PSPO-I Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO I) Exam Questions and Answers

• The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It is the single source of truth for the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. It contains all the requirements, features, functions, enhancements, fixes, and anything else that can deliver value to the customers and users of the product.
• The Product Owner is accountable for ordering the Product Backlog. The Product Owner orders the items in the Product Backlog based on factors such as value, risk, priority, dependency, feedback, or market conditions. The order of the Product Backlog items provides a clear and consistent indication of what is most important and urgent for the product. The order of the Product Backlog items also helps the Scrum Team and the stakeholders to plan and forecast effectively.
• The tools and techniques used to create, manage, or refine the Product Backlog are not a valid consideration when ordering the Product Backlog. The tools and techniques are means to an end, not an end in themselves. The tools and techniques do not affect the value or quality of the product or service delivered. The tools and techniques may vary from one Product Owner to another, depending on their preferences, skills, or context. The tools and techniques may also change over time, as new technologies or practices emerge or evolve.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Product Backlog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-backlog
• Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner

The Scrum Guide states that "The Increment is the sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints. At the end of a Sprint, the new Increment must be ‘Done,’ which means it must be in useable condition and meet the Scrum Team’s definition of ‘Done.’"1 This means that a valuable and useful Increment must be available at the end of every Sprint, regardless of the release frequency or the Product Owner’s request. This ensures transparency, feedback, and continuous improvement.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 14
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The Product Owner does not make sure the Developers select enough from the Product Backlog for a Sprint. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers, but the Developers are self-managing and decide how much work they can do in a Sprint1. The Product Owner and the Developers collaborate on the scope of the Sprint during Sprint Planning, but the final decision is up to the Developers2. The Product Owner should not interfere with the Developers’ work during the Sprint, but should provide feedback and guidance on the product value[3][3].

References:

1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 6

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10

[3][3]: Professional Scrum Product Owner I Certification, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

The Scrum values are commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage1. These values are embodied by the Scrum Team, which is a self-managing unit that organizes its own work and delivers a valuable product2. The Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers[3][3]. The best way to create Scrum Teams is to respect the self-management and empowerment of the people who will do the work, and let them decide how to organize themselves into Scrum Teams. This can be done by bringing all the people together and letting them form Scrum Teams based on their skills, interests, and alignment with the product vision4. Alternatively, existing teams can propose how they would like to reorganize themselves into Scrum Teams, based on their feedback and experience5. These ways of creating Scrum Teams are consistent with the Scrum values, as they foster commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage among the team members and stakeholders. The other options are not consistent with the Scrum values, as they involve managers or the Chief Product Owner imposing their decisions on the team members, which undermines their self-management and empowerment, and creates a lack of trust and collaboration.

References:

1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 4

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 5

[3][3]: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 6

4: Managing Products with Agility, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

5: Developing People and Teams, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

The Product Owner and the Scrum Master are essential roles in the Scrum Team. They have distinct accountabilities and responsibilities that contribute to the success of the product and the team. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers. The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum and the Scrum Team. Both roles need to be fully engaged and available to the Scrum Team throughout the Sprint.

• The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. The Definition of Done is used to assess when work is complete on the product Increment.
• The Definition of Done is defined by the Scrum Team, not by the Product Owner alone. The Scrum Team consists of one Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and Developers. They are all accountable for creating a valuable, useful, and potentially releasable product Increment each Sprint.
• The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time.
• The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment that meets the Definition of Done each Sprint. The Developers are responsible for planning and executing the Sprint Backlog, designing and building the product functionality, testing and improving the product quality, and delivering a potentially releasable Increment. The Developers work closely with the Product Owner to understand and clarify the Product Backlog items, provide feedback and estimates, and suggest improvements and innovations.
• The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. The Scrum Master does this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.
• The Definition of Done may vary from one Scrum Team to another, depending on the context and domain of work. However, it must be consistent within one team. If there are multiple Scrum Teams working on one product, they must share a common Definition of Done. If there is an organizational standard for a Definition of Done, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Definition of Done: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-definition-of-done
• Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner
• Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum
• Scrum Master: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-scrum-master

 When there are multiple teams working on one product, each Scrum Team should not have a separate Product Owner. This is because:

• The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They are responsible for identifying and articulating the Product Goal, which is a long-term objective for the product that guides all the activities of the Scrum Team.
• The Product Owner is the sole person responsible for managing the Product Backlog, which is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product. They must ensure that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible, and understood by everyone who needs to work on it.
• Having multiple Product Owners for one product may lead to conflicts, inconsistencies, or confusion among the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders. It may also reduce the alignment, collaboration, and ownership of the product development.
• Instead of having multiple Product Owners, it is recommended to have one Product Owner who works with representatives from each Scrum Team to ensure that they have a shared understanding of the product vision, goals, and priorities. The Product Owner may also delegate some of the Product Backlog management tasks to these representatives, but they remain accountable for the final decisions.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
• [Scrum Guide], page 11, section “Product Backlog”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Product Goal”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 6, section “Product Vision”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 9, section “Business Strategy”

Scrum

The two primary ways a Scrum Master helps a Scrum Team work at its highest level of productivity are by facilitating Scrum Team decisions and by removing impediments that hinder the Scrum Team12. The Scrum Master is a facilitator and a coach, helping the team remove impediments and facilitating team decisions12. This enables the team to focus on their work and maintain their productivity12.

The Developers are the people in the Scrum Team who are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint. The Developers are accountable for organizing and managing their work. Only the Developers can decide how to perform the work during the Sprint1. The Developers plan the work necessary to create an Increment that meets the Definition of Done during the Sprint Planning event. This is often done by decomposing Product Backlog items into smaller work items of one day or less. How this is done is at the sole discretion of the Developers2. The Developers also inspect their progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan during the Daily Scrum1. The Developers are self-managing, which means they decide internally who does what, when, and how1. The Scrum Master, the Product Owner, the team manager, and the subject matter experts are not involved in determining how the work is performed during the Sprint. They may provide guidance, feedback, or support, but they do not interfere with the Developers’ autonomy and accountability134. References:

• Scrum Guide
• What is a Developer?
• Who Determines How Work Is Performed During The Sprint?
• What is Sprint Planning?

• Customer satisfaction is a measure of how well a product or service meets or exceeds the expectations and needs of the customers. It is an important indicator of the value and quality of a product or service, and it can affect the loyalty, retention, and profitability of the customers.
• Customer satisfaction should be measured frequently, as it can change over time depending on various factors, such as the market conditions, the customer feedback, the product updates, the competitor actions, and the customer behavior. Measuring customer satisfaction frequently can help the Product Owner and the Scrum Team to inspect and adapt their product vision, strategy, roadmap, backlog, and increments based on the customer needs and preferences. It can also help them to identify and resolve any issues or gaps that may affect the customer satisfaction and value delivery.
• Measuring customer satisfaction quarterly, daily, or annually is not optimal, as it may not reflect the current state of the customer satisfaction and may miss some opportunities or risks that may arise in between the measurement intervals. Quarterly measurement may be too slow to respond to the fast-changing market and customer demands. Daily measurement may be too noisy and costly to collect and analyze. Annual measurement may be too outdated and irrelevant to inform the product decisions.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Customer Satisfaction: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/customer-satisfaction/

• The Product Owner is one person, not a committee or a team of people. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time.
• Having multiple Product Owners for one product would create conflicts, overlaps, gaps, and inefficiencies. It would also make it harder to maintain a clear and consistent product vision, strategy, roadmap, and backlog. Therefore, the Scrum Team can not have multiple Product Owners.
• The Product Owner is accountable for ordering the Product Backlog. The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It is the single source of truth for the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. It contains all the requirements, features, functions, enhancements, fixes, and anything else that can deliver value to the customers and users of the product. The Product Owner orders the items in the Product Backlog based on factors such as value, risk, priority, dependency, feedback, or market conditions.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner
• Product Backlog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-backlog

The Scrum Master should allow the Developers to self-manage and determine for themselves what to do because:

• It respects the autonomy and empowerment of the Developers. The Developers are accountable for organizing and managing their own work, and they are the best people to decide how to conduct their Daily Scrum. The Scrum Master should not impose or dictate how the meeting should be set up or run, as that would undermine the self-organization and collaboration of the Developers.
• It supports the continuous improvement and adaptation of the Developers. The Developers are expected to inspect and adapt their process and practices, and to find ways to overcome any challenges or impediments they face. The Scrum Master should not solve the problems for them, but rather facilitate their problem-solving and learning abilities.
• It aligns with the role and responsibilities of the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum, and for helping everyone understand and enact Scrum theory, values, principles, and practices. The Scrum Master is not a manager or a leader of the Developers, but rather a servant-leader who enables them to work effectively.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “The Developers are accountable for … organizing and managing their work.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 12: “The Developers can select whatever structure and techniques they want, as long as their Daily Scrum focuses on progress toward the Sprint Goal and produces an actionable plan for the next day of work. This creates focus and improves self-management.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 13: “The Daily Scrum is an internal meeting for the Developers. If others are present, the Scrum Master ensures that they do not disrupt the meeting.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 7: “The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.”

It is not true that the Product Owner makes sure the correct stakeholders are invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They might have important instructions for team improvements. This is because:

• The Sprint Retrospective is an event where the Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done. The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to improve quality and effectiveness.
• The Sprint Retrospective is an internal event for the Scrum Team only. It is a safe and confidential space where the Scrum Team can openly and honestly reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, and identify actions to improve their performance and collaboration.
• The stakeholders are not invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They do not have a say in how the Scrum Team works or what they should improve. The stakeholders can provide feedback and suggestions to the Scrum Team in other events, such as the Sprint Review or the Product Backlog refinement sessions.
• The Product Owner is a member of the Scrum Team who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They are responsible for identifying and articulating the Product Goal, which is a long-term objective for the product that guides all the activities of the Scrum Team.
• The Product Owner does not make sure the correct stakeholders are invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They might have important instructions for team improvements. This would violate the self-management and autonomy of the Scrum Team and undermine their trust and empowerment.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 18, section “Sprint Retrospective”
• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “The Scrum Team”
• [Scrum Guide], page 17, section “Sprint Review”
• [Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Product Goal”

The purpose of a Sprint is to produce a valuable, useful Increment that meets the Sprint Goal and the Definition of Done1. An Increment is a concrete step toward achieving the Product Goal and is the primary measure of progress in Scrum2. The Increment must be usable and potentially releasable, meaning that it meets the quality standards set by the Scrum Team and the stakeholders[3][3].

References:

1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 9

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 6

[3][3]: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 13

The Daily Scrum is an event for and by the Developers. They can choose whatever structure and technique they want, as long as they focus on the progress toward the Sprint Goal and produce an actionable plan for the next day of work12. The Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and the person coming in last are not necessarily the ones who should start the Daily Scrum. The person who has the token is a possible technique, but not the only one3.

The Scrum Guide states that “the Increment is the sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints”. It also states that “at the end of a Sprint, the new Increment must be ‘Done’, which means it must be in useable condition and meet the Scrum Team’s definition of ‘Done’”. Therefore, the Scrum Team must deliver a valuable, useful Increment that meets the Definition of Done at the end of a Sprint. The other options are not acceptable, as they do not meet the criteria of being valuable, useful, or done.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 3.4. Increment
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Learning Path, section 2.1. The Product Owner and the Development Team
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Sample Questions, question 10

• The best statement that describes Scrum is: A framework to generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems.
• Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams, and organizations to deliver valuable products in complex and uncertain environments.
• Scrum is based on empiricism, which means that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed. Scrum employs an iterative and incremental approach to optimize predictability and control risk.
• Scrum is not a defined and predictive process, a complete methodology, or a cookbook that defines best practices. Scrum provides the minimal boundaries within which teams can self-organize and create innovative solutions. References: Scrum Guide, Section 1 (Definition of Scrum) and Section 2 (Uses of Scrum)

Sprint 0 is a term that some organizations use to describe a phase of work before the first official Sprint, where they do some upfront planning, design, architecture, or analysis1. However, this term is not consistent with the Scrum framework, which does not prescribe any pre-Sprint activities or phases2. Scrum starts with a Product Backlog that contains at least one valuable and feasible Product Goal, and enough Product Backlog items to initiate the first Sprint[3][3]. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers, and for managing the Product Backlog4. The Product Owner does not have any specific accountability during Sprint 0, because Sprint 0 is not a part of Scrum.

References:

1: Sprint Zero: A Good Idea or Not?, Scrum Alliance, accessed on December 16, 2023

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 5

[3][3]: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 9

4: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 6

• The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time.
• To ensure that the product delivers value, a Scrum Product Owner might focus on the following aspects:
• The other options are not valid or relevant aspects that a Scrum Product Owner might focus on to ensure that the product delivers value. They are either too narrow, unrealistic, or unrelated to the product value delivery. They are:

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner
• Value: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/value-scrum-value
• Velocity: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/velocity

The Scrum Guide states that "The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute time-boxed event for the Development Team to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours."1 The Daily Scrum is a quick and simple planning meeting designed to keep everyone in the loop with how other team members are getting on. It ensures that team members are fully aligned with each other and on track to hit the Sprint Goal.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 11
• 2: The Scrum Guide

When forming a Scrum team, it is important to ensure that the team has all the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver a working product12. The Scrum team should be cross-functional and self-managing, without relying on external experts or team leads34. Therefore, the question of how to make sure all teams have the right amount of expertise is a good first question to consider when forming into teams.

The Sprint Retrospective is an event for the Scrum Team to inspect how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done1. The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness for the next Sprint2. Therefore, appropriate topics for discussion during a Sprint Retrospective are:

Identifying high priority process improvements for the next Sprint. The Scrum Team should identify the most important things that went well and the potential improvements, and create a plan for implementing some of them in the next Sprint[3][3]. This way, the Scrum Team can continuously improve their performance and deliver more value.

How the team collaborates. The Scrum Team should reflect on how they work together as a self-managing unit, and how they can enhance their skills, tools, and relationships4. This way, the Scrum Team can foster a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration.

The other options are not appropriate topics for discussion during a Sprint Retrospective, as they are either related to the Product Backlog or the Sprint Backlog, which are not the focus of the Sprint Retrospective. The order of items in the Product Backlog is the responsibility of the Product Owner, who manages the Product Backlog based on the value, risk, and dependencies of the items5. The Product Owner may seek input from the Scrum Team or the stakeholders, but the final decision is up to the Product Owner. Documenting acceptance criteria for items in the next Sprint is part of the Product Backlog refinement, which is an ongoing activity throughout the Sprint, not a specific event. The Scrum Team should collaborate on refining the Product Backlog items and adding more details, such as acceptance criteria, as they become more clear and ready for selection in a Sprint Planning.

References:

1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 14

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 15

[3][3]: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 15

4: Developing People and Teams, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

5: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 7

 The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10

 The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10

 Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

The following are true about Scrum:

• Scrum is based on empiricism and lean thinking. Empiricism is the principle of making decisions based on what is observed and experienced, rather than on theory or speculation. Lean thinking is the philosophy of eliminating waste and maximizing value in any process or system. Scrum applies these concepts by providing a framework for inspecting and adapting the product and the process, and by focusing on delivering the most valuable features to the customers and stakeholders.
• Scrum is a framework for developing and sustaining complex products. A complex product is one that has unpredictable or unknown aspects that require creativity, experimentation, and adaptation to deliver. A framework is a set of minimal and essential rules and roles that provide structure and guidance, but leave room for flexibility and innovation. Scrum provides such a framework for teams to collaborate and deliver complex products iteratively and incrementally, while embracing change and feedback.
• Each component of Scrum serves a specific purpose and is essential to Scrum’s success and your usage of Scrum to develop complex products. Scrum consists of three roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), five events (Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective), and three artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment). Each of these components has a clear definition, accountability, and goal that contributes to the overall effectiveness and value of Scrum. Removing or changing any of these components may cause the benefits of Scrum to be lost or diminished.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 3: “Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 3: “Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 4: “Each component within the framework serves a specific purpose and is essential to Scrum’s success and usage.”

To say that an event has a timebox means that the event has a fixed duration that cannot be exceeded. The Scrum Guide states that "All events are time-boxed events, such that every event has a maximum duration. Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixed and cannot be shortened or lengthened. The remaining events may end whenever the purpose of the event is achieved, ensuring an appropriate amount of time is spent without allowing waste in the process."1 This means that the timebox sets an upper limit for the event, but the event can end sooner if the goal is met.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 10
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The Developers are accountable for managing the progress of work during a Sprint, as they are the ones who plan, execute, and deliver the work. The Scrum Guide states that "The Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint."1 The Developers are also responsible for conducting the Daily Scrum, a 15-minute event for the Developers to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours.1 The Developers are self-managing, which means they decide how best to accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the Scrum Team.1

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 7
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The practices that might help the Product Owner minimize waste in developing and sustaining the Product Backlog are:

• Remove items from the Product Backlog that have not been addressed in a long time. This helps keep the Product Backlog relevant, concise, and focused on delivering value. Items that have not been addressed in a long time may indicate that they are not important, feasible, or desirable anymore. They may also clutter or confuse the Product Backlog and make it harder to order and prioritize.
• Only fully describe Product Backlog items when it seems likely they will be implemented. This helps avoid spending too much time or effort on items that may change or be discarded later. Items that are likely to be implemented soon should have more detail and precision than items that are further away or uncertain. The level of detail and precision required for each item depends on its order, size, and complexity.

Other options, such as avoiding distracting the Scrum Team by maintaining newly gathered Product Backlog items in a separate Product Backlog until they are fully understood or handing off ownership of the Product Backlog to someone else, are not practices that might help minimize waste in developing and sustaining the Product Backlog. They may actually create more waste by reducing transparency, collaboration, alignment, or ownership.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 11, section “Product Backlog”
• [Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
• [Scrum Guide], page 12, section “Product Backlog Refinement”

According to the Scrum Guide, a Sprint can be canceled before the Sprint time-box is over. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint, although he or she may do so under influence from the stakeholders, the Developers, or the Scrum Master. A Sprint would be canceled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. This might occur if the company changes direction or if market or technology conditions change. In general, a Sprint should be canceled if it no longer makes sense given the circumstances. But, due to the short duration of Sprints, cancellation rarely makes sense. Developers cannot cancel a Sprint on their own, even if they face challenges or difficulties with the selected Product Backlog items, the functional expectations, the technical dependencies, or the Product Owner’s availability. Instead, they should collaborate with the Product Owner and the Scrum Master to find the best way to deliver value within the Sprint and adapt to the changing situation.

References:

• The Scrum Guide
• Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework
• Professional Scrum Product Owner™ I Certification

The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment and realizing the Sprint Goal1. The Sprint Backlog is a forecast by the Developers about what functionality will be in the next Increment and the work needed to deliver that functionality into a “Done” Increment1. The Sprint Backlog makes visible all the work that the Developers identify as necessary to meet the Sprint Goal1. The Sprint Backlog can include any items that the Developers deem necessary to achieve the Sprint Goal, such as user stories, tasks, use cases, tests, or others. The Sprint Backlog is a plan with enough detail that changes in progress can be understood in the Daily Scrum1.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 3.3. Sprint Backlog
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Learning Path, section 2.2. The Product Owner and the Sprint
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Sample Questions, question 11

• The Scrum Team is a self-organizing and cross-functional team that delivers valuable products in an agile way. The Scrum Team consists of one Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and Developers. They are all accountable for creating a valuable, useful, and potentially releasable product Increment each Sprint.
• An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the product vision. It is the sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints. At the end of a Sprint, the new Increment must be “Done”, which means it meets the Definition of Done and is usable.
• The Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable increment every Sprint, not just once or occasionally. This means that the Scrum Team must deliver a product functionality that provides value to the customers and users and contributes to the product goals and missions. The value of an increment can be measured by various factors, such as customer satisfaction, feedback, revenue, market share, or social impact.
• The Scrum Team is also accountable for creating a valuable increment every Sprint, not just any increment. This means that the Scrum Team must deliver a product functionality that meets the quality standards and expectations of the customers and users and complies with the Definition of Done. The quality of an increment can be measured by various factors, such as usability, reliability, performance, security, or maintainability.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Scrum Team: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-scrum-team
• Increment: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-an-increment

• A product’s success is measured by the impact it has on the customers, the business, and the market. Different products may have different success criteria and metrics, depending on their vision, goals, value proposition, and target audience. However, some of the common and important aspects that can indicate a product’s success are:
• The other options are not valid or relevant measures of a product’s success. They are either too subjective, narrow, or unrelated to the product’s value proposition and goals. They are:

References:

• Product Success: https://www.productplan.com/glossary/product-success/
• Customer Satisfaction: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/customer-satisfaction/
• Cost: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cost.asp
• Revenue: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/revenue.asp

The Scrum Team includes skilled individuals who together have all the skills necessary to create value each Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide1, “Scrum Teams are cross-functional, meaning the members have all the skills necessary to create value each Sprint.” This implies that the team does not depend on external resources or specialists to deliver a product increment. The other options do not reflect the true meaning of cross-functionality in Scrum.

1: The Scrum Team | Scrum.org

• The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time.
• The job of a Product Owner focuses on the following aspects:
• The other options are not valid or relevant aspects of a Product Owner’s job. They are either too narrow, unrealistic, or unrelated to the product value delivery. They are:

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner
• User Stories: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/user-stories

the first Sprint is the same as any other Sprint, and the Scrum Team should deliver a potentially releasable Increment of "Done" product at its conclusion. This means that the team should build at least one piece of valuable functionality that meets the Definition of Done and aligns with the Sprint Goal. The other options are not things that the Scrum Team should do during the first Sprint, as they are either too detailed, too vague, or too long-term for the Scrum framework. The Scrum Team should not make up a plan for the rest of the project, as Scrum is an empirical process that adapts to changing requirements and feedback1. The Scrum Team should not define the major product features and a release plan architecture, as these are the responsibilities of the Product Owner, who should have a vision and a roadmap for the product2. The Scrum Team should not analyze, describe, and document the requirements for the subsequent Sprints, as this would violate the principle of emergent design and just-in-time planning3.

1: The Scrum Guide | Scrum.org 2: What is a Product Owner? | Scrum.org 3: Emergent Design and Just-in-Time Planning | Scrum.org

• The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It is the single source of truth for the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. It contains all the requirements, features, functions, enhancements, fixes, and anything else that can deliver value to the customers and users of the product.
• All types of requirements are acceptable on a Product Backlog, as long as they are aligned with the product vision and goals, and they are transparent, clear, and valuable. The Product Backlog can include stability requirements, performance requirements, product functionality, documentation, fixes, or any other aspects that contribute to the quality and usability of the product.
• The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time.
• The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment that meets the Definition of Done each Sprint. The Developers are responsible for planning and executing the Sprint Backlog, designing and building the product functionality, testing and improving the product quality, and delivering a potentially releasable Increment. The Developers work closely with the Product Owner to understand and clarify the Product Backlog items, provide feedback and estimates, and suggest improvements and innovations.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Product Backlog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-backlog

The work to make sure Product Backlog items conform to the Definition of Done is done by the Developers. This is because:

• The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.
• The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. It is a shared understanding among the Scrum Team and the stakeholders of what “Done” means for any Product Backlog item that is selected for a Sprint.
• The Developers are self-managing professionals who organize and manage their own work. They decide how to best accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the Scrum Team.

Other options, such as the Product Owner, the Quality Assurance Team, the Scrum Team, or the Scrum Master, are not responsible for making sure Product Backlog items conform to the Definition of Done. They may have different roles and accountabilities in Scrum, but they do not do the actual work of creating a “Done” Increment.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Definition of Done”
• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “The Scrum Team”

In Scrum, when Developers encounter difficulties in delivering an Increment due to a lack of understanding of a functional requirement, they should collaborate with the Product Owner. This collaboration is crucial as the Product Owner has the responsibility to clarify the items in the Product Backlog and to ensure that the Development Team understands the work to be done. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and must work with the Development Team to find out what is feasible and acceptable for the Increment being developed. This approach aligns with the Scrum principle of collaboration and self-organization within the Scrum Team.

References: The Scrum Guide and the Professional Scrum Product Owner™ (PSPO I) materials emphasize the importance of collaboration between the Product Owner and the Development Team to ensure a clear understanding of the Product Backlog items and to optimize the value of the work being done

If the Developers find out during the Sprint that they are not likely to build everything they forecast, the best response from the Product Owner is to re-work the selected Product Backlog items with the Developers to meet the Sprint Goal. This is because:

• The Sprint Goal is a short-term objective that provides guidance and focus to the Scrum Team throughout the Sprint. It is a flexible and negotiable commitment that can be adjusted as more is learned throughout the Sprint.
• The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.
• The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They must inspect the Increment at the end of each Sprint and assess how it delivers value and contributes to the Product Goal.
• The Product Owner and the Developers must collaborate closely throughout the Sprint to ensure that they have a shared understanding of what they are building and why. The Product Owner must provide clarifications, feedback, and guidance to the Developers as needed to help them create a valuable Increment.
• If the Developers find out during the Sprint that they are not likely to build everything they forecast, it means that there is a gap between their initial plan and their actual progress. This may happen due to various reasons, such as new insights, changing requirements, technical challenges, or unforeseen circumstances.
• In this situation, the Product Owner should work with the Developers to re-work the selected Product Backlog items to meet the Sprint Goal. This may involve adding, removing, or modifying some items, as long as they still support the Sprint Goal and deliver value. The Product Owner should also communicate any changes or impacts to the stakeholders and customers as appropriate.

Other options, such as skipping Product Backlog refinement activities, informing management that more Developers are needed, changing the Sprint Goal, or canceling the Sprint, are not valid responses from the Product Owner as they do not reflect what should happen in Scrum or how to deal with uncertainty and complexity.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 15, section “Sprint Goal”
• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”
• [Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Definition of Done”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Increment”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Product Goal”

The Daily Scrum is held at the same time and same place because:

• The consistency reduces complexity. By having a fixed time and place for the Daily Scrum, the Developers can avoid wasting time and energy on scheduling, logistics, or coordination issues. They can also establish a routine and a rhythm that helps them focus on their work and their Sprint Goal.
• The consistency increases transparency. By having a fixed time and place for the Daily Scrum, the Developers can ensure that everyone is aware of when and where the meeting takes place, and that everyone has an opportunity to participate and share their progress, plans, and challenges. They can also invite other stakeholders or observers, if they find it useful, to provide feedback or support.
• The consistency enhances collaboration. By having a fixed time and place for the Daily Scrum, the Developers can create a safe and comfortable space for them to communicate, interact, and collaborate with each other. They can also build trust, rapport, and accountability among themselves, and foster a sense of team spirit and ownership.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 12: “The Daily Scrum is held at the same time and place each day to reduce complexity.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 12: “The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 13: “The Daily Scrum is an internal meeting for the Developers. If others are present, the Scrum Master ensures that they do not disrupt the meeting.”

 A Scrum Team is required to deliver a done Increment by the end of a Sprint. Done means:

• No work is left to meet the Definition of Done. The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. It is a shared understanding among the Scrum Team and the stakeholders of what it means for work to be complete. It may include criteria such as coding standards, testing, documentation, security, performance, etc. If a Product Backlog item or an Increment does not meet the Definition of Done, it cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review.
• Ready to be released to end users. The Increment is a concrete output of the Sprint that adds value to the product. It is a potentially releasable functionality that adheres to the Scrum Team’s current Definition of Done. It is not necessarily released at the end of each Sprint, but it must be in a state that allows for immediate release if the Product Owner decides so. The Increment should also align with the Sprint Goal and the Product Goal, and satisfy the needs and expectations of the customers and stakeholders.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 10: “The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 10: “The moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done, an Increment is born.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 14: “The purpose of each Sprint is to deliver Increments of potentially releasable functionality that adhere to the Scrum Team’s current Definition of Done.”

The Scrum Guide states that "Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint."1 This means that there is no gap or break between Sprints, and the Scrum Team does not need to spend extra time to prepare for the next Sprint. The Scrum Team should be able to start the next Sprint Planning right after the Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective of the previous Sprint. The Scrum Team should also ensure that the testing and documentation of the work are done within the Sprint, and not left for later.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 9
• 2: The Scrum Guide

Scrum

According to the Scrum Guide 2020, the entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint1234. This includes the Developers, the Product Owner, and the Scrum Master4. The Developers are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint12, while the Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team12. The Scrum Master fosters an environment where the Scrum Team can work effectively1.

• The Developers are the people in the Scrum Team who are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment that meets the Definition of Done each Sprint. The Developers are responsible for planning and executing the Sprint Backlog, designing and building the product functionality, testing and improving the product quality, and delivering a potentially releasable Increment. The Developers work closely with the Product Owner to understand and clarify the Product Backlog items, provide feedback and estimates, and suggest improvements and innovations.
• The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. The Definition of Done is used to assess when work is complete on the product Increment.
• The amount of work required of the Developers to complete a Product Backlog item selected during the Sprint Planning depends on the Definition of Done. The Definition of Done may vary from one Scrum Team to another, depending on the context and domain of work. However, it must be consistent within one team. If there are multiple Scrum Teams working on one product, they must share a common Definition of Done. If there is an organizational standard for a Definition of Done, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum.
• The Developers must ensure that each Product Backlog item they complete during a Sprint meets the Definition of Done. This means that they must perform all the necessary tasks and activities to deliver a high-quality product functionality that is usable, valuable, and potentially releasable. This may include analysis, design, development, testing, documentation, integration, deployment, or any other aspects that contribute to the quality and usability of the product.
• The other options are not valid or relevant measures for the amount of work required of the Developers to complete a Product Backlog item. They are either too vague, arbitrary, or unrealistic. They are:

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Definition of Done: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-definition-of-done
• Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum

In Scrum, the Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Development Team. One of the primary ways the Product Owner does this is by managing the Product Backlog, which includes clearly expressing Product Backlog items, ordering the items to best achieve goals and missions, and ensuring that the Product Backlog is visible, transparent, and clear to all. This means that the Product Owner has the final authority on the order of items in the Product Backlog, as they are best positioned to understand the strategic and market value of the work to be done.

References: The Scrum Guide and the Professional Scrum Product Owner™ (PSPO I) study materials, specifically the sections on ‘Managing Products with Agility’ and ‘Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework’, which outline the accountabilities of the Product Owner in managing the Product Backlog

• The length of a Sprint is the timebox within which the Scrum Team creates a potentially releasable product Increment. The Sprint is a container for all the other Scrum events, such as the Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective. The Sprint is also a feedback loop that allows the Scrum Team and the stakeholders to inspect and adapt the product and the process.
• The length of a Sprint should be no more than one calendar month. This is the maximum duration allowed by Scrum, as longer Sprints can increase the complexity and risk of the product development. Longer Sprints can also reduce the agility and responsiveness of the Scrum Team to changing customer needs and market conditions.
• The length of a Sprint should also be short enough to keep the business risk acceptable to the Product Owner. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time. The length of a Sprint affects how frequently and effectively the Product Owner can validate, verify, and deliver value to the customers and users.
• The length of a Sprint should also be short enough to be able to synchronize the development work with other business events. The Scrum Team operates within a broader organizational context that may have other events, cycles, or deadlines that affect or depend on product development. For example, there may be marketing campaigns, sales promotions, regulatory compliance, or contractual obligations that require coordination and alignment with the product delivery. The length of a Sprint affects how well and timely the Scrum Team can synchronize their work with these other business events.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Sprint: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-sprint-in-scrum
• Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner

Cross-functional teams are not optimized to work on one component or layer of a system only. This is because:

• Cross-functional teams are teams that have all the skills and competencies needed to accomplish the work without depending on others who are not part of the team.
• Cross-functional teams are able to deliver value across the entire product, rather than focusing on a specific component or layer. They can work on any aspect of the product that is needed to achieve the Sprint Goal and the Product Goal.
• Cross-functional teams are more agile, collaborative, and creative than teams that are specialized or siloed. They can reduce dependencies, handoffs, and delays, and increase feedback, learning, and adaptation.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Product Goal”
• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “The Scrum Team”

The Scrum Guide states that “the Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint”. It also states that “the Developers can do the work of any other role on the Scrum Team, as long as accountability is met”. Therefore, the Developers on the Scrum Team should write the user documentation, as it is part of the Definition of Done and the work needed to deliver a “Done” Increment. The other options are not acceptable, as they violate the Scrum values of commitment, focus, and respect, and they create dependencies, delays, and waste.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 2.2. Developers
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Learning Path, section 2.3. The Product Owner and the Definition of Done
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Sample Questions, question 12

According to Scrum.org, the Developers who will be doing the work are responsible for the sizing of Product Backlog items1. The Product Owner may influence the Developers by helping them understand and select trade-offs1. This implies that the Developers size the items after clarifying requirements with the Product Owner1.

• Scrum is a framework for developing, delivering, and sustaining complex products. Scrum defines three roles: the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Developers. Scrum does not have any other roles or titles, such as “tester”, “analyst”, “designer”, or “architect”.
• The Developers are the people in the Scrum Team who are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment that meets the Definition of Done each Sprint. The Developers are responsible for planning and executing the Sprint Backlog, designing and building the product functionality, testing and improving the product quality, and delivering a potentially releasable Increment. The Developers work closely with the Product Owner to understand and clarify the Product Backlog items, provide feedback and estimates, and suggest improvements and innovations.
• The Developers are responsible for quality, not just for programming. Quality is not something that can be added or verified after the product is built. Quality is something that must be built into the product from the start, by following good practices, standards, and principles. Quality is also something that must be inspected and adapted continuously, by applying feedback loops, testing methods, and improvement actions.
• The Developers are not divided into sub-teams or sub-roles based on their skills or specialties. The Developers are a cross-functional and self-organizing team that has all the skills and capabilities needed to create a valuable product Increment. The Developers collaborate and coordinate their work as one unit, without any hand-offs or silos.
• The Developers may have different backgrounds or expertise, such as testing, analysis, design, or architecture. However, these are not separate roles or responsibilities in Scrum. They are part of the collective accountability and responsibility of the Developers as a whole. The Developers may perform different tasks or activities based on their skills or preferences, but they are all equally responsible for delivering a high-quality product Increment.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum
• Quality: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/quality-scrum-value