PSPO II exam-day guide
PSPO II · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Use a passport or driver's licence. The name on the ID must match the name on your registration exactly; if it does not, fix it with the provider before test day rather than at check-in.
Appointment confirmation and login credentials
Have the confirmation email, access link, and username/password ready in a form you can reach without opening email during the check-in process. Save the provider's support phone number somewhere off-screen, on paper you keep outside the testing area, or on your phone until the test starts.
Working webcam, microphone, and speakers
Test each device beforehand. If your setup requires a headset, confirm in advance whether the proctor permits it - headset rules vary between providers.
Stable internet connection with a backup plan
Wired or strong Wi-Fi, plus a phone hotspot as fallback. Know how to reconnect if the session drops, and know the provider's policy on re-entry after a disconnect.
Private, quiet, well-lit room with a closed door
No other people entering, no TV or music, light on your face rather than behind you. Expect a room scan with the webcam at check-in.
Clear desk and clear room
Remove phones (unless the proctor instructs otherwise), smart watches, second monitors, papers, books, sticky notes, and printed notes from arm's reach and from the camera's view.
Complete the provider's system check in advance
Run the equipment/system test at least a day before the exam so a plugin, browser, or bandwidth problem surfaces while you still have time to fix it.
Close every other application and silence notifications
Quit chat apps, email, calendar pop-ups, and browsers with other tabs. Background applications can trip proctoring flags and cost you minutes of exam time.
Water in a clear, unlabelled container
Some proctoring providers permit a clear glass or bottle; others do not. Check the rules for your specific provider before relying on it.
Scratch paper, whiteboard, or physical notes
Assume none are allowed. Do not bring them unless your provider's written rules explicitly permit a specific item; guessing here risks an invalidation.
Know the current exam format and pass mark
Confirm on the provider's official page before test day: number of questions, time limit, question types, and passing score. Formats change, so rely on the live specification, not on a blog or forum.
Plan to log in 15–30 minutes early
Check-in with ID verification and a room scan takes time. Arriving early absorbs delays; arriving exactly on time can eat into your exam clock.
Plan the day
Re-read the current official exam specification and the assessment guide: question count, time limit, pass mark, and permitted/forbidden materials. Note anything your prep course told you that contradicts the official page and trust the official page.
Do one full timed practice run in exam conditions: closed book, no pausing, single screen. Use it to calibrate pacing, not to learn new material.
Fix logistics now: confirm the appointment slot and time zone, check your ID name matches, and verify the room you'll use is available and interruption-free at that hour.
Run the provider's system/equipment check on the exact machine, browser, camera, and network you will use. Resolve any failure immediately rather than on the morning.
Confirm the provider's rules on breaks, permitted items, and re-entry after a technical disconnect. Write the answers down so you are not searching for them under pressure.
Stop heavy new study. Skim your own summary of the trickiest distinctions (for example, who owns what decision, what empiricism requires, how the Product Goal, Product Backlog, and Sprint Goal relate) for 30–45 minutes, then stop.
Prepare the room: clear the desk, remove second screens, charge devices, note the support number. Sleep a normal night rather than trading sleep for more questions.
Eat, hydrate, and avoid starting a new topic. A short review of your own notes is fine; a fresh practice test is not.
Clear the desk and room again - other people in the household may have added items. Close all applications, silence the phone, and shut the door.
Log in 15–30 minutes early, complete ID verification and the room scan, and keep the proctor's instructions visible. Do not open other windows while waiting.
Read the question type first - single answer versus multiple answer - and check whether it asks for the best option or all that apply. Selecting one option on a multi-select item is the most common self-inflicted loss.
Answer in the Scrum Guide's own terms. When two options both sound reasonable, prefer the one that increases transparency, inspection, or adaptation, or that keeps the decision with the accountable role.
Watch the clock against your question count. If you are behind, flag and move on rather than sinking four minutes into one item, then return if the provider's interface allows navigation.
If something breaks - disconnect, proctor chat, page reload - stay in the camera's view and contact the proctor or support immediately. Do not troubleshoot silently, and do not open a second browser window.
Rules to check
Closed book: no notes, books, search engines, AI assistants, messaging, or second screens during the assessment. Treat any ambiguity about a permitted aid as a prohibition and confirm the exact rules with the provider in advance.
Have your government-issued photo ID ready and visible at check-in. You may also be asked for a room scan; cooperate with the proctor's instructions even if they feel repetitive.
Remain in the camera's view and in the room for the whole session. Standing up, leaving the frame, or having another person enter the room can invalidate the attempt - confirm the provider's break policy before test day, and assume there are no scheduled breaks.
Do not attempt to capture, record, or share exam content. Assessment content is confidential, and discussing specific questions afterwards can breach the provider's terms.
The pass mark is a single threshold applied to the whole assessment, not per topic. Confirm the current pass score and whether multiple-answer questions require all correct selections before the exam, since these details matter more than any single question.
Results and any retake entitlement follow the provider's current policy; confirm how and when results are delivered and whether a retake is included with your purchase, rather than assuming either way.
If a technical failure interrupts the session, follow the provider's documented incident process rather than restarting on your own initiative - an undocumented restart can be treated as a separate attempt.
Verify the time limit and question count on the official page the week of your exam. Your timer starts when the exam starts, not when you finish check-in, so arriving late shortens your working time.