or function as an unchangeable contract.

Question 35Scrum Theory and Principles

An organisation wants to adopt Scrum but insists that a separate quality department approve every Increment before it is considered done. Which analysis is most consistent with Scrum principles?

  1. The Definition of Done should incorporate the necessary quality criteria so the Scrum Team can produce a done Increment each Sprint. Correct answer.
  2. The Scrum Team should ignore the quality department because Scrum forbids external quality criteria.
  3. External approval is compatible with Scrum as long as the approval happens after the Sprint Review.
  4. The Definition of Done should be removed so that the quality department becomes the sole authority on done.

Explanation

The Definition of Done is the Scrum Team's formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. If organisational standards exist, the team must follow them and can incorporate them into its Definition of Done so that each Increment is genuinely done. Ignoring quality requirements or removing the Definition of Done undermines transparency.

Question 36Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best reflects the Scrum value of commitment as it applies to the Scrum Team?

  1. The team commits to a fixed velocity that must not vary between Sprints.
  2. The team commits to achieving the Sprint Goal and to supporting one another in doing so. Correct answer.
  3. The team commits to delivering every Product Backlog item that was discussed in refinement.
  4. The team commits to completing all Sprint Backlog items even if the Sprint Goal is at risk.

Explanation

In Scrum, commitment is directed toward the Sprint Goal and toward the team's shared purpose, not toward a fixed list of items or a fixed velocity. The Sprint Backlog is emergent and may change as more is learned. Commitment supports collaboration and focus rather than rigid output promises.

Question 37Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team wants to reduce the risk of building the wrong product. Which application of Scrum principles best addresses this risk?

  1. Freeze the Product Backlog at project start so that scope cannot drift during development.
  2. Deliver a usable Increment frequently so stakeholders can inspect it and the Product Backlog can adapt. Correct answer.
  3. Require the Scrum Master to approve each Product Backlog change before it is refined.
  4. Extend Sprint length to six months so that more certainty is available before stakeholders review the product.

Explanation

Frequent delivery of a usable Increment creates opportunities for inspection and adaptation, which is how Scrum reduces the risk of building the wrong thing. Short cycles surface feedback while change is still inexpensive. Longer cycles, frozen scope, and approval gates all delay or block the learning that empiricism depends on.

Question 38Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best describes how the Scrum Team should treat the Sprint Backlog during a Sprint?

  1. It is owned by the Product Owner, who adds and removes items as stakeholder priorities shift.
  2. It is a reporting artifact that the Scrum Master updates after each Daily Scrum.
  3. It is a living plan updated by the Developers as more is learned about the work needed to meet the Sprint Goal. Correct answer.
  4. It is a fixed contract agreed at Sprint Planning that cannot be changed until the Sprint ends.

Explanation

The Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal, the selected Product Backlog items, and the plan for delivering them, and it is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned. It is owned by the Developers. It is neither a fixed contract nor a management report maintained by others.

Question 39Scrum Theory and Principles

A Scrum Team's stakeholders learn about the Increment only through a written status report at the end of each quarter. Which change best aligns the situation with Scrum principles?

  1. Keep the quarterly review but add a second report written by the Product Owner.
  2. Ask the Scrum Master to summarise the Increment for stakeholders instead of the Developers.
  3. Increase the frequency of the written status report to once per week.
  4. Make the Increment transparent and inspect it with stakeholders at least once per Sprint. Correct answer.

Explanation

Transparency requires that the emergent process and work be visible to those performing and receiving it, and the Sprint Review exists so stakeholders can inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog. A written report is a proxy that does not provide direct inspection. Increasing report frequency or changing who writes it does not restore transparency of the actual product.

Question 40Scrum Theory and Principles

Which statement best explains why Scrum prescribes events such as Sprint Planning and the Daily Scrum?

  1. They replace the need for a Definition of Done by making quality visible at each event.
  2. They guarantee that the Sprint Goal will be met if every event is attended by all members.
  3. They exist to provide management with a predictable schedule of progress reports.
  4. They create regularity and minimise the need for meetings not defined by Scrum, supporting inspection and adaptation. Correct answer.

Explanation

Scrum uses timeboxed events to create regularity and to structure inspection and adaptation, reducing the need for ad hoc meetings. Each event has a defined purpose tied to the empirical pillars. The events do not replace quality criteria, serve management reporting, or guarantee that the Sprint Goal is achieved.

Question 41The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

In the Scrum framework, which accountability is held by the Product Owner?

  1. Coaching the team on self-management and removing impediments
  2. Maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team Correct answer.
  3. Deciding how many Product Backlog items the Developers take into a Sprint
  4. Facilitating the Scrum events and ensuring they stay within timebox

Explanation

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing product value, primarily by managing and ordering the Product Backlog effectively. This accountability is described in the Scrum Guide as the core purpose of the role. Facilitation and coaching belong to the Scrum Master, and selection of work belongs to the Developers.

Question 42The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

A Scrum Team consists of which combination of accountabilities?

  1. One Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and Developers Correct answer.
  2. One Scrum Master, one Team Lead, and Developers
  3. One Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and one Technical Architect
  4. One Product Owner, one Project Manager, and Developers

Explanation

Scrum defines three accountabilities within one Scrum Team: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. There is no Project Manager, Team Lead, or Architect accountability in the framework. The team is cross-functional and self-managing as a whole.

Question 43The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

What is the maximum length of the Daily Scrum for a team working in a one-month Sprint?

  1. 60 minutes
  2. 30 minutes
  3. 15 minutes Correct answer.
  4. 45 minutes

Explanation

The Daily Scrum is timeboxed to 15 minutes regardless of team size, and this timebox does not scale with the Sprint length. It is a short inspection-and-adaptation event for the Developers. Longer discussions are taken offline after the event.

Question 44The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

Which statement best describes the purpose of the Sprint Retrospective?

  1. To forecast functionality and select Product Backlog items for the Sprint
  2. To demonstrate the completed Increment to stakeholders for feedback
  3. To plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness by inspecting the last Sprint Correct answer.
  4. To synchronize daily progress and adapt the Sprint Backlog

Explanation

The Retrospective closes the Sprint by inspecting how the last Sprint went regarding individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and Definition of Done, then identifying improvements. Demonstrating the Increment is the Sprint Review, forecasting is Sprint Planning, and daily synchronization is the Daily Scrum.

Question 45The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

Which artifact is described as a commitment to the Product Goal?

  1. The Increment
  2. The Sprint Backlog
  3. The Product Backlog Correct answer.
  4. The Definition of Done

Explanation

The Product Backlog is a living list of what is needed to improve the product, and its commitment is the Product Goal. The Sprint Backlog commits to the Sprint Goal, and the Increment commits to the Definition of Done. This pairing of artifact and commitment is explicit in Scrum.

Question 46The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

Who is responsible for creating the Definition of Done when it is not already mandated by the organization?

  1. The Product Owner alone
  2. The Scrum Master alone
  3. The Scrum Team Correct answer.
  4. The stakeholders during the Sprint Review

Explanation

If the organization does not already define a Definition of Done as a standard, the Scrum Team creates one. The whole team owns it and uses it to determine when work is complete. It is not the preserve of a single accountability or of external stakeholders.

Question 47The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

When does a Sprint end according to Scrum?

  1. When all Sprint Backlog items have been completed and verified
  2. At the end of the fixed timebox, regardless of whether all planned work is finished Correct answer.
  3. When the Scrum Master confirms the Definition of Done is met
  4. When the Product Owner accepts the Increment

Explanation

A Sprint has a fixed duration and ends at the end of its timebox even if work remains unfinished. Unfinished items return to the Product Backlog for future consideration. Scrum does not extend a Sprint to complete remaining work.

Question 48The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

What is the primary purpose of the Sprint Review?

  1. To decide whether the Sprint Goal has been met and close the Sprint formally
  2. To estimate the effort for the next Sprint's backlog items
  3. To inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations with stakeholders Correct answer.
  4. To identify process improvements for the team's way of working

Explanation

The Sprint Review inspects the Increment and adapts the Product Backlog based on stakeholder collaboration and feedback. It is a working session, not merely a presentation. Process improvement is the Retrospective, and estimation happens in refinement and Sprint Planning.

Question 49The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

During Sprint Planning, the Developers determine how much work they can take on. What does this illustrate about the Scrum Team?

  1. The Developers are self-managing in deciding how to turn backlog items into value Correct answer.
  2. Stakeholders vote on the amount of work the team commits to
  3. The Scrum Master approves the Sprint Backlog before work begins
  4. The Product Owner controls capacity allocation across the team

Explanation

Self-management means the Scrum Team internally decides who does what, when, and how. The Developers choose how much work to take into the Sprint based on their capacity and forecast. Neither the Product Owner nor the Scrum Master dictates this selection.

Question 50The Scrum Framework: Roles, Events, and Artifacts

A Scrum Team's Sprint is two weeks long. What is the maximum timebox for its Sprint Planning?

  1. One hour
  2. Four hours
  3. Eight hours
  4. Two hours Correct answer.

Explanation

Sprint Planning is timeboxed to a maximum of eight hours for a one-month Sprint, and for shorter Sprints it is usually shorter. For a two-week Sprint, a proportionally reduced timebox of around two hours is typical. Scrum scales the timebox to the Sprint length.