Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) case studies
PSM I · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) is an entry-level credential that assesses whether you understand Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and can apply it to real team situations. It is aimed at Scrum Masters, but product people, developers, managers and coaches often take it to establish a shared vocabulary before working in or alongside Scrum teams. The PSM I case studies are 5 cases and about 4,173 words.
1The Percent-Complete Field
Midway through a six-month regulatory programme, a fintech's Scrum Team is asked by the programme office to report percent-complete per work item. The team complies: a '% done' field appears on the board, and under pressure items are marked 80% complete once coding finishes, while testing and documentation remain outstanding.
709 words, about 4 min2The Architect and the Twelve Developers
A logistics company runs one 'Scrum Team' of fourteen: a Product Owner, a Scrum Master and twelve Developers across two time zones. The Product Owner is also the line manager who approves leave and sets individual objectives.
856 words, about 4 min3Five Events, Five Symptoms
A two-week Sprint team holds a 45-minute Daily Scrum at which the Scrum Master goes person by person asking for status, then updates the board afterwards. Sprint Planning regularly runs three hours and ends with the Product Owner handing out assignments.
834 words, about 4 min4412 Items and No Definition of Done
A product team's tool holds 412 backlog items, none ordered beyond the top 15, with no Product Goal recorded anywhere. Sprint Planning produces a list of 23 tickets, each assigned to one Developer before the Sprint begins.
827 words, about 4 min5Twenty-Two Teams, Twenty-Two Definitions of Done
A bank runs 'Scrum' across 22 teams contributing to one internet banking product. Each team has its own Product Owner, its own backlog and its own Definition of Done.
947 words, about 5 min