Free Scrum Master I (PSM I) Practice Assessment

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Correct Incorrect

A Scrum Team must never have any technical debt.

 True

False

Correct
This may be desirable, but it is not always
possible.

Select the correct timebox for each Scrum event

Sprint Planning - 8 hours, Daily Scrum -

15 minutes, Sprint Review - 4 hours, Sprint
Retrospective - 3 hours.

Sprint Planning - 4 hours, Daily Scrum -

15 minutes, Sprint Review - 8 hours, Sprint
Retrospective - 4 hours.
 Sprint Planning - 4 hours, Daily Scrum -
15 minutes, Sprint Review - 4 hours, Sprint
Retrospective - 4 hours.

Sprint Planning - 8 hours, Daily Scrum -

30 minutes, Sprint Review - 4 hours, Sprint
Retrospective - 3 hours.

Correct
Sprint Planning – 8 hours or less,
Daily Scrum – 15 minutes or less,
Sprint Review – 4 hours or less,
Sprint Retrospective – 3 hours or less.

All Scrum Teams will have a Scrum Master and

Product Owner.

True. The Product Owner and Scrum

Master must be a full time member to the
Scrum Team.
 False. A Business Analyst can take on the
same responsibilities of a Product Owner.

True. Outcomes are affected by their

level of participation and availability.

False. A Scrum Master is only needed if or

when requested by the Developers.

Incorrect
The Scrum Team consists of one Scrum
Master, one Product Owner, and Developers.

A new Developer joins the Scrum Team taking the

total number to 11 people.

As a Scrum Master, what should you do?

Raise the increased team size as a

potential issue and help the Developers
 decide what to do about it

Instruct the Developers to split into 2

teams, they should decide the appropriate
sizes

Do nothing, the Developers must fix its

own issues

Instruct the Developers to split into 2

teams

Incorrect
Small Scrum Teams typically work best. The
exact upper limit is not set by Scrum. 10 is a
recommendation.

What is Product Backlog grooming?

 The old and outdated name for Product
Backlog refinement

One of the Scrum events

Rewriting Product Backlog items to make

them easier to understand

A special type of Product Backlog

refinement used for software development
only

Incorrect
The term “grooming” was removed from
Scrum many years ago and replaced with
refinement. This was due to negative
connotations with the word in many parts of
the world.
What tool(s) can be used for managing the Product
Backlog?

Physical boards with sticky notes

All of the answers apply

Specialized software tools like Jira

None of the answers apply

Correct
The Product Backlog can be managed using
various tools and none are prescribed by
Scrum.

The Scrum Master can be removed once Scrum is

adopted
 False

True

Correct
A Scrum Master is always required. In
complex environments, things change and
the focus of the Scrum Master will change as
the Scrum Team matures in its use of Scrum.

The Scrum Master is accountable for the Product

Backlog

False

True

Correct
 The Product Owner is accountable for the
Product Backlog.

The Increment must be released at the end of every

Sprint

True

False

Correct
Releasing is not linked to Sprint cadence. Any
time we have an Increment we can choose to
release it or not. We do not have to release
the Increment at the end of a Sprint.

The Scrum Master must facilitate the Daily Scrum

False
 True

Correct
The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the
Developers of the Scrum Team.
– The Scrum Guide

Who may be best positioned to decide who will be

the Scrum Master for a new Scrum Team?

Stakeholders

The Product Owner

The Developers

The Developers and the Product Owner

 Incorrect
This is not a question directly answered by
Scrum but the best option is that the rest of
the Scrum Team selects its own Scrum
Master.

A Scrum Team must only work on a single Product

Goal at any time

True

False

Correct
A Scrum Team must only work on a single
Product Goal at any time in order to
maintain focus.

Product Backlog refinement is...

 An ongoing process in which the Product
Owner and the Developers collaborate

The concern of the Product Owner

A Scrum event

Carried out once per Sprint

Incorrect
Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing
process in which the Product Owner and the
Developers collaborate

The Sprint Planning event is comprised of 2 parts

and the Product Owner is not needed at the 2nd
part

True
 False

Incorrect
In past versions of the Scrum Guide, the
Sprint Planning event was described as
having 2 parts. This is no longer true.

A Product Backlog is never complete

True - As long as a product exists, its

Product Backlog also exists

False - A complete Product Backlog

should be created before starting the first
Sprint

Correct
 As long as there is a product there will be a
Product Backlog containing work that may
be carried out in future.

If documentation is required as part of an

Increment, who creates it?

The Scrum Master.

The technical writer.

Documentation is not a part of an

Increment.

The Developers.

The Product Owner.

Incorrect
 In Scrum, the ideal would be to have all skills
needed to deliver the Increment on the
Scrum Team. If part of the Increment
includes documentation, then that skill
should be on the Scrum Team as well.

Which of the following best describes the topics

discussed at Sprint Planning?

How conditions have changed and how

the Product Backlog should evolve.

Who is on the team and what team

member roles will be.

What to do and who will do it.

What went wrong in the last Sprint and

what to do differently this Sprint.
 Why the work is valuable, what can be
done, and how to do it.

Correct
The Scrum Guide details 3 important topics:
Topic One: Why is this Sprint valuable?
Topic Two: What can be Done this Sprint?
Topic Three: How will the chosen work get
done?

The Product Owner manages...

The Scrum Team

The Product Backlog

The Developers
 The Project

Correct
The Product Owner is also accountable for
effective Product Backlog management
– The Scrum Guide

The Product Owner is primarily responsible for

defining the "What" of the product. Who is primarily
responsible for determining the "How" of
implementing the features of the product?

The Developers

The Scrum Master

The Stakeholders
 The Architect

Correct
Developers are the people in the Scrum
Team that are committed to creating any
aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.
They determine the “How”

Management needs to monitor progress on a daily

basis and decide to do so by attending the Daily
Scrum. What are the likely results?

Select 3 answers.

Management will be able to better direct

the work of the Developers

Developers may end up with less time in

the Daily Scrum to re-plan their work
 Developers may be less open and
transparent during the Daily Scrum

Additional facilitation may be required

to keep to the time-box

Correct
The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the
Developers of the Scrum Team.
[The] 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.
– The Scrum Guide

What does the Sprint burn-down chart show?

How much work remains until the end of

the Sprint
 The evolution of the amount of
uncertainty during a project

An overview of the release progress by

plotting the remaining workload

Dependencies, start times and stop times

for project tasks

Correct
A chart which shows the amount of work
which is thought to remain in a backlog. Time
is shown on the horizontal axis and work
remaining on the vertical axis. As time
progresses and items are drawn from the
backlog and completed, a plot line showing
work remaining may be expected to fall. The
amount of work may be assessed in any of
several ways such as user story points or
task hours. Work remaining in Sprint
 Backlogs and Product Backlogs may be
communicated by means of a burn-down
chart.

The Definition of Done is a mandatory part of Scrum

False

True

Correct
The Definition of Done is the commitment to
Increment and a mandatory part of Scrum.

Among the Developers, there is nobody with

significant testing expertise. They should...

Select 2 answers.

Request for a specialist tester to join

them and queue testing for them to do when
they arrive in a later Sprint

Raise this as an impediment which may

require the assistance of the Scrum Master to
resolve

Produce an Increment that will be tested

by a dedicated test team after the Sprint to
guarantee the quality

Quality is the responsibility of the

Developers and they should undertake
testing themselves to the best of their
abilities

Incorrect
If we stop every time we hit a problem when
developing a product we would rarely move
forward. Developers should practise the “art
of the possible” and do what they can to keep
 going. Leaving the testing for later or
another team will increase risk and mean we
do not produce Done Increments.
If this has become an Impediment then the
Scrum Master has the responsibility to get
involved.

A Scrum Team has how many specific

accountabilities?

Correct
 A Scrum Team includes 3 accountabilities.
Scrum Master, Product Owner and
Developers.

When is the Product Backlog considered complete?

It is unlikely to ever be truly complete

At the end of each Sprint

When all items in it have been completed

When the product is released

Correct
The Product Backlog is a living artifact that
evolves as the product and the environment
in which it will be used evolves. Therefore, it
 is unlikely to ever be truly complete as long
as the product is being developed and
maintained.

The Product Owner is using burn-up charts instead

of burn-down charts. What would your response be
as Scrum Master?

Burn-up charts are used in traditional

methods and should be replaced by burn-
down charts.

There’s nothing wrong with it.

Correct
Burn-up and Burn-down charts are not
mandatory in Scrum. The Product Owner
may find either useful.

Who can do the work to ensure the Product Backlog

is refined to a state that it is useful?
Select 2 answers.

The Product Owner

The Developers, with support from the

Product Owner who is still accountable for it

The Business Analyst

Stakeholders

Correct
The Developers who will be doing the work
are responsible for the sizing. The Product
Owner may influence the Developers by
helping them understand and select trade-
offs.
– The Scrum Guide
What happens when a Sprint Goal becomes
obsolete?

The Developers decide what to do next.

The Sprint continues without any

changes.

The Sprint may be cancelled by the

Product Owner.

The Product Owner, the Developers, and

the Scrum Master negotiate what to do next.

Correct
The Product Owner has the authority to
cancel a Sprint if the Sprint Goal becomes
obsolete, although this is generally a rare
occurance.
Who can change the Sprint Backlog during a Sprint?

The Developers

The Stakeholders

The Scrum Master

The Product Owner

Correct
The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the
Developers.

The Definition of Ready is part of Scrum

True
 False

Incorrect
Scrum includes the Definition of Done but
not the Definition of Ready. A Definition of
Ready is a complimentary practice to Scrum.

Developers should be set stretch goals by the

Product Owner as part of Sprint Planning

True

False

Correct
A realistic forecast should be created in
Sprint Planning.
The entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a
valuable, useful Increment every Sprint.

False

True

Correct
The entire Scrum Team is accountable for
creating a valuable, useful Increment every
Sprint.

Which of the following events has the shortest

timebox?

Sprint Retrospective

Sprint Planning
 Sprint Review

Correct
The Sprint Retrospective is timeboxed to a
maximum of three hours for a one-month
Sprint. For shorter Sprints, the event is
usually shorter.

Why does Scrum require the Product Backlog to be

ordered rather than prioritised?

Scrum requires both order and priority

Order is better than chaos

Order and priority are always the same

thing
 Multiple PBI's can have the same
priority. There can only be one position in the
Product Backlog when it comes to order.

Correct
Multiple Product Backlog items can have the
same priority whereas there can only be one
order in a Product Backlog. Order ensures
that it is clear what the Scrum Team will
work on first. Prioritisation may not make
this as transparent.

The purpose of the Sprint Review is...

To inspect the outcome of the Sprint and

determine future adaptations

To show Stakeholders work that is done

and work that is near to completion
 To check what was done and not done
during the Sprint

To review the status of the Project

Incorrect
The purpose of the Sprint Review is to
inspect the outcome of the Sprint and
determine future adaptations.
– The Scrum Guide

Who is accountable for ensuring that the burn-

down chart and gantt chart exist?

No one

The Developers

The Scrum Master

 The Product Owner

Incorrect
​Burn-down and Gannt chart are not
mandatory in Scrum

Which of the following best describes the first

Sprint?

The Scrum Team aims to deliver a

useable Increment of the product.

It is dedicated to architecture and

infrastructure.

It is for defining the product vision.

 It is reserved for creating the project
plan.

Correct
There’s no difference between the first
Sprint and the next ones. The main purpose
of each Sprint is to meet the Sprint Goal
through the delivery of a shippable
Increment.

Which of the following is a benefit of working inside

timeboxes?

It increases the Scrum Team's velocity.

It ensures that all planned items will be

finished.

It helps to limit work-in-progress.

 It helps the Product Owner know which
attribute of the "Iron Triangle" to adjust.

Correct
When working inside timeboxes, it is best to
limit work-in-progress and get items done
before moving on. Limiting work-in-progress
is a lean concept that helps to manage waste.

Developers include which role(s)?

Select all that apply.

Business Analysts

No other roles. Developer is one of the 3

accountabilities in Scrum

Testers
 Software Architects

Incorrect
Within a Scrum Team, there are no sub-
teams or hierarchies.
– The Scrum Guide

The Scrum framework is purposefully incomplete.

True

False

Correct
The Scrum framework is purposefully
incomplete, only defining the parts required
to implement Scrum theory. Scrum is built
upon by the collective intelligence of the
 people using it. Rather than provide people
with detailed instructions, the rules of Scrum
guide their relationships and interactions.

Which of the following does Scrum require?

Burn-down charts.

None of the answers apply.

Release burn-ups.

Code refactoring.

Critical path analysis.

Unit test coverage.

 Automated builds.

Incorrect
Scrum is a lightweight framework. The
practices, tools, and processes are chosen by
the Scrum Team and are dependent on their
specific situation.

When should Product Backlog refinement occur?

Continuously throughout the Sprint

At the start of each Sprint

Only during Sprint Planning

Only during the Sprint Review

 Incorrect
Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing
process that occurs throughout the Sprint. It
allows the Product Owner to collaborate
with the Scrum Team to increase
transparency and understanding around
future work.

During Sprint Planning, every task must be

estimated so the Developers can be sure they have
the capacity to complete them in the Sprint

True

False

Incorrect
While many Scrum Teams do this, it is not
required by Scrum. Estimation is not
mentioned in the Scrum Guide.
 Selecting how much can be completed within
a Sprint may be challenging. However, the
more the Developers know about their past
performance, their upcoming capacity, and
their Definition of Done, the more confident
they will be in their Sprint forecasts.

Before the first Sprint, the Product Backlog must

contain everything we will develop for the product

True

False

Correct
Whilst this may be desirable, it is impossible
when doing complex work.

The Sprint Backlog must be detailed enough that...

 Stakeholders can monitor progress at
task level

Changes in progress can be understood

in the Daily Scrum

Every task is identified when the Sprint

Backlog is first created

The Product Owner can understand what

everyone is working on

Correct
The Sprint Backlog should have enough
detail that the Developers can inspect their
progress a at the Daily Scrum.

An Increment is...
 All work that has happened up to the
current point in time

All work that was carried out in the Sprint

All work completed up to now, where

there are no bugs present

The sum of the Done work during a

Sprint, plus the work Done in earlier Sprints

Incorrect
Each Increment is additive to all prior
Increments and thoroughly verified,
ensuring that all Increments work together.

During the Daily Scrum, the Developers must

answer the "3 questions"
 False

True

Incorrect
The “3 questions” are a popular, but optional
practices the Developers may use at the
Daily Scrum. There are many other practices
that can be used instead.

The Scrum Master is a leader and servant in service

to which of the following?

The Product Owner

The Developers

The organisation and Scrum Team

 Correct
Scrum Masters are true leaders who serve
the Scrum Team and the larger organisation.

The result of the Sprint Review is...

Acceptance (or rejection) of all Product

Backlog Items

The Increment has been demonstrated to

Stakeholders

Incomplete Product Backlog Items have

been reviewed and returned to the top of the
Product Backlog

A revised Product Backlog that defines

the probable Product Backlog items for the
next Sprint
 Incorrect
As a a result of the Sprint Review, the
Product Backlog may be adjusted to meet
new opportunities.

Which statement best describes a cross-functional

team?

The team has all competencies needed

to accomplish the work

The team has a good mix of skills

All members of the team have all the

skills required to create the Product

Correct
Scrum Teams are cross-functional, meaning
the members have all the skills necessary to
create value each Sprint.
 – The Scrum Guide
This means the team as a whole needs all the
skills. It does not mean every person has to
have all the skills.

Who has the final say on the order of items in the

Product Backlog?

The Developers

The Scrum Master

The Product Owner

The stakeholders

Correct
The Product Owner is a for accountable for
ordering the items in the Product Backlog.
The Scrum Master is responsible for?

Solving all impediments, blockers &

issues

Coordinating the work of the Developers

Ensuring Scrum is understood

Delivering the Product on budget and to

the agreed schedule

Incorrect
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.
– The Scrum Guide
The Scrum Master is a management role.

False

True

Correct
The Scrum Master is a manager, but for the
Scrum framework, rather than for the people
in the Scrum Team.

By the end of the Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum

Team should have identified and planned
improvements to increase its effectiveness

False

True
 Correct
By the end of the Sprint Retrospective, the
Scrum Team should have identified and
planned improvements to increase its
effectiveness.

The Scrum Master manages the Scrum Team

False

True

Correct
The Scrum Master manages the Scrum
framework, not the Scrum Team.

The Product Owner must invite stakeholders to the

Sprint Retrospective.
 False

True

Correct
The Sprint Retrospective is typically internal
to the Scrum Team. If others are present
transparency may be impacted.

The Scrum Master and Product Owner

accountabilities can both be held by 1 person

False

True

Correct
 Scrum does not forbid people holding more
than 1 accountability. It can often cause
problems, but sometimes it may be
appropriate.

A Scrum Team must be 10 or fewer people

True

False

Incorrect
Team size is recommended, rather than
mandated by Scrum. This was always true
even before the 2020 update. Here is the
current guidance from the Scrum Guide:
“The Scrum Team is small enough to remain
nimble and large enough to complete significant
work within
a Sprint, typically 10 or fewer people. In general,
we have found that smaller teams communicate
better and are more productive. If Scrum Teams
 become too large, they should consider
reorganizing into multiple cohesive Scrum
Team.”

What is velocity?

Average man-hours spent per Sprint

Amount of work taken into the Sprint

The amount of Product Backlog turned

into an Increment during a Sprint

Average lines of code created per Sprint

Correct
 Velocity is an optional, but often used,
indication of the amount of Product Backlog
turned into an Increment of product during a
Sprint by a Scrum Team

During Sprint Planning, all Product Backlog Items

must be decomposed to a definitive set of tasks for
the Developers to complete

True

False

Correct
Whilst this can be done, it is not mandatory.
The Scrum Guide says this about Sprint
Planning “This is often done by decomposing
Product Backlog items into smaller work
items of one day or less. How this is done is
at the sole discretion of the Developers. ‘