Scrum PSM-I - Professional Scrum Master I

The Sprint Backlog is the Development Team’s plan for the Sprint, as stated in the Scrum Guide 1 : “The Sprint Backlog is a plan with enough detail that changes in progress can be understood in the Daily Scrum. The Development Team modifies the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint, and the Sprint Backlog emerges during the Sprint.”

According to the Scrum Guide, two valid actions that the Developers can take when they realize that the workload may be greater than their capacity to complete the work are ensuring that the Scrum Team is aware, starting the Sprint, and monitoring progress, and removing or changing selected Product Backlog items. These actions are consistent with Scrum values and principles, such as transparency, adaptation, and collaboration. The other options are not valid actions, as they are either wasteful (such as recruiting additional Developers or canceling the Sprint) or unsustainable (such as working overtime).

The two intended outcomes of the Daily Scrum are A and D.

A. Identification of impediments that may prevent the Developers from achieving the Sprint Goal.

The Daily Scrum is an opportunity for the Developers to inspect their progress toward the Sprint Goal and to identify any impediments or challenges that may hinder them from completing the work in the Sprint Backlog 1 . The Scrum Master can help the Developers remove these impediments or find ways to overcome them 2 .

D. A shared understanding of the most important work to be undertaken next to achieve the best possible progress toward the Sprint Goal.

The Daily Scrum is also an opportunity for the Developers to adapt their plan for the next 24 hours based on their current situation and the Sprint Goal 1 . 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 1 . This creates focus and improves self-management.

B, C, and E are not intended outcomes of the Daily Scrum.

B. An update of completed tasks and of the remaining work so the Scrum Master can plan the next day.

The Daily Scrum is not a status meeting or a report for the Scrum Master or anyone else 2 . The Developers are responsible for conducting and facilitating the Daily Scrum, not the Scrum Master 1 . The Scrum Master’s role is to ensure that the event happens, that it is positive and productive, and that it stays within the 15-minute timebox 2 .

C. An updated Scrum board to make Sprint progress transparent for the stakeholders.

The Daily Scrum is an internal meeting for the Scrum Team, not for external stakeholders 1 . The Scrum board is a tool that can help the Developers visualize their work, but it is not an outcome of the Daily Scrum. The outcome of the Daily Scrum should be an updated Sprint Backlog and an updated Sprint plan to achieve the Sprint Goal 3 .

E. A status report for the upper management indicating what each individual has done, will be doing, and what is impeding him/her.

The Daily Scrum is not a status report for anyone, especially not for upper management 2 . The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect and adapt the work of the Developers, not to report on individual activities or performance 1 . The focus of the Daily Scrum should be on the collective work and progress of the Developers as a self-organizing team 2 .

According to the Scrum Guide, three behaviors that demonstrate that a team is self-organizing are creating their own sprint backlog, having all the skills needed to create a releasable Increment, and collaboratively selecting their own work during the Sprint. The other options are not behaviors that demonstrate self-organization, as they are either contrary to Scrum values and principles (such as stakeholders walking in at the Daily Scrum or working within functional boundaries) or unnecessary for self-organization (such as the Product Owner not being at Sprint Retrospectives or the Development Team inviting external people to the Sprint Planning).

The correct answer is D, because there is no gap between Sprints in Scrum. The Scrum Guide states that “a new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.” Therefore, there is no time required after a Sprint to prepare for the next Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , one aspect of Scrum Teams inspecting how they work toward their Product Goal is that they improve their definition of “Done” over time. 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. Therefore, it is most appropriate for a Development Team to change the definition of “Done” during the Sprint Retrospective.

The correct answer is B because in Scrum, Developers are collectively accountable for creating a usable Increment every Sprint, and they share accountability for the Sprint Backlog. Scrum emphasizes self-management and collective ownership rather than assigning individual accountability for separate backlog items in the traditional sense. The Developers decide how to turn selected Product Backlog items into an Increment and how to organize their work, but the responsibility remains shared across the team.

This shared accountability supports collaboration, flexibility, and focus on the Sprint Goal. It prevents siloed behavior where individuals protect only their own tasks instead of working together to achieve the Sprint outcome. The Sprint Backlog is created by and for the Developers, and they adapt it throughout the Sprint as more is learned.

Option A is incorrect because accountability does not begin during the Daily Scrum. Option C is incorrect because capacity does not create individual ownership in Scrum. Option D is incorrect because Scrum does not require even task splitting or pre-assigned ownership at Sprint Planning. The Developers remain collectively accountable throughout the Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide, Scrum is a framework to generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems. It is based on empiricism, self-organization, and collaboration. The other options are not accurate descriptions of Scrum, as they are either too rigid (such as a defined and predictive process or a complete methodology), too vague (such as a cookbook), or irrelevant (such as scientific management).

The correct answer is D. The Sprint Goal provides the Developers with a common, specific objective that creates focus and coherence during the Sprint. Rather than treating the Sprint as a collection of unrelated backlog items, the Sprint Goal gives the team a shared purpose for the work they are doing. This helps the Developers make trade-offs, collaborate more effectively, and adapt the Sprint Backlog while still moving toward a meaningful outcome.

Option A is incorrect because Scrum does not define Sprint 0 as part of Scrum, and the Sprint Goal applies to every Sprint. Option B is incorrect because the Sprint Goal is highly valuable. The Product Backlog provides ordered possibilities for future work, but the Sprint Goal explains the purpose of the current Sprint. Option C is incorrect because the Sprint Goal does not guarantee that every selected Product Backlog item will be completed. The team may renegotiate scope with the Product Owner as more is learned, while still aiming to achieve the Sprint Goal.

The Sprint Goal supports flexibility. It allows the Developers to adjust their plan during the Sprint without losing direction. That is why Scrum uses a goal-oriented approach rather than only a task-oriented one.

According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Owner does not make sure that the Developers select enough from the Product Backlog for a Sprint to satisfy the stakeholders. The Developers are responsible for selecting how much work they can do in a Sprint, based on their capacity and past performance. The Product Owner may influence them by ordering and clarifying the Product Backlog items, but does not control their selection.