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

The Sprint Retrospective is a time-boxed event for the Scrum Team to inspect how the last Sprint went and plan for improvements in the next Sprint. The Scrum Guide states that "The Sprint Retrospective concludes the Sprint. It is timeboxed to a maximum of three hours for a one-month Sprint. For shorter Sprints, the event is usually shorter."1 This means that the Sprint Retrospective should be held at the end of each Sprint, regardless of the project or release status. The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements, including to product quality and working relationships.1

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 16
• 2: The Scrum Guide

Scrum

According to the Scrum Guide 2020, the entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, useful Increment every Sprint1234. This includes the Developers, the Product Owner, and the Scrum Master4. The Developers are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint12, while the Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team12. The Scrum Master fosters an environment where the Scrum Team can work effectively1.

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 value delivered by a product can not be determined by revenue alone, because:

• Revenue is only one aspect of value, and it may not reflect the true impact or benefit of the product for the stakeholders, the users, and the society. For example, a product may generate high revenue, but also cause environmental damage, ethical issues, or customer dissatisfaction.
• Value is a subjective and relative concept, and it may vary depending on the context, the perspective, and the criteria of the evaluation. For example, a product may have different value for different segments of customers, or for different markets or regions.
• Value is dynamic and emergent, and it may change over time due to various factors, such as feedback, competition, innovation, or regulation. For example, a product may lose its value as new alternatives or solutions become available, or as customer needs or preferences evolve.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “The Product Goal describes a future state of the product which can serve as a target for the Scrum Team to plan against.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “The Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes … optimizing the value of the work the Scrum Team performs.”

In accordance with Scrum theory, a group of 100 people should be divided into multiple Scrum Teams by understanding the product, the product vision and the rules of the Scrum framework, and then dividing themselves into teams because:

• It respects the self-organization and empowerment of the people. The people are the ones who have the knowledge, skills, and experience to create and deliver the product. They are also the ones who will work together as Scrum Teams, collaborating and coordinating their efforts. Therefore, they should have the autonomy and authority to decide how to form their teams, based on their preferences, interests, and capabilities.
• It supports the alignment and coherence of the Scrum Teams. The people should have a clear and shared understanding of the product, the product vision, and the rules of the Scrum framework before forming their teams. This can help them to align their goals and missions, to ensure that they are working on the same product and towards the same vision. It can also help them to follow the same principles and practices of Scrum, to ensure that they are working effectively and consistently.
• It fosters the collaboration and synergy of the Scrum Teams. The people should form their teams in a way that maximizes their collaboration and synergy. This can mean choosing team members that complement each other’s skills and strengths, that have good rapport and trust, that can communicate and coordinate well, and that can deliver a valuable Increment each Sprint.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 5: “Scrum Teams are cross-functional, meaning the members have all the skills necessary to create value in each Sprint.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 5: “Scrum Teams are self-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 9: “Multiple Scrum Teams working together on a product use one Product Backlog.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 9: “The Product Owner is one person, not a committee.”

Sprint 0 is a term that some organizations use to describe a phase of work before the first official Sprint, where they do some upfront planning, design, architecture, or analysis1. However, this term is not consistent with the Scrum framework, which does not prescribe any pre-Sprint activities or phases2. Scrum starts with a Product Backlog that contains at least one valuable and feasible Product Goal, and enough Product Backlog items to initiate the first Sprint[3][3]. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers, and for managing the Product Backlog4. The Product Owner does not have any specific accountability during Sprint 0, because Sprint 0 is not a part of Scrum.

References:

1: Sprint Zero: A Good Idea or Not?, Scrum Alliance, accessed on December 16, 2023

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 5

[3][3]: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 9

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

• The “cone of uncertainty” is a graphical representation of the degree of uncertainty in a project estimate over time. It shows that the range of possible outcomes is wider at the beginning of the project and narrows down as the project progresses and more information becomes available.
• The “cone of uncertainty” can be used to illustrate that as a project forecast lengthens, it is increasingly less certain. This means that the longer the time horizon for a project, the more variability and risk there is in the estimate. This also implies that shorter iterations and frequent feedback can help reduce uncertainty and improve accuracy.
• The “cone of uncertainty” cannot be used to determine whether to cut quality, similar to the “Iron Triangle” of project management. The “Iron Triangle” is a model that shows the trade-offs between scope, time, and cost in a project. Quality is often considered as a fourth dimension that is affected by these three factors. Cutting quality is not a desirable option for any project, especially for Scrum projects that value delivering high-quality products that meet customer needs.
• The “cone of uncertainty” cannot be used to determine the cost of a project before it begins. The cost of a project depends on many factors, such as the scope, the resources, the complexity, the risks, and the market conditions. The “cone of uncertainty” only shows the range of possible outcomes based on the available information at a given point in time. It does not provide a definitive or accurate estimate of the cost before the project starts.
• The “cone of uncertainty” cannot be used to determine the length of the next Sprint. The length of the next Sprint is determined by the Scrum Team based on their empirical experience and their ability to deliver a potentially releasable Increment of value. The “cone of uncertainty” does not provide any guidance on how long a Sprint should be or how much work can be done in a Sprint.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Cone of Uncertainty: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/cone-of-uncertainty/

The reasons why it is important that there is only one Product Owner per product are:

• It is clear who is accountable for the ultimate value of the product. 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.
• It helps avoid barriers to effective communication and rapid decision-making. 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. They must also collaborate with the Developers and the stakeholders to refine, order, and prioritize the Product Backlog items based on value and impact.
• The Scrum Team always knows who determines the order of the Product Backlog. The Product Owner has the final authority to decide what items are more important and valuable for the product. They must communicate this order clearly and consistently to the Scrum Team and the stakeholders. They must also respect and support the self-management of the Developers in choosing how best to accomplish their work.

Other options, such as the Scrum Master knowing who acts as their backup while on vacation or it would confuse the stakeholders if they had to work with more than one person, are not valid reasons why it is important that there is only one Product Owner per product. They may reflect a misunderstanding of the roles and accountabilities of the Scrum Team or the stakeholders.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
• [Scrum Guide], page 11, section “Product Backlog”
• [Scrum Guide], page 12, section “Product Backlog Refinement”
• [Scrum Guide], page 11, section “Product Backlog”
• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”

Correct Answer: A. Teach them that it is their responsibility to work with the other teams to create an integrated Increment that is inclusive of all five team’s work.

Explanation: According to the Scrum Guide, the Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities, including coordination and integration with other teams. The Scrum Master should teach the Developers how to work with the other teams to create a potentially releasable product increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Product Goal. One way to facilitate this coordination is to use a Scrum of Scrums meeting, which is a daily or periodic meeting where representatives from each team share their progress, plans, and impediments. The Scrum of Scrums meeting is not mandatory, but it can help the teams align their work and resolve dependencies.

The other options are not correct because they violate the principles of Scrum, such as self-management, empiricism, and transparency:

• B. Collecting the Sprint tasks from the teams and merging them into a consolidated plan for the entire Sprint is a centralized and controlled way of coordination that undermines the self-management and autonomy of the teams. The Scrum Master should not act as a project manager or a coordinator, but as a servant-leader and a coach who enables the teams to manage their own work.
• C. Visiting the five teams each day to inspect that their Sprint Backlogs are aligned is a micromanagement and inspection approach that does not respect the trust and transparency of the teams. The Scrum Master should not interfere with the work of the teams, but support them in creating a shared understanding of the product vision, goals, and requirements.
• D. Teaching the Product Owner to work with the lead developers on ordering Product Backlog in a way to avoid too much overlap during a Sprint is a suboptimal and inefficient way of coordination that does not leverage the collective intelligence and creativity of the teams. The Product Owner should not rely on a few individuals to order the Product Backlog, but collaborate with all the teams and stakeholders to maximize value delivery.

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.”
• Scrum Of Scrums - Guide to Agile Scaling Frameworks - Agilest®: “The coordination of the various teams is done in a Scrum of Scrums meeting which can be held daily, twice a week, or at a minimum, once a week. Each Scrum team has its ScrumMaster or a designated team member attend the Scrum of Scrum meeting as its representative.”

• 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 job of a Product Owner focuses on the following aspects:
• The other options are not valid or relevant aspects of a Product Owner’s job. They are either too narrow, unrealistic, or unrelated to the product value delivery. They are:

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner
• User Stories: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/user-stories

The typical size for a Scrum Team is 10 or fewer people, including the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Developers. The Scrum Guide states that "The Scrum Team is small enough to remain nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint. Fewer than three people decrease interaction and results in smaller productivity gains. Having more than ten people requires too much coordination. Large teams generate too much complexity for an empirical process to be useful."1 This means that the optimal Scrum Team size is between 3 and 10 people, depending on the context and the nature of the work.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 6
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The following are true about Scrum:

• Scrum is based on empiricism and lean thinking. Empiricism is the principle of making decisions based on what is observed and experienced, rather than on theory or speculation. Lean thinking is the philosophy of eliminating waste and maximizing value in any process or system. Scrum applies these concepts by providing a framework for inspecting and adapting the product and the process, and by focusing on delivering the most valuable features to the customers and stakeholders.
• Scrum is a framework for developing and sustaining complex products. A complex product is one that has unpredictable or unknown aspects that require creativity, experimentation, and adaptation to deliver. A framework is a set of minimal and essential rules and roles that provide structure and guidance, but leave room for flexibility and innovation. Scrum provides such a framework for teams to collaborate and deliver complex products iteratively and incrementally, while embracing change and feedback.
• Each component of Scrum serves a specific purpose and is essential to Scrum’s success and your usage of Scrum to develop complex products. Scrum consists of three roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), five events (Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective), and three artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment). Each of these components has a clear definition, accountability, and goal that contributes to the overall effectiveness and value of Scrum. Removing or changing any of these components may cause the benefits of Scrum to be lost or diminished.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 3: “Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 3: “Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 4: “Each component within the framework serves a specific purpose and is essential to Scrum’s success and usage.”

Scrum does not require that the Product Owner must use any of the following items:

• Burndown chart: A burndown chart is a graphical representation of work left to do versus time. It can be used to track progress and forecast completion dates of projects or Sprints. However, it is not mandatory or prescribed in Scrum. It is one of the possible techniques that a Product Owner may use to monitor and communicate product development.
• Feature burn-up: A feature burn-up chart is a graphical representation of features completed versus time. It can be used to track progress and forecast scope changes of projects or Sprints. However, it is not mandatory or prescribed in Scrum. It is one of the possible techniques that a Product Owner may use to monitor and communicate product development.
• Critical Path Analysis: Critical Path Analysis is a project management technique that identifies the sequence of tasks that must be completed on time for a project or Sprint to finish on schedule. It can be used to plan, monitor, and control complex projects or Sprints. However, it is not mandatory or prescribed in Scrum. It is one of the possible techniques that a Product Owner may use to manage product development.
• Project Gantt chart: A project Gantt chart is a graphical representation of tasks, dependencies, durations, and milestones of a project or Sprint. It can be used to plan, monitor, and control complex projects or Sprints. However, it is not mandatory or prescribed in Scrum. It is one of the possible techniques that a Product Owner may use to manage product development.

Therefore, the correct answer is none of the above.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
• [Scrum Guide], page 11, section “Product Backlog”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 8, section “Release Management”

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

According to Scrum.org, the Developers who will be doing the work are responsible for the sizing of Product Backlog items1. The Product Owner may influence the Developers by helping them understand and select trade-offs1. This implies that the Developers size the items after clarifying requirements with the Product Owner1.

• 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

The Scrum Guide states that "The Increment is the sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints. At the end of a Sprint, the new Increment must be ‘Done,’ which means it must be in useable condition and meet the Scrum Team’s definition of ‘Done.’"1 This means that a valuable and useful Increment must be available at the end of every Sprint, regardless of the release frequency or the Product Owner’s request. This ensures transparency, feedback, and continuous improvement.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 14
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The Product Owner does not make sure the Developers select enough from the Product Backlog for a Sprint. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers, but 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 should not interfere with the Developers’ work during the Sprint, but should provide feedback and guidance on the product value[3][3].

References:

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

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

[3][3]: Professional Scrum Product Owner I Certification, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

The Developers need a Sprint Goal because it gives them a common yet specific goal to focus on during the Sprint. 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 Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.
• The Developers are self-managing professionals who organize and manage their own work. They decide how to best accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the Scrum Team.
• The Developers need a Sprint Goal to align their efforts and collaborate effectively as a team. The Sprint Goal helps them prioritize and optimize their work based on value and impact. The Sprint Goal also helps them cope with uncertainty and complexity by providing a clear direction and a shared purpose.

Other options, such as a Sprint Goal only giving purpose to Sprint 0, Sprint Goals being not valuable, or a Sprint Goal ensuring that all of the Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint are implemented, are not valid reasons why the Developers need a Sprint Goal. 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 7, section “Developers”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Definition of Done”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Increment”

To say that an event has a timebox means that the event has a fixed duration that cannot be exceeded. The Scrum Guide states that "All events are time-boxed events, such that every event has a maximum duration. Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixed and cannot be shortened or lengthened. The remaining events may end whenever the purpose of the event is achieved, ensuring an appropriate amount of time is spent without allowing waste in the process."1 This means that the timebox sets an upper limit for the event, but the event can end sooner if the goal is met.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 10
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment and realizing the Sprint Goal1. The Sprint Backlog is a forecast by the Developers about what functionality will be in the next Increment and the work needed to deliver that functionality into a “Done” Increment1. The Sprint Backlog makes visible all the work that the Developers identify as necessary to meet the Sprint Goal1. The Sprint Backlog can include any items that the Developers deem necessary to achieve the Sprint Goal, such as user stories, tasks, use cases, tests, or others. The Sprint Backlog is a plan with enough detail that changes in progress can be understood in the Daily Scrum1.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 3.3. Sprint Backlog
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Learning Path, section 2.2. The Product Owner and the Sprint
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Sample Questions, question 11

• False: Product Owners do not have to specify complete acceptance criteria for a Product Backlog item before the Developers can select the item in Sprint Planning.
• Acceptance criteria are a set of conditions that a Product Backlog item must satisfy to be considered “Done” and acceptable for delivery.
• Acceptance criteria are not mandatory in Scrum, but they can help the Product Owner and the Developers to clarify the expectations and requirements of a Product Backlog item.
• Acceptance criteria can be added or refined by the Product Owner at any time, but they should be clear and testable before the Sprint starts.
• The Developers can select a Product Backlog item in Sprint Planning based on their understanding of its value, scope, and complexity, as well as their capacity and skills. They can also collaborate with the Product Owner to define or refine the acceptance criteria during Sprint Planning. References: Scrum Guide, Section 3.4 (The Product Backlog), Section 5.1 (Sprint Planning), and Section 6.4 (The Increment)

Non-functional requirements are the criteria that define the quality, performance, security, usability, and other aspects of a product1. They are often implicit or assumed, but they are important to make visible and explicit, as they affect the value and satisfaction of the product2. One effective way to make non-functional requirements visible is to add them to the Product Backlog, which is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product[3][3]. By adding non-functional requirements to the Product Backlog, the Product Owner and the Developers can prioritize, refine, and estimate them, and make them transparent to the stakeholders4. Another effective way to make non-functional requirements visible is to add them to the Definition of Done, which is a shared understanding of what it means for work to be complete, and ensures transparency of the quality of the work done5. By adding non-functional requirements to the Definition of Done, the Developers can ensure that every Product Backlog item and Increment meets the expected quality standards, and that the work is taken care of every Sprint.

References:

1: Non-functional requirement, Wikipedia, accessed on December 16, 2023

2: Managing Products with Agility, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

[3][3]: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 6

4: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 7

5: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 13

 Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

A Scrum Master does not fulfill the same role as a traditional Project Manager. A Project Manager is typically responsible for planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing a project, as well as managing the scope, schedule, budget, quality, risks, and stakeholders of the project1. A Scrum Master is a servant-leader for the Scrum Team, who helps the team understand and enact Scrum values, principles, and practices, and removes impediments to the team’s progress2. A Scrum Master does not manage the project, the scope, the schedule, the budget, or the team, as these are either shared responsibilities or emergent outcomes of the Scrum framework[3][3]. A Scrum Master also does not have authority over the team or the stakeholders, but rather facilitates collaboration and empowerment among them4.

References:

1: What is Project Management?, Project Management Institute, accessed on December 16, 2023

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 7

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

4: Developing People and Teams, Scrum.org, accessed on December 16, 2023

It is not true that a Product Owner must create clear and unambiguous acceptance criteria for each Product Backlog item before it may be selected in Sprint Planning. This is because:

• Acceptance criteria are a set of conditions that a Product Backlog item must satisfy to be accepted by the Product Owner or the stakeholders. They are used to verify that the item meets the expected quality and value standards.
• Acceptance criteria are not mandatory or prescribed in Scrum. They are one of the possible techniques that a Product Owner may use to communicate their expectations and requirements to the Developers and the stakeholders. They are not part of the Scrum Guide or the Definition of Done.
• Acceptance criteria do not need to be created before Sprint Planning. They can be created or refined at any time during the product development process, as long as they are clear and agreed upon before the item is considered complete. They can also be changed or updated based on feedback or new insights.
• The only requirement for a Product Backlog item to be selected in Sprint Planning is that it is sufficiently clear and ready for selection. This means that it has enough detail and precision for the Developers to understand what they are supposed to build and why. It also means that it has been refined and ordered by the Product Owner based on value and impact.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 14, section “Sprint Planning”
• [Scrum Guide], page 12, section “Product Backlog Refinement”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 7, section “Product Backlog Management”

 The Scrum Team member who is accountable for creating a valuable and usable Increment each Sprint is the Developers. This is because:

• The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.
• The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. It is a shared understanding among the Scrum Team and the stakeholders of what “Done” means for any Product Backlog item that is selected for a Sprint.
• The Increment is a concrete and usable outcome of the Sprint that provides a measure of progress and value delivery. It must be in useable condition regardless of whether it will be released or not.
• The Developers are self-managing professionals who organize and manage their own work. They decide how to best accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the Scrum Team.

Other options, such as the CEO, the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, or the Scrum Team, are not accountable for creating a valuable and usable Increment each Sprint. They may have different roles and accountabilities in Scrum, but they do not do the actual work of creating a “Done” Increment.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Definition of Done”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Increment”
• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “The Scrum Team”

 The best way to minimize dependencies between the Scrum Teams is to work with the Developers on how to best analyze and break apart the work. This is because:

• The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.
• The Developers are self-managing professionals who organize and manage their own work. They decide how to best accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the Scrum Team.
• The Developers are cross-functional, meaning they have all the skills and competencies needed to accomplish the work without depending on others who are not part of the team.
• 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.
• The Product Owner and the Developers must collaborate closely throughout the Sprint to ensure that they have a shared understanding of what they are building and why. The Product Owner must provide clarifications, feedback, and guidance to the Developers as needed to help them create a valuable Increment.
• When there are multiple teams working on one product, it is important to minimize dependencies between them to avoid delays, conflicts, or waste. Dependencies may arise due to technical, functional, or organizational factors that affect how the teams can deliver value independently and effectively.
• To minimize dependencies, the Product Owner should work with the Developers on how to best analyze and break apart the work into smaller and more manageable pieces that can be delivered by each team without relying on others. This may involve applying techniques such as feature slicing, component splitting, or domain-driven design. The Product Owner should also communicate and coordinate with other Product Owners and stakeholders to align expectations and priorities across teams.

Other options, such as creating an independent Product Backlog per Scrum Team, dividing Product Backlog items among six Product Owners, identifying the dependencies and re-ordering the Product Backlog for the other five Product Owners, or raising this as an impediment with the Scrum Master, are not valid answers as they do not reflect how to minimize dependencies between the Scrum Teams or how to apply the Scrum values and principles.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”
• [Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Definition of Done”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Increment”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Product Goal”
• [Scrum Guide], page 11, section “Product Backlog”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 9, section “Business Strategy”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 8, section “Release Management”

The practices that might help the Product Owner minimize waste in developing and sustaining the Product Backlog are:

• Remove items from the Product Backlog that have not been addressed in a long time. This helps keep the Product Backlog relevant, concise, and focused on delivering value. Items that have not been addressed in a long time may indicate that they are not important, feasible, or desirable anymore. They may also clutter or confuse the Product Backlog and make it harder to order and prioritize.
• Only fully describe Product Backlog items when it seems likely they will be implemented. This helps avoid spending too much time or effort on items that may change or be discarded later. Items that are likely to be implemented soon should have more detail and precision than items that are further away or uncertain. The level of detail and precision required for each item depends on its order, size, and complexity.

Other options, such as avoiding distracting the Scrum Team by maintaining newly gathered Product Backlog items in a separate Product Backlog until they are fully understood or handing off ownership of the Product Backlog to someone else, are not practices that might help minimize waste in developing and sustaining the Product Backlog. They may actually create more waste by reducing transparency, collaboration, alignment, or ownership.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 11, section “Product Backlog”
• [Scrum Guide], page 6, section “Product Owner”
• [Scrum Guide], page 12, section “Product Backlog Refinement”

The advantages of a Product Owner sharing a clearly defined Product Goal with the Scrum Team are:

• It provides a good overall direction so Sprints will feel less like isolated pieces of work. The Product Goal is a long-term objective for the product that guides all the activities of the Scrum Team. It helps the Scrum Team align their efforts and focus on delivering value that contributes to the product vision.
• It helps the Scrum Team keep focus and they can weigh any decision against the Product Goal. The Product Goal serves as a filter for deciding what to work on and what not to work on. It helps the Scrum Team prioritize and optimize their work based on value and impact.
• It is easier to inspect incremental progress at the Sprint Review. The Sprint Review is an event where the Scrum Team and the stakeholders collaborate on the product and inspect how it meets the Product Goal. The Increment is a concrete and usable outcome of the Sprint that provides a measure of progress towards the Product Goal.

Other options, such as helping the Developers estimate the date that the Product Backlog will be complete or being not mandatory in Scrum, are not valid advantages of having a Product Goal. They may reflect a misunderstanding of what a Product Goal is or how Scrum works.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Product Goal”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 6, section “Product Vision”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 7, section “Product Backlog Management”
• [Scrum Guide], page 13, section “Sprint Review”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Increment”

In Scrum, when Developers encounter difficulties in delivering an Increment due to a lack of understanding of a functional requirement, they should collaborate with the Product Owner. This collaboration is crucial as the Product Owner has the responsibility to clarify the items in the Product Backlog and to ensure that the Development Team understands the work to be done. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and must work with the Development Team to find out what is feasible and acceptable for the Increment being developed. This approach aligns with the Scrum principle of collaboration and self-organization within the Scrum Team.

References: The Scrum Guide and the Professional Scrum Product Owner™ (PSPO I) materials emphasize the importance of collaboration between the Product Owner and the Development Team to ensure a clear understanding of the Product Backlog items and to optimize the value of the work being done

Scrum is a framework that is designed to be lightweight and easy to adopt. To get started with Scrum, the minimal requirements are indeed a Product Owner with enough ideas for a first Sprint, a Development Team to implement those ideas, and a Scrum Master to facilitate and guide the process. This aligns with the core principles of Scrum, which emphasize self-organization, collaboration, and the ability to deliver increments of value quickly and frequently.

References: The Scrum Guide outlines the roles within a Scrum Team and the necessity of having a Product Backlog with enough ‘Ready’ items to fill a Sprint. The guide also emphasizes the importance of having a clear definition of ‘Done’ before starting the first Sprint

The Definition of Done is a shared understanding of what it means for work to be complete, and to ensure transparency. The Scrum Guide states that "The Developers are required to conform to the Definition of Done, as defined by the Scrum Team. If there are multiple Scrum Teams working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done."1 This means that the Product Owner does not have the final say over the Definition of Done, but rather collaborates with the Developers and the Scrum Master to agree on the quality standards and expectations for the product.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 14
• 2: The Scrum Guide

 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”

 This is the best answer because it respects the Scrum values of openness, commitment, and focus. The Developers should be transparent about their progress and collaborate with the Product Owner to adjust the Sprint scope accordingly. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers, so he or she should be involved in any decisions that affect the Sprint Goal and the Product Backlog. References:

• Scrum Guide, page 10: “If the work turns out to be different than the Developers expected, they collaborate with the Product Owner to negotiate the scope of Sprint Backlog within the Sprint.”
• Scrum Guide, page 11: “The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.”

• A product’s success is measured by the impact it has on the customers, the business, and the market. Different products may have different success criteria and metrics, depending on their vision, goals, value proposition, and target audience. However, some of the common and important aspects that can indicate a product’s success are:
• The other options are not valid or relevant measures of a product’s success. They are either too subjective, narrow, or unrelated to the product’s value proposition and goals. They are:

References:

• Product Success: https://www.productplan.com/glossary/product-success/
• Customer Satisfaction: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/customer-satisfaction/
• Cost: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cost.asp
• Revenue: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/revenue.asp

The Sprint Backlog is the output of the Sprint Planning, where the Developers select the Product Backlog items that they can deliver in the Sprint and create a plan for how to do the work. The Scrum Guide states that "The Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal (why), the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what), as well as an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how)."1 The Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Developers, who can update it throughout the Sprint as more is learned. The Sprint Backlog makes visible all the work that the Developers identify as necessary to meet the Sprint Goal.1

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 15
• 2: The Scrum Guide

 Management that is external to the Scrum Team is not involved in the Daily Scrum because:

• The Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers to inspect their progress towards the Sprint Goal and adapt their Sprint Backlog accordingly. It is not a status meeting or a reporting session for managers or other stakeholders.
• The presence of external managers may hinder the self-organization, collaboration, and transparency of the Developers. It may also create pressure, interference, or distraction for the team.
• The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring that the Daily Scrum is held and that only the Developers participate. The Product Owner and other stakeholders may attend as observers, but only if the Developers find it useful.

References:

• 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 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. This creates focus and improves self-management.”
• 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.”

• Scrum is a framework for developing, delivering, and sustaining complex products. Scrum defines three roles: the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Developers. Scrum does not have any other roles or titles, such as “tester”, “analyst”, “designer”, or “architect”.
• The Developers are the people in the Scrum Team who 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 Developers are responsible for quality, not just for programming. Quality is not something that can be added or verified after the product is built. Quality is something that must be built into the product from the start, by following good practices, standards, and principles. Quality is also something that must be inspected and adapted continuously, by applying feedback loops, testing methods, and improvement actions.
• The Developers are not divided into sub-teams or sub-roles based on their skills or specialties. The Developers are a cross-functional and self-organizing team that has all the skills and capabilities needed to create a valuable product Increment. The Developers collaborate and coordinate their work as one unit, without any hand-offs or silos.
• The Developers may have different backgrounds or expertise, such as testing, analysis, design, or architecture. However, these are not separate roles or responsibilities in Scrum. They are part of the collective accountability and responsibility of the Developers as a whole. The Developers may perform different tasks or activities based on their skills or preferences, but they are all equally responsible for delivering a high-quality product Increment.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum
• Quality: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/quality-scrum-value

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.

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

• 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

• Transparency is one of the three pillars of Scrum, along with inspection and adaptation. Transparency means that all aspects of the Scrum process and the product are visible and understandable to everyone who needs to work on or with them. Transparency enables effective inspection and adaptation, which are essential for delivering valuable products and improving the Scrum Team’s performance.
• All Scrum artifacts must be transparent to ensure sufficient accuracy of inspection. Scrum artifacts include the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog, and the Increment. The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It 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.
• Two measures that ensure that the Product Backlog is transparent are:
• The other options are not valid or relevant measures to ensure that the Product Backlog is transparent. They are either too restrictive, arbitrary, or unrelated to the Product Backlog’s transparency. They are:

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Transparency: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/transparency-scrum-value
• Product Backlog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-backlog
• MoSCoW: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/moscow/

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”

• The Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It 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.
• All types of requirements are acceptable on a Product Backlog, as long as they are aligned with the product vision and goals, and they are transparent, clear, and valuable. The Product Backlog can include stability requirements, performance requirements, product functionality, documentation, fixes, or any other aspects that contribute to the quality and usability of the product.
• 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.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Product Backlog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-backlog

• The Sprint Backlog is the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment and realizing the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Backlog is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work that the Developers plan to accomplish during the Sprint, and it belongs solely to the Developers.
• 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 Developers are also responsible for updating the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint. The Sprint Backlog is a plan with enough detail that changes in progress can be understood in the Daily Scrum. The Developers modify the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint, and the Sprint Backlog emerges during the Sprint. This emergence occurs as the Developers work through the plan and learn more about the work needed to achieve the Sprint Goal.
• As new work is required, the Developers add it to the Sprint Backlog. As work is performed or completed, the estimated remaining work is updated. When elements of the plan are deemed unnecessary, they are removed. Only the Developers can change its content and order during a Sprint.

References:

• Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• Sprint Backlog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-sprint-backlog
• Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum

If the Scrum Team cannot complete its work by the end of the Sprint, the Sprint does not get extended. Instead, the unfinished Sprint Backlog Items go back to the Product Backlog and can be addressed in the following Sprint12. This approach allows the team to get better at estimating and reduces complexity due to the consistency of the Scrum Events2. The Scrum Team continuously learns and adapts12.

The Sprint Backlog is created during Sprint Planning, where the Developers select the Product Backlog items that they can deliver in the Sprint and create a plan for how to do the work. The Scrum Guide states that "The Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal (why), the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what), as well as an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how)."1 The Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Developers, who can update it throughout the Sprint as more is learned.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 15
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The Scrum Master’s role includes coaching the Scrum Team and helping them understand Scrum practices. If the Product Owner is struggling with ordering the Product Backlog, the Scrum Master should offer guidance and support to help the Product Owner understand that the primary goal of ordering the Product Backlog is to maximize the value delivered to the customer. This involves considering factors such as business value, risk, return on investment (ROI), dependencies, and impact. The Scrum Master can facilitate this understanding and help the Product Owner apply it to the ordering of the Product Backlog items.

References: The Scrum Guide and resources from Scrum.org provide insights into the role of the Scrum Master in supporting the Product Owner and ensuring that the Product Backlog is ordered in a way that maximizes value

According to Scrum.org, the Developers own the Sprint Backlog12. The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers1. It is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work that the Developers plan to accomplish during the Sprint in order to achieve the Sprint Goal1. Consequently, the Sprint Backlog is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned1.

The Scrum Team membership should change as needed, but not too frequently, as it may affect the team’s ability to deliver value and maintain a high level of collaboration and self-organization. The Scrum Guide states that "Optimal Development Team size is small enough to remain nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint. Fewer than three Development Team members decrease interaction and results in smaller productivity gains. Having more than nine members requires too much coordination. Large Development Teams generate too much complexity for an empirical process to be useful."1 Therefore, the Scrum Team should consider the impact of changing its membership on its productivity and performance, and balance the need for stability and flexibility.

References:

• 1: The Scrum Guide2, page 6
• 2: The Scrum Guide

The Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable increment every Sprint. The Increment is the sum of all Product Backlog items Done during a Sprint and the value of all the previous Increments. The entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable and useful Increment every Sprint1. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team1. The Developers are responsible for creating a Done Increment that meets the Sprint Goal1. The Scrum Master is responsible for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and helping everyone understand Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values1. References:

• Scrum Guide
• What is an Increment and how Does it Connect with the other Elements of Scrum?
• The Professional Product Owner