CSM Certified ScrumMaster Exam Questions and Answers

The Scrum Master ensures that the Scrum Team is working effectively bycoaching the team in self-management and cross-functionality. This enables the team to take ownership of their work, collaborate effectively, and achieve their goals.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in the following ways:

Coaching team members to improve their practices andself-management skills.

Helping the team become cross-functional so they can deliver complete, Done Increments without relying on external dependencies.

Removing impediments to their progress and facilitating productive Scrum events.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Plan Scrum implementations within the organization:While the Scrum Master supports Scrum adoption across the organization, this is not directly related to the Scrum Team's effectiveness.

B. Facilitate Scrum events:Facilitating events is part of the Scrum Master’s responsibilities, but the larger goal is to enable the team's effectiveness through coaching and guidance.

C. Report all user stories in management meetings:Scrum does not involve reporting to management in this way, as the focus is on delivering value rather than detailed reporting.

TheDaily Scrumis a short, time-boxed event (15 minutes) where Developers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan for the day. It is not intended to solve problems or deep-dive into discussions. If a major technical issue is identified during the Daily Scrum, the team should note it and arrange to discuss and solve itoutside of the Daily Scrum.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

The Daily Scrum is focused on progress toward the Sprint Goal, and issues that require detailed discussion or resolution should be handled separately.

The Scrum Master may help facilitate these follow-up discussions if needed.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Interrupt the Daily Scrum and solve the problem immediately:The Daily Scrum is not a problem-solving session. Interrupting it for detailed discussions disrupts its purpose and timebox.

C. Escalate it to the Product Owner:Technical issues are typically handled by the Developers, not the Product Owner, who is responsible for managing the Product Backlog and ensuring value delivery.

D. Discuss it during the Sprint Review:Waiting until the Sprint Review to discuss atechnical issue would delay resolution and risk jeopardizing the Sprint Goal.

ScrumArtifactsrepresent work or value, providing transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation. TheSprint Backlogis one of the three primary Scrum Artifacts defined in the2020 Scrum Guide:

Product Backlog: The ordered list of everything that is needed in the product.

Sprint Backlog: The plan for the Sprint, including the Sprint Goal, selected Product Backlog items, and the work plan for delivering the Increment.

Increment: The sum of all work completed during a Sprint that meets the Definition of Done.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Definition of Done:While critical to ensuring quality, the Definition of Done is not an Artifact but rather a standard that applies to the Increment.

C. Sprint Goal:The Sprint Goal is part of the Sprint Backlog but is not a standalone Artifact.

D. Sprint Burndown Chart:This is a complementary tool used for tracking progress but is not an official Artifact in Scrum.

When the Scrum Team does not understand the goal, scope, or product domain, theScrum Master should facilitate a discussion between the Stakeholders, Product Owner, and Developers. This ensures clarity and shared understanding, enabling the team to move forward effectively.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the team by:

Facilitating stakeholder collaborationas needed.

Ensuring that the Product Backlog is understoodby the Scrum Team.

Removing any barriers that hinder the team's ability to achieve the Sprint Goal.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Direct the Developers to stop working until the Product Owner improves the acceptance criteria:Stopping work is not productive, and collaboration with the Product Owner and stakeholders is the proper approach to resolving misunderstandings.

B. Cancel the Sprint and schedule a new Planning meeting:Cancelling the Sprint should be an absolute last resort and is typically done only when the Sprint Goal becomes unachievable.

C. Do nothing because this is the responsibility of the Product Owner:While the Product Owner owns the Product Backlog, the Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating collaboration and resolving impediments.

Facilitatingis the activity that seeks to build consensus in a group setting. In Scrum, the Scrum Master often acts as afacilitator, helping the team reach agreements during events such as Sprint Planning, Retrospectives, or backlog refinement sessions. Facilitators guide discussions neutrally, ensuring all voices are heard and helping the group align on decisions.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master:

Facilitates Scrum events as requested or needed.

Removes barriers to communication and fosters collaboration within the team.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Coaching:Coaching involves guiding individuals or teams to improve performance, but it is not specifically about building group consensus.

B. Teaching:Teaching focuses on imparting knowledge, not consensus-building.

C. Mentoring:Mentoring involves a one-on-one relationship where the mentor shares knowledge and experience, which is not a group activity.

Product Backlog refinementis the act of breaking down and further defining Product Backlog items into smaller, clearer, and more actionable items. This process ensures that the Product Backlog is well-organized, understood, and ready for the upcoming Sprint Planning. Refinement helps the Developers and Product Owner collaborate to add detail, order, and estimates to Product Backlog items.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity that occurs throughout the Sprint.

It is not a formal event, and its timing and structure are determined by the Scrum Team.

Refinement improves clarity and helps the team better understand upcoming work.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. a recurring event in the middle of each Sprint:Product Backlog refinement is not a time-boxed event. It occurs continuously, as needed.

C. an opportunity for the Developers to estimate Product Backlog items:While estimation may occur during refinement, the primary purpose is breaking down and clarifying items, not solely estimation.

D. a pre-planning meeting to shorten the length of Sprint Planning:Product Backlog refinement is not a pre-planning meeting but an ongoing activity to prepare for future Sprints.

The entireScrum Teamcollaborates on understanding the work of the Sprint duringSprint Planning. This includes theProduct Owner,Developers, andScrum Master. Each role has a contribution:

Product Owner:Explains the Product Backlog items, priorities, and their value.

Developers:Collaborate to create a plan for delivering the selected Product Backlog itemsand achieving the Sprint Goal.

Scrum Master:Facilitates the discussion to ensure alignment and understanding but does not directly plan the work.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

"Sprint Planning initiates the Sprint by laying out the work to be performed for the Sprint. This resulting plan is created by the collaborative work of the entire Scrum Team."

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. The Scrum Master and the Developers:This excludes the Product Owner, who is essential for providing clarity and prioritization of Product Backlog items.

C. The Product Owner and the Developers:While they collaborate during Sprint Planning, the Scrum Master also plays an important role in facilitating the discussion.

D. The Developers:The Developers alone cannot decide on the Sprint Goal or select work without input from the Product Owner.

TheScrum Mastershould coach the Developers byexplaining the intent of the Daily Scrum, which is toinspect progress toward the Sprint Goaland adapt the plan as needed. The Daily Scrum is not a status update meeting—it is a collaborative event for the Developers to synchronize their efforts, share progress, and discuss any impediments.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

The Daily Scrum is a15-minute eventwhere the Developers inspect their progress and adapt their plan to achieve the Sprint Goal.

The event belongs to the Developers, and they decide how to structure it, but its purpose must align with the framework’s guidance.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Cancel the Daily Scrum and have status update meetings instead:Status update meetings go against Scrum principles, which emphasize team ownership and collaboration.

C. Reduce the occurrence for this meeting to once a week:The Daily Scrum is adailyevent for inspection and adaptation; reducing its frequency would hinder the team’s ability to remain aligned.

D. Make Daily Scrum an optional meeting for the Developers to attend:The Daily Scrum is mandatory for the Developers to inspect and adapt their plan, and making it optional undermines its importance.

When a Scrum Master encounters resistance from outside the Scrum Team, their role is to act as aservant leader and coach, ensuring the organization's adoption of Scrum is effective. Resistance often stems from a lack of understanding or buy-in regarding the value of Scrum.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the organization in several ways, including:

Leading, training, and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption.

Planning and advising Scrum implementations within the organization.

Helping employees and stakeholders understand and enact an empirical approach for complex work.

In this case, the Scrum Master collaborates with other Scrum Masters to amplify the effectiveness of Scrum across the organization. This collaboration is essential for addressing systemic challenges or resistance to Scrum.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Escalate to management to reprimand the resisters:Escalating and seeking reprimand is not aligned with the Scrum Master's role as a facilitator and coach. This approach could create conflict rather than resolve resistance.

B. Not intervene in the business of others:The Scrum Master’s role involves actively addressing impediments and resistance. Avoiding intervention undermines their responsibility to promote Scrum.

C. Create a status update meeting for all Scrum Masters to coordinate teamdependencies:While collaboration among Scrum Masters is essential, "status update meetings" are not a Scrum practice, and coordination of dependencies is typically handled within Sprint Planning or during collaborative refinement sessions.

The correct statement is:An Increment must be in a usable condition and meet the Definition of Done. Each Increment builds upon previous Increments and must be complete, usable, and meet the agreed-uponDefinition of Doneso it can be inspected during the Sprint Review. Whether or not the Increment is released is a separate decision made by the Product Owner.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

An Increment is the result of work done during a Sprint and must meet the Definition of Done.

The Increment isusable, even if the Product Owner decides not to release it.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. It must have all of the requirements that need to be in the product before the Product Owner will release it:Increments do not require all requirements to be complete before being usable or inspectable. Scrum is iterative, delivering value incrementally.

B. Is not releasable until the Product Owner determines it is done:The Product Owner does not determine whether the Increment is "done"; the team’s adherence to the Definitionof Done determines this.

D. Is not releasable until it has all of the features to be a Minimally Viable Product:Each Increment must meet the Definition of Done, regardless of whether it meets all features for an MVP.

One of the key services aScrum Master provides to the Product Owneris helping them findeffective Product Backlog management techniques. This ensures that the Product Owner can maximize the value of the product and effectively manage the Product Backlog.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by:

Helping the Product Owner find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management.

Facilitating stakeholder collaboration when needed.

Supporting empirical product planning for complex environments.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Assign tasks to the Developers:Tasks are not assigned in Scrum. Developers are self-organizing and responsible for determining how they will complete the work.

B. Write user stories:Writing user stories is a Product Owner responsibility, not the Scrum Master's.

C. Prioritize the backlog:The Product Owner prioritizes the Product Backlog, not the Scrum Master.

Fromself-organizing teams,the best architecture, requirements, and designsemerge. This aligns with one of theAgile Manifesto Principles, which states:

"The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams."

Self-organizing teams have the autonomy to make decisions, collaborate effectively, and adapt their processes to deliver high-quality solutions.

Self-organizing teams work without being micromanaged, leveraging their expertise and collective intelligence to solve complex problems and create innovative solutions.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. The best process flows, user stories and requirements:While self-organizing teams improve processes, the Agile principle specifically mentions architecture, requirements, and designs.

C. The best designs, user stories and Sprint Backlog:The Sprint Backlog is an artifact, not an outcome of self-organization.

D. The best architecture, user stories and requirements:User stories are part of backlog items, but the principle focuses on architecture, requirements, and designs.