Scrum PSM-II - Professional Scrum Master II

The Scrum Master should do this because it is the most effective way to ensure that the Scrum Teams are self-organizing, cross-functional, and collaborative. The Scrum Master can help the Scrum Teams to understand the benefits of working together as one integrated team, rather than as separate component teams. The Scrum Master can also facilitate the communication and coordination among the Scrum Teams, and support them in resolving any dependencies or conflicts that may arise.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, page 7: “Scrum Teams are cross-functional, meaning the members have all the skills necessary to create value in each Sprint.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 7: “Scrum Teams are self-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how.”

Nexus Guide 2020, page 5: “When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on the same product, there are additional complexities that arise. These complexities can be reduced by having the teams adhere to a common definition of “Done” and a single Product Backlog.”

A Scrum Master is not a management position in the traditional sense of the word. A Scrum Master does not have authority over the team members, the product, or the project. A Scrum Master is a servant leader who helps the team self-organize, collaborate, and deliver value. A Scrum Master is accountable for managing the Scrum process, ensuring that the team follows the Scrum values and principles, and facilitating the team’s interactions with stakeholders and the organization. A Scrum Master is also accountable for removing organizational impediments that limit the team’s progress and productivity, such as bureaucracy, silos, or conflicts. A Scrum Master is not accountable for reporting on the performance of a team, managing the project plan and the project deliverables, or managing the capacity and utilization of the Developers. These are responsibilities of the Product Owner, the Developers, or other roles in the organization.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, section “The Scrum Master”, “The Scrum Team”.

What is a scrum master?[+ Responsibilities] | Atlassian, section “Scrum master responsibilities”.

Scrum Master Roles and Responsibilities [2023] | Simplilearn, section “What Does a Scrum Master Do?”, “Scrum Master Responsibilities”.

Coach the Product Owner that achieving the Sprint Goal is the Scrum Team’s objective. A forecast is only used to initially estimate the effort required to reach the Sprint Goal.

This is true because the Scrum Master’s role is to help the Product Owner understand the Scrum framework and its principles, such as empiricism, self-organization, and collaboration12. The Scrum Master should also remind the Product Owner that the forecast is not a commitment, but a plan that can be adjusted based on the Sprint progress and feedback3 . The Scrum Master should focus on the value and outcome of the Sprint, rather than the output and scope.

References: 1: What is a Scrum Master? | Scrum.org 2: What is a scrum master? [+ Responsibilities] | Atlassian 3: [Scrum Guide | Scrum Guides] : What Is a Scrum Master (and How Do I Become One)? - Coursera

A Scrum Team is self-managing, meaning that they have the autonomy and authority to organize and manage their own work within the boundaries of Scrum. A self-managing Scrum Team:

Creates their own Sprint Backlog, reflecting all work that is part of the Definition of Done ©, which is a valid option as it shows that the Developers are responsible for planning and executing the work needed to deliver a potentially releasable Increment at the end of each Sprint.

Collaboratively selects and re-plans their work during the Sprint (D), which is another valid option as it shows that the Developers are able to adapt to changing requirements, priorities, or circumstances within the Sprint, without relying on external instructions or approvals.

The other options are not correct because they:

Invite management to the Daily Scrum for a progress update and subsequently work with the Scrum Master to optimize the plan for the next day (A), which is not a good option as it shows that the Scrum Team is not self-managing, but rather dependent on management intervention and direction. The Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers to inspect their progress and plan their work for the next 24 hours, not a status report for management or anyone else.

Work strictly within the boundaries of their function description, and hand off work in a timely fashion to the other members within the team (B), which is not a good option as it shows that the Scrum Team is not self-managing, but rather following a rigid and siloed structure. The Developers are cross-functional, meaning that they have all the skills necessary to create a “Done” Increment, and they collaborate and coordinate their work as one team, not as separate individuals or roles.

Invite the right external people to the Sprint Planning to help them create a complete and detailed Sprint Backlog before the meeting timebox expires (E), which is not a good option as it shows that the Scrum Team is not self-managing, but rather relying on external assistance and input. The Sprint Planning is an event for the Scrum Team to create a Sprint Goal and a Sprint Backlog, based on the Product Owner’s proposal and the Developers’ forecast. The Scrum Team may invite other people to provide advice or expertise, but they are ultimately accountable for their own plan.

References: : [Scrum Guide], The Scrum Team : [Scrum Guide], The Developers : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint Backlog : [Scrum Guide], The Daily Scrum : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint Planning

C. Timeboxes encourage the people who are closest to the problem to create the best possible result in the time allotted, given the current context.

This is true because timeboxes limit the amount of time that can be spent on an activity, which forces the Scrum Team to focus on the most valuable and feasible outcomes. Timeboxes also empower the Scrum Team to make decisions based on their own expertise and experience, rather than relying on external authorities or instructions12. D. Timeboxes help everyone focus on the same problem at the same time.

This is true because timeboxes create a shared sense of urgency and alignment among the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. Timeboxes also enable frequent feedback and inspection, which help the Scrum Team adapt to changing requirements and expectations12.

References: 1: What Is Timeboxing in Scrum? - Visual Paradigm 2: What Is Timeboxing in Scrum and What Are the Benefits? Scrum Alliance

According to the Scrum Guide 2020, the Sprint Goal is a short statement that provides direction and focus for the Scrum Team throughout the Sprint1. The Sprint Goal is chosenby the Scrum Team during Sprint Planning, based on the Product Backlog items that they forecast to complete in the Sprint1. The Sprint Goal also gives Developers flexibility and creativity on how to implement functionality during the Sprint, as long as they do not endanger the Sprint Goal1. Therefore, the statements that are true about the Sprint Goal are:

During Sprint Planning, the Scrum Team crafts a Sprint Goal based on an objective that the Product Owner would like to achieve that Sprint. This statement is true because it reflects the purpose and process of creating a Sprint Goal. The Product Owner proposes an objective for the Sprint, based on the current state of the product and the stakeholders’ needs2. The Developers then select the Product Backlog items that support that objective, and craft a Sprint Goal that expresses what value they will deliver in the Sprint2.

Sprint Goals give Developers flexibility and creativity on how to implement functionality during the Sprint. This statement is true because it reflects the benefit and outcome of having a Sprint Goal. The Sprint Goal is not a fixed scope of work, but a flexible goal that guides the Developers’ decisions and actions3. The Developers can modify their Sprint Backlog during the Sprint as needed, as long as they do not endanger the Sprint Goal1. The Sprint Goal also encourages the Developers to work together rather than on separate initiatives3.

The other statements are not true because:

Sprint Goals often change during the Sprint as new insights emerge during the work. This statement is false because it contradicts the Scrum framework, which defines the Sprint Goal as a commitment by the Developers that does not change during a Sprint1. The Sprint Goal provides coherence and alignment for the Scrum Team, and helps them cope with complexity and uncertainty3. Changing the Sprint Goal during a Sprint would undermine its value and impact, and create confusion and waste.

The use of Sprint Goals is optional in the Scrum Framework. This statement is false because it contradicts the Scrum framework, which defines the Sprint Goal as a mandatory element of each Sprint1. The Scrum Guide 2020 states that “the entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint” and “the Developers commit to achieving the Sprint Goal” 1. Without a Sprint Goal, there would be no clear direction or focus for the Scrum Team, and no way to measure their progress or success.

References: 1: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#sprint-goal  2: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#sprint-planning  3: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/sprint-goal-key-element-scrum

A. The stakeholders have not been using the Sprint Reviews to actively engage, and inspect and evaluate progress. This is a possible factor that may have led to the disappointment and anger of the stakeholders. The Sprint Review is an event where the Scrum Team and the stakeholders collaborate to inspect the product Increment and adapt the Product Backlog based on feedback and new insights. If the stakeholders do not participate actively in the Sprint Review, they may miss the opportunity to provide input, voice their concerns, and influence the direction of the product development.

D. The Scrum Master has not ensured transparency. This is another possible factor that may have led to the disappointment and anger of the stakeholders. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing and promoting transparency among the Scrum Team and the stakeholders, by ensuring that everyone has a clear and common understanding of the product vision, the Product Goal, the Product Backlog, the Sprint Goal, the Sprint Backlog, and the Definition of Done. Without transparency, there may be misalignment, confusion, or unrealistic expectations among the stakeholders regarding the product being built.

E. The Product Owner has not been interacting frequently with the stakeholders and kept them aware of the progress of the project. This is also a possible factor that may have led to the disappointment and anger of the stakeholders. The Product Owner is responsible for engaging with the stakeholders regularly and communicating the value, scope, and status of the product development. The Product Owner should also seek feedback from the stakeholders and incorporate it into the Product Backlog refinement and ordering. If the Product Owner does not interact frequently with the stakeholders, they may feel disconnected, ignored, or dissatisfied with the product being built.

References:

The Scrum Guide, section 2.3 (The Scrum Team), page 7

The Scrum Guide, section 3.6 (The Sprint Review), page 11

The Scrum Guide, section 4.1 (The Product Backlog), page 11

The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 2 (The Scrum Framework), lesson 5 (The Sprint Review) and lesson 6 (The Sprint Retrospective)

When scaling Scrum, it is important to have multiple Scrum Teams working from one Product Backlog, because this ensures that they are aligned on the same product vision, goal, and value12. Having one Product Backlog also helps to reduce duplication, inconsistency, and waste, and to optimize the flow of work and feedback12. The Product Owner is accountable for managing the Product Backlog and ensuring that it is transparent, ordered, and refined for the multiple Scrum Teams3 . The Scrum Teams collaborate with the Product Owner and each other to deliver a single integrated product Increment every Sprint3 .

References: 1: What is Scaling Scrum? | Scrum.org 2: Scaling Scrum with Nexus | Scrum.org 3: Scrum Guide | Scrum Guides : The Nexus Framework for Scaling Scrum: Continuously Delivering an Integrated Product with Multiple Scrum Teams

A: Arrange one-on-one coaching sessions where concerns the Scrum Master has identified can be discussed. This is a good way to provide individual feedback and guidance to the Scrum Team members and other people involved in the Scrum process. The Scrum Master can help them overcome any challenges or misunderstandings they may have about Scrum.

C: Schedule group training about Scrum. This is a good way to educate and inform a larger audience about the principles and practices of Scrum. The Scrum Master can use this opportunity to share their knowledge and experience with Scrum, and answer any questions or concerns that may arise.

E: Educate stakeholders and customers about Scrum. This is a good way to ensure that the people who have a stake in the product or service understand the benefits and expectations of Scrum. The Scrum Master can help them appreciate the value of empirical feedback, transparency, and collaboration that Scrum provides.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “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.”

Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 8: “The role of the Scrum Master is to help everyone involved in creating products with Scrum to understand, apply, and improve upon the use of the framework.”