Scrum Scrum Certifications PSPO-I Questions & Answers

• Question 101:

  True or False: The Product Owner must write all of the Product Backlog items (e.g., user stories, requirements, etc.) on the Product Backlog before handing them over to the Scrum Team.

  A. True

  B. False

  Correct Answer: B

  It is not true that the Product Owner must write all of the Product Backlog items (e.g. user stories, requirements, etc.) on the Product Backlog before handing them over to the Scrum Team. This is because:

  The Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product. It is never complete and constantly changes to reflect the needs and desires of the customers, users, and stakeholders. 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 also accountable for managing the Product Backlog items effectively. They must ensure that they are transparent, visible, and understood by everyone who needs to work on them. They must also

  collaborate with the Developers and stakeholders to refine, order, and prioritize them based on value and impact.

  The Product Owner does not need to write all of the Product Backlog items by themselves or before handing them over to the Scrum Team. They can involve others in creating or contributing to them, such as customers, users, stakeholders,

  or Developers. They can also add or modify them at any time during the product development process, as long as they are clear and ready for selection in Sprint Planning.

  References:

  [Scrum Guide], page 6, section "Product Owner"

  [Scrum Guide], page 11, section "Product Backlog" [Scrum Guide], page 10, section "Product Goal"

  [Scrum Guide], page 12, section "Product Backlog Refinement" [Scrum Guide], page 14, section "Sprint Planning"

• Question 102:

  True or False: When there are multiple teams working on one product, each Scrum Team should have a separate Product Owner.

  A. True

  B. False

  Correct Answer: B

  Explanation: 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 OwnerTM Training], page 6, section "Product Vision" [Professional Scrum Product OwnerTM Training], page 9, section "Business Strategy"

• Question 103:

  Which are appropriate topics for discussion in a Sprint Retrospective?

  (choose the best three answers)

  A. Team relations.

  B. The value of work currently represented in the Product Backlog.

  C. How the Scrum Team does its work.

  D. Definition of Done.

  E. Arranging the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint.

  Correct Answer: ACD

  Correct Answers: A, C, and D.

  Explanation: The Sprint Retrospective is an event where the Scrum Team reflects on how they worked together in the last Sprint and identifies ways to improve their collaboration, processes, and quality. Therefore, appropriate topics for

  discussion in a Sprint Retrospective are:

  Team relations: The Scrum Team should discuss how they communicated, interacted, and supported each other during the Sprint. They should celebrate their successes, acknowledge their challenges, and address any conflicts or issues that

  arose. They should also share feedback, appreciation, and suggestions for improvement with each other.

  How the Scrum Team does its work: The Scrum Team should inspect the methods, tools, and practices they used to deliver the product increment. They should evaluate what worked well and what could be improved. They should also

  identify any impediments, risks, or dependencies that affected their work and how they handled them.

  Definition of Done: The Scrum Team should review their Definition of Done and check if it is still relevant, clear, and achievable. They should also assess how well they adhered to it and if they delivered a potentially releasable product

  increment that meets the quality standards. They should also consider if they need to update or adapt their Definition of Done based on new insights or feedback. The following topics are not appropriate for discussion in a Sprint

  Retrospective:

  The value of work currently represented in the Product Backlog: The value of the Product Backlog items is the responsibility of the Product Owner, who should continuously refine and order them based on stakeholder needs and feedback.

  The value of the Product Backlog items is not directly related to how the Scrum Team works together and does not affect their improvement actions for the next Sprint.

  Arranging the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint: The Sprint Backlog is the plan for the next Sprint that is created by the Scrum Team during the Sprint Planning event. The Sprint Backlog is based on the Product Backlog items that are

  selected for the next Sprint and how the Developers intend to accomplish them. The Sprint Retrospective is not a planning event but a reflection event that focuses on the past Sprint.

  References:

  [Scrum Guide], section 3.5: "The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness."

  [Professional Scrum Product Owner], chapter 7: "The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint." What is a Sprint Retrospective? |

  Scrum.org: "During each Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team plans ways to increase product quality by improving work processes or adapting the definition of "Done" if appropriate and not in conflict with product or organizational

  standards."

  The Sprint Retrospective - What It Is and Tips for Making the Most of Your Meeting:

  "The focus is on how the team worked together in the last sprint, including:

  Communication Teamwork Process Tools Systems Work environment Missing competencies Collaboration with external parties"

• Question 104:

  What does it mean for a Scrum Team to be cross-functional? (choose the best answer)

  A. The Scrum Team includes not only developers but also business analysts, architects, and testers.

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

  C. Developers on the Scrum Team work closely with business analysts, architects, developers, and testers who are not on the team.

  D. The Scrum Team is a virtual team drawing from separate teams of business analysts, architects, developers, and testers.

  Correct Answer: B

  Explanation: 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

• Question 105:

  When does the second Sprint start?

  (choose the best answer)

  A. After the customer completes acceptance testing of the first Sprint.

  B. Once the architectural changes for the second Sprint are approved by the senior architect.

  C. Immediately after the first Sprint.

  D. After the Product Backlog items for the second Sprint have been selected.

  Correct Answer: C

  Sprints are fixed-length events of one month or less that serve as a container for the other Scrum events and activities. Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint. There is no gap or downtime between Sprints. The second Sprint starts right after the first Sprint, regardless of the customer acceptance testing, the architectural changes, or the Product Backlog items. References: The Scrum Guide Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework Professional Scrum Product OwnerTM I Certification

• Question 106:

  The length of a Sprint should be:

  (choose the best answer)

  A. Short enough to keep the business risk acceptable to the Product Owner.

  B. Short enough to be able to synchronize the development work with other business events.

  C. No more than one calendar month.

  D. All of the above.

  Correct Answer: D

  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

• Question 107:

  Which two ways of creating Scrum Teams are consistent with Scrum's values?

  (choose the best two answers)

  A. Managers personally re-assign current subordinates to new teams.

  B. The Chief Product Owner determines the new team structures and assignments.

  C. Managers collaborate to assign individuals to specific teams.

  D. Existing teams propose how they would like to go about organizing into the new structure.

  E. Bring all the people together and let them organize into Scrum Teams.

  Correct Answer: DE

  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

• Question 108:

  True or False: A Product Owner is essentially the same thing as a traditional Project Manager.

  A. True

  B. False

  Correct Answer: B

  A Product Owner is not the same thing as a traditional Project Manager. A Product Owner is a role in Scrum, a framework for developing, delivering, and sustaining complex products. A Project Manager is a role in traditional project

  management, a discipline for planning, executing, and controlling projects. A 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.

  A Project Manager is accountable for delivering the project within the predefined scope, time, and cost constraints. The Project Manager is responsible for defining and managing the project plan, resources, risks, issues, and dependencies.

  The Project Manager coordinates and controls the activities of the project team and the stakeholders and ensures that the project meets the quality standards and expectations.

  Some of the main differences between a Product Owner and a Project Manager are:

  

  References:

  Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner Project Manager: https://www.pmi.org/about/learn-about-pmi/what-is-project- management

• Question 109:

  Which best describes the Product Backlog?

  (choose the best answer)

  A. It is allowed to grow and change as more is learned about the product and its customers.

  B. It contains all foreseeable tasks and requirements from which the Scrum Team can develop and maintain a complete project plan.

  C. It provides just enough information to enable a Scrum Team to start the design phase of a product.

  D. It is baselined to follow change management processes.

  Correct Answer: A

  The Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product. It is the single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team. The Product Backlog is dynamic; it constantly changes to identify what the product needs to be appropriate, competitive, and useful. The other options are not accurate descriptions of the Product Backlog, as it does not contain all foreseeable tasks and requirements, it does not provide just enough information to start the design phase, and it is not baselined to follow change management processes23.

  1: What is a Product Backlog? | Scrum.org 2: What is a Product Backlog? | Agile Alliance

  3: Product Backlog: Definition, Examples and Techniques | Wrike Guide

• Question 110:

  How much of the Sprint Backlog must be defined during the Sprint Planning event?

  (choose the best answer)

  A. Just enough to understand design and architectural implications.

  B. Enough so the Developers can create their forecast of what work they can do.

  C. The entire Sprint Backlog must be identified and estimated by the end of Sprint Planning.

  D. Just enough tasks for the Scrum Master to be confident in the Developers' understanding of the Sprint.

  Correct Answer: B

  The amount of the Sprint Backlog that must be defined during the Sprint Planning event is enough so the Developers can create their forecast of what work they can do. This is because:

  Sprint Planning is an event where the Scrum Team plans for the upcoming Sprint. The purpose of Sprint Planning is to align the entire Scrum Team around a common goal and a plan for delivering an Increment that meets that goal. The

  Developers are accountable for creating a Sprint forecast, which is a selection of Product Backlog items that they intend to work on during the Sprint. The Sprint forecast should be realistic, achievable, and valuable. The Developers are also

  accountable for creating a plan for how they will deliver the selected Product Backlog items as a "Done" Increment. The plan may include tasks, dependencies, risks, estimates, or other information that helps them organize and manage their

  work.

  The amount of the Sprint Backlog that must be defined during Sprint Planning may vary depending on the context, complexity, and uncertainty of the product development. However, it should be enough so that the Developers can create their

  forecast of what work they can do and have a clear direction for the first few days of the Sprint.

  Other options, such as just enough to understand design and architectural implications, the entire Sprint Backlog being identified and estimated by the end of Sprint Planning, or just enough tasks for the Scrum Master to be confident in the

  Developers' understanding of the Sprint, are not valid answers as they do not reflect what must be defined during Sprint Planning or what is required for creating a Sprint forecast.

  References:

  [Scrum Guide], page 14, section "Sprint Planning" [Scrum Guide], page 7, section "Developers"

  [Scrum Guide], page 15, section "Sprint Backlog" [Scrum Guide], page 14, section "Sprint Planning"