Scrum PSPO-I - Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO I) Exam

Correct Answer: D. Never. The entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating value every Sprint.

Explanation: According to the Scrum Guide, the Scrum Team consists of one Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and Developers. The Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities, including delivering a valuable, usable product increment every Sprint. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers. The Developers are accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog; instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done; and adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide, helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, and removing impediments to the Scrum Team’s progress.

Therefore, the Developers are not individually accountable for the value of a Product Backlog item selected for the Sprint, but collectively accountable as part of the Scrum Team. The value of a Product Backlog item is determined by the Product Owner, who orders the Product Backlog items based on stakeholder needs and feedback. The Developers collaborate with the Product Owner to understand the value and requirements of each Product Backlog item and deliver a potentially releasable product increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Sprint Goal.

References:

[Scrum Guide], section 2.2: “The Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities from stakeholder collaboration, verification, maintenance, operation, experimentation, research and development, and anything else that might be required.”

Accountabilities in Scrum | Scrum.org: “Scrum has three accountabilities, each with a different focus : Product Owner (green figure) The "What". With a focus on Value, time to market, return on investment and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Developers (red figures) The "How". Focus on building something that is Done – that the increment is useable and potentially releasable.”

What is a Developer in Scrum? | Scrum.org: “The specific skills needed by the Developers are often broad and will vary based on the type of work they are doing. However, the Developers are always accountable for: Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog Instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done Adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal”

The Daily Scrum is held at the same time and same place because:

The consistency reduces complexity. By having a fixed time and place for the Daily Scrum, the Developers can avoid wasting time and energy on scheduling, logistics, or coordination issues. They can also establish a routine and a rhythm that helps them focus on their work and their Sprint Goal.

The consistency increases transparency. By having a fixed time and place for the Daily Scrum, the Developers can ensure that everyone is aware of when and where the meeting takes place, and that everyone has an opportunity to participate and share their progress, plans, and challenges. They can also invite other stakeholders or observers, if they find it useful, to provide feedback or support.

The consistency enhances collaboration. By having a fixed time and place for the Daily Scrum, the Developers can create a safe and comfortable space for them to communicate, interact, and collaborate with each other. They can also build trust, rapport, and accountability among themselves, and foster a sense of team spirit and ownership.

References:

Scrum Guide 2020, page 12: “The Daily Scrum is held at the same time and place each day to reduce complexity.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 12: “The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work.”

Scrum Guide 2020, page 13: “The Daily Scrum is an internal meeting for the Developers. If others are present, the Scrum Master ensures that they do not disrupt the meeting.”

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 Ownerâ„¢ I Certification

The Product Owner and the Scrum Master are essential roles in the Scrum Team. They have distinct accountabilities and responsibilities that contribute to the success of the product and the team. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers. The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum and the Scrum Team. Both roles need to be fully engaged and available to the Scrum Team throughout the Sprint.

One of the possible indicators that a Product Owner needs to work more with the Scrum Team is when the Increment presented at the Sprint Review does not reflect what she thought she had asked for. This means that there is a gap or a misunderstanding between the Product Owner and the Developers regarding the Product Backlog items, the acceptance criteria, the Definition of Done, or the product vision and goals.

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.

The Sprint Review is an event that occurs at the end of each Sprint, where the Scrum Team and the stakeholders inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if needed. The Sprint Review is an opportunity for the Product Owner to validate that the Increment meets her expectations and delivers value to the customers and users. The Sprint Review is also an opportunity for the Developers to demonstrate their work and receive feedback from the Product Owner and the stakeholders.

If the Increment presented at the Sprint Review does not reflect what the Product Owner thought she had asked for, it may indicate that there was insufficient or ineffective communication, collaboration, or alignment between the Product Owner and the Developers during the Sprint. This may result in wasted effort, rework, delays, or dissatisfaction for both parties. To avoid or resolve this situation, the Product Owner needs to work more with the Scrum Team by doing some of the following actions:

Engage in frequent and regular interactions with the Developers throughout the Sprint to clarify, refine, and review the Product Backlog items and their acceptance criteria.

Provide clear and concise descriptions of what is needed and why it is valuable for each Product Backlog item.

Involve key stakeholders in defining and prioritizing the Product Backlog items and their acceptance criteria.

Empower and trust the Developers to make technical decisions and trade-offs that best meet the product goals and quality standards.

Solicit and incorporate feedback from the Developers on how to improve or simplify the Product Backlog items or their acceptance criteria.

Inspect and adapt based on empirical evidence from testing, data, or customer feedback.

References:

Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html

Sprint Review: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-sprint-review

Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner

Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum

The Product Owner is the sole person responsible for managing the Product Backlog and ensuring that the value of the work the Scrum Team performs is understood by everyone involved. The Product Owner is the only person who can cancel the Sprint, although he or she may do so under influence from the stakeholders, the Development Team, or the Scrum Master1. A Sprint can be cancelled before the Sprint time-box is over. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint, although he or she may do so under influence from the stakeholders, the Development Team, or the Scrum Master. A Sprint would be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. This might occur if the company changes direction or if market or technology conditions change. In general, a Sprint should be cancelled if it no longer makes sense given the circumstances. But, due to the short duration of Sprints, cancellation rarely makes sense1. References:

Scrum Guide

Sprint Cancellation

Can Scrum Master cancel a sprint?

In Scrum, the Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Development Team. One of the primary ways the Product Owner does this is by managing the Product Backlog, which includes clearly expressing Product Backlog items, ordering the items to best achieve goals and missions, and ensuring that the Product Backlog is visible, transparent, and clear to all. This means that the Product Owner has the final authority on the order of items in the Product Backlog, as they are best positioned to understand the strategic and market value of the work to be done.

References: The Scrum Guide and the Professional Scrum Product Owner™ (PSPO I) study materials, specifically the sections on ‘Managing Products with Agility’ and ‘Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework’, which outline the accountabilities of the Product Owner in managing the Product Backlog

The Developers are the ones who determine how many Product Backlog items they select for a Sprint. The Developers are self-managing and decide how much work they can do in a Sprint1. The Product Owner and the Developers collaborate on the scope of the Sprint during Sprint Planning, but the final decision is up to the Developers2. The Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the stakeholders do not have the authority to tell the Developers how many Product Backlog items they should select, as this would violate the principle of self-management[3][3].

References:

1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 6

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10

[3][3]: Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

A mature Scrum Team is expected to continuously improve their quality standards and deliver potentially releasable Increments of value that meet the Definition of Done12. The Definition of Done is a shared understanding of what it means to complete a Product Backlog item, and it may vary from one Scrum Team to another3. As the Scrum Team matures, they may expand their Definition of Done to include more rigorous criteria, such as higher levels of testing, documentation, performance, security, usability, etc . This way, they ensure that their product Increment is always ready for release and meets the expectations of the stakeholders and customers12.