CSM Certified ScrumMaster Exam Questions and Answers

Size(or an estimate) is a required attribute of a Product Backlog item (PBI). PBIs are sized to help the Scrum Team understand the effort required to complete them and to assist in planning and forecasting. TheDevelopersassign the size or estimate during Product Backlog refinement or Sprint Planning.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, Product Backlog items:

Must be clearly expressed and ordered by priority to maximize value.

Should includeestimates(or sizes) so the Developers can plan the work required to deliver them.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Assigned to:PBIs are not assigned to specific individuals. The Developers are self-organizing and collectively decide how to complete the work.

C. Due Date:Scrum does not use due dates for PBIs, as delivery is based on iterative progress and the Sprint Goal.

D. State:While PBIs may be tracked in terms of progress (e.g., "in progress" or "done"), "state" is not a required attribute.

Product Backlog refinementis the act of breaking down and further defining Product Backlog items into smaller, clearer, and more actionable items. This process ensures that the Product Backlog is well-organized, understood, and ready for the upcoming Sprint Planning. Refinement helps the Developers and Product Owner collaborate to add detail, order, and estimates to Product Backlog items.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity that occurs throughout the Sprint.

It is not a formal event, and its timing and structure are determined by the Scrum Team.

Refinement improves clarity and helps the team better understand upcoming work.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. a recurring event in the middle of each Sprint:Product Backlog refinement is not a time-boxed event. It occurs continuously, as needed.

C. an opportunity for the Developers to estimate Product Backlog items:While estimation may occur during refinement, the primary purpose is breaking down and clarifying items, not solely estimation.

D. a pre-planning meeting to shorten the length of Sprint Planning:Product Backlog refinement is not a pre-planning meeting but an ongoing activity to prepare for future Sprints.

When the Scrum Team does not understand the goal, scope, or product domain, theScrum Master should facilitate a discussion between the Stakeholders, Product Owner, and Developers. This ensures clarity and shared understanding, enabling the team to move forward effectively.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the team by:

Facilitating stakeholder collaborationas needed.

Ensuring that the Product Backlog is understoodby the Scrum Team.

Removing any barriers that hinder the team's ability to achieve the Sprint Goal.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Direct the Developers to stop working until the Product Owner improves the acceptance criteria:Stopping work is not productive, and collaboration with the Product Owner and stakeholders is the proper approach to resolving misunderstandings.

B. Cancel the Sprint and schedule a new Planning meeting:Cancelling the Sprint should be an absolute last resort and is typically done only when the Sprint Goal becomes unachievable.

C. Do nothing because this is the responsibility of the Product Owner:While the Product Owner owns the Product Backlog, the Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating collaboration and resolving impediments.

The entireScrum Teamcollaborates on understanding the work of the Sprint duringSprint Planning. This includes theProduct Owner,Developers, andScrum Master. Each role has a contribution:

Product Owner:Explains the Product Backlog items, priorities, and their value.

Developers:Collaborate to create a plan for delivering the selected Product Backlog itemsand achieving the Sprint Goal.

Scrum Master:Facilitates the discussion to ensure alignment and understanding but does not directly plan the work.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

"Sprint Planning initiates the Sprint by laying out the work to be performed for the Sprint. This resulting plan is created by the collaborative work of the entire Scrum Team."

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. The Scrum Master and the Developers:This excludes the Product Owner, who is essential for providing clarity and prioritization of Product Backlog items.

C. The Product Owner and the Developers:While they collaborate during Sprint Planning, the Scrum Master also plays an important role in facilitating the discussion.

D. The Developers:The Developers alone cannot decide on the Sprint Goal or select work without input from the Product Owner.

Thetypical size of an effective Scrum Team is ten or fewer people, as stated in the2020 Scrum Guide. This includes the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. Smaller teams ensure better communication, collaboration, and effectiveness, as larger teams can introduce inefficiencies and coordination challenges.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Size doesn't matter as long as the Scrum Master coordinates the work in collaboration with the Product Owner:Scrum Teams are self-managing and self-organizing; they do not rely on the Scrum Master to coordinate work. Team size does matter for effectiveness.

C. Bigger teams communicate better, are more productive and produce better results:Larger teams often face communication and coordination challenges, reducing productivity and effectiveness.

D. When a team expands beyond ten, activities, like verification and operations, are assigned to a different team:Scrum encourages cross-functional teams that handle all activities required to deliver a usable Increment without assigning work to other teams.

Facilitatingis the activity that seeks to build consensus in a group setting. In Scrum, the Scrum Master often acts as afacilitator, helping the team reach agreements during events such as Sprint Planning, Retrospectives, or backlog refinement sessions. Facilitators guide discussions neutrally, ensuring all voices are heard and helping the group align on decisions.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master:

Facilitates Scrum events as requested or needed.

Removes barriers to communication and fosters collaboration within the team.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Coaching:Coaching involves guiding individuals or teams to improve performance, but it is not specifically about building group consensus.

B. Teaching:Teaching focuses on imparting knowledge, not consensus-building.

C. Mentoring:Mentoring involves a one-on-one relationship where the mentor shares knowledge and experience, which is not a group activity.

TheScrum Masteris responsible for leading and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption. They play a critical role in helping the organization understand and implement Scrum practices, fostering an environment of empiricism and continuous improvement.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the organization by:

Leading, training, and coaching the organization in Scrum adoption.

Helping employees and stakeholders understand and enact an empirical approach to work.

Removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Customer:Customers provide requirements and feedback but do not lead or coach the organization in Scrum adoption.

B. Product Owner:The Product Owner manages the Product Backlog and focuses on delivering value but is not responsible for organizational Scrum adoption.

C. Developers:Developers are responsible for delivering the Increment and are not accountable for coaching the organization.

TheSprint Retrospectiveis heldafter the Sprint Review and before the next Sprint Planning. It is the final event in the Sprint, and its purpose is to reflect on the past Sprint and identify areas for improvement. The Scrum Team inspects how they worked during the Sprint in terms of processes, interactions, tools, and the Definition of Done, and then adapts for future Sprints.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

The Sprint Retrospective is time-boxed and enables the team to inspect and adapt their working practices.

It helps improve the Scrum Team's effectiveness in subsequent Sprints.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. At the beginning of the Sprint:The Sprint Retrospective is not held at the start of the Sprint. Sprint Planning occurs at the beginning of the Sprint.

C. In the middle of the Sprint:Mid-Sprint is not a designated time for this meeting; the team is focused on achieving the Sprint Goal.

D. At the end of all the Sprints:The Retrospective is held at the end ofeach Sprint, not at the conclusion of all Sprints.

Fromself-organizing teams,the best architecture, requirements, and designsemerge. This aligns with one of theAgile Manifesto Principles, which states:

"The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams."

Self-organizing teams have the autonomy to make decisions, collaborate effectively, and adapt their processes to deliver high-quality solutions.

Self-organizing teams work without being micromanaged, leveraging their expertise and collective intelligence to solve complex problems and create innovative solutions.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. The best process flows, user stories and requirements:While self-organizing teams improve processes, the Agile principle specifically mentions architecture, requirements, and designs.

C. The best designs, user stories and Sprint Backlog:The Sprint Backlog is an artifact, not an outcome of self-organization.

D. The best architecture, user stories and requirements:User stories are part of backlog items, but the principle focuses on architecture, requirements, and designs.

Adone Incrementisusable, meaning it meets the Scrum Team's Definition of Done and can be used or inspected by stakeholders. While the Increment may not always be released to end users, it must be in a usable state to ensure transparency and enable feedback.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

An Increment is a concrete step toward the Product Goal.

Each Increment must meet the Definition of Done, ensuring it is usable and provides value, regardless of whether it is immediately released.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Prescriptive:Scrum is not prescriptive about how work is done, and "prescriptive" is not a characteristic of a done Increment.

B. Estimable:"Estimable" applies to Product Backlog items but is not a characteristic of a done Increment.

D. Released:While an Increment may be released, it is not a required characteristic. It simply must be in a usable state.

TheDaily Scrumis the event where impediments to achieving the Sprint Goal are shared. It is a time-boxed event (15 minutes) held every day during the Sprint. During this event, the Developers inspect their progress toward the Sprint Goal and identify any blockers or impediments that need to be addressed.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

The Developers use the Daily Scrum to inspect progress andadapt their planto achieve the Sprint Goal.

Impediments are raised and addressed by the Scrum Master if they cannot be resolved by the team.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Sprint Planning:Sprint Planning is focused on creating the Sprint Goal and selecting Product Backlog items for the Sprint, not sharing impediments.

C. Sprint Retrospective:The Retrospective focuses on process improvements and team dynamics, not day-to-day impediments during the Sprint.

D. Sprint Review:The Sprint Review is about presenting the Increment and gathering feedback, not resolving impediments.

One of the key accountabilities of aScrum Masteris toimprove the Scrum Team's effectiveness. This aligns with the Scrum Master's role as a servant leader who helps the team deliver value through better practices, collaboration, and adherence to Scrum principles.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master is accountable for:

Establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide, helping everyone understand its theory and practices.

Improving the Scrum Team's effectivenessby enabling the team to self-manage, improve cross-functionality, and focus on delivering high-value Increments.

Removing impedimentsthat hinder progress and supporting the team in achieving its Sprint Goals.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Set the budget:The Scrum Master does not manage budgets. Budgeting decisions are outside the scope of the Scrum framework.

B. Provide estimates:Developers are responsible for providing estimates during Product Backlog refinement and Sprint Planning.

D. Decide when to release the product:Decisions about releases are made collaboratively by theProduct Owner, often based on business needs and stakeholder input.