True or False: The Product Owner makes sure the correct stakeholders are invited to the
Sprint Retrospective. They might have important instructions for team improvements.
Correct Answer:
B
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”
You have just been hired by a company new to Scrum. Your management has assigned you to be the Scrum Master of six new Scrum Teams. These teams will build one product. Select two conditions you should strive for in this scenario.
(choose the best two answers)
Correct Answer:
BC
✑ In Scrum, there is only one product and one Product Backlog for a given product.
The Product Backlog 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 Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner based on the product vision, goals, and value.
✑ Having multiple Product Backlogs for one product would create confusion, duplication, inconsistency, and waste. It would also make it harder to align the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders on the same product direction and priorities. Therefore, each Scrum Team should not have a separate Product Backlog.
✑ 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, there should be only one Product Owner for one product.
✑ In some cases, when there are multiple Scrum Teams working on one product, it may be necessary to have some form of scaling or coordination mechanism to ensure alignment and collaboration among the teams. However, this does not mean that there should be multiple Product Owners or Product Backlogs. Instead, there should be ways to facilitate communication, feedback, integration, and transparency among the teams and with the Product Owner. For example, some frameworks or practices that can help with scaling Scrum are Nexus, LeSS, SAFe, or Scrum of Scrums.
References:
✑ Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
✑ Nexus: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-nexus
✑ LeSS: https://less.works/
✑ SAFe: https://www.scaledagileframework.com/
✑ Scrum of Scrums: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/scrum-of-scrums/
When might a Sprint be cancelled? (choose the best answer)
Correct Answer:
D
A Sprint may be cancelled when the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. 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 Sprint is a container for all other Scrum events and activities. It is a time-box of one month or less during which a “Done” Increment is created that meets the Sprint Goal. The Sprint has a consistent duration throughout a development effort and only changes duration between Sprints.
✑ A Sprint may be cancelled before it is over by the Product Owner if they determine that the Sprint Goal is no longer valid or valuable. This may happen due to various reasons, such as a significant change in the market, technology, business direction, or customer needs.
✑ A cancelled Sprint should be rare and exceptional. It implies a waste of time and resources that could have been spent on delivering value. It also disrupts the rhythm and flow of the Scrum Team and the stakeholders.
✑ When a Sprint is cancelled, any completed and “Done” Product Backlog items are reviewed and potentially released. Any incomplete Product Backlog items are re- estimated and put back on the Product Backlog. The Scrum Team then plans for a new Sprint.
Other options, such as when the Developers determine the product plan is infeasible, when it becomes clear that not everything will be finished by the end of the Sprint, or when the sales department has an important new opportunity, are not valid reasons for cancelling a Sprint. They may reflect a misunderstanding of what a Sprint Goal is or how Scrum works. References:
✑ [Scrum Guide], page 15, section “Sprint Goal”
✑ [Scrum Guide], page 9, section “Sprint”
✑ [Scrum Guide], page 16, section “Cancelling a Sprint”
True or False: A Product Owner with multiple teams working on one product should maintain separate Product Backlogs for each team.
Correct Answer:
B
✑ In Scrum, there is only one product and one Product Backlog for a given product.
The Product Backlog 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 Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner based on the product vision, goals, and value.
✑ Having multiple Product Backlogs for one product would create confusion, duplication, inconsistency, and waste. It would also make it harder to align the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders on the same product direction and priorities. Therefore, a Product Owner with multiple teams working on one product should not maintain separate Product Backlogs for each team.
✑ 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.
✑ In some cases, when there are multiple Scrum Teams working on one product, it may be necessary to have some form of scaling or coordination mechanism to ensure alignment and collaboration among the teams. However, this does not mean that there should be multiple Product Owners or Product Backlogs. Instead, there should be ways to facilitate communication, feedback, integration, and transparency among the teams and with the Product Owner. For example, some frameworks or practices that can help with scaling Scrum are Nexus, LeSS, SAFe, or Scrum of Scrums.
References:
✑ Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
✑ Nexus: [1]
✑ LeSS: [2]
✑ SAFe: [3]
✑ Scrum of Scrums: [4]
In the middle of the Sprint, the customer decides that there are two new features she wants.
The Product Owner could: (choose the best two answers)
Correct Answer:
BC
✑ 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.
✑ A Sprint is a timebox of one month or less within which a “Done” product Increment is created. A Sprint consists of the Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, the development work, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective. A Sprint is also a feedback loop that allows the Scrum Team and the stakeholders to inspect and adapt the product and the process.
✑ The Sprint Goal is a short statement of what the Scrum Team intends to achieve during a Sprint. It provides guidance and direction for the Scrum Team, as well as a basis for inspecting and adapting the product and the process. The Sprint Goal is aligned with the product vision and goals, and it reflects the value and purpose of the Sprint.
✑ In the middle of a Sprint, if a customer decides that there are two new features she wants, there are two possible ways that a Product Owner could handle this situation:
✑ The other options are not valid or relevant ways that a Product Owner could handle this situation. They are either too disruptive, impractical, or irrelevant. They are:
References:
✑ Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
✑ Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner
✑ Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum
✑ Sprint: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-sprint-in-scrum
✑ Sprint Goal: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-sprint-goal
✑ Daily Scrum: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-daily-scrum
✑ Scrum Master: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-scrum-master
