What are three advantages of a Product Owner sharing a clearly defined Product Goal with the
Scrum Team?
(choose the best three answers)
Correct Answer:CDE
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”
True or False: All planned work for the Product done by the Scrum Team must originate from the Product Backlog.
Correct Answer:A
✑ 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.
✑ The Product Owner is accountable 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.
✑ All planned work for the Product done by the Scrum Team must originate from the Product Backlog. The Scrum Team does not work on anything that is not in the Product Backlog. The Scrum Team does not add or remove anything from the Product Backlog without consulting with the Product Owner. The Scrum Team does not accept or implement any requests or changes that are not in the Product Backlog. The Scrum Team does not create any other artifacts or documents that are not derived from or related to the Product Backlog.
References:
✑ Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
✑ Product Backlog: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-backlog
✑ Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner
✑ Developers: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-developer-in-scrum
A Scrum Master is working with a Scrum Team that has Developers in different physical locations. The Developers meet in a variety of meeting rooms and have much to do logistically (for example: reserve meeting rooms and set up conference calls) before the Daily Scrum. What action should the Scrum Master take? (choose the best answer)
Correct Answer:A
The Scrum Master should allow the Developers to self-manage and determine for themselves what to do because:
✑ It respects the autonomy and empowerment of the Developers. The Developers are accountable for organizing and managing their own work, and they are the best people to decide how to conduct their Daily Scrum. The Scrum Master should not impose or dictate how the meeting should be set up or run, as that would undermine the self-organization and collaboration of the Developers.
✑ It supports the continuous improvement and adaptation of the Developers. The Developers are expected to inspect and adapt their process and practices, and to find ways to overcome any challenges or impediments they face. The Scrum Master should not solve the problems for them, but rather facilitate their problem- solving and learning abilities.
✑ It aligns with the role and responsibilities of the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum, and for helping everyone understand and enact Scrum theory, values, principles, and practices. The Scrum Master is not a manager or a leader of the Developers, but rather a servant-leader who enables them to work effectively.
References:
✑ Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.”
✑ Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “The Developers are accountable for … organizing and managing their work.”
✑ Scrum Guide 2020, page 12: “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 Guide 2020, page 7: “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.”
Several Sprints into a project, the Product Owner tells the Scrum Master that a key stakeholder
just started using the product. The stakeholder is unhappy with the quality of the product.
What are two good options for the Scrum Master? (choose the best two answers)
Correct Answer:AD
If a stakeholder is unhappy with the quality of the product, the Scrum Master can coach the Product Owner on how to effectively communicate this concern to the Developers1. The Scrum Master can also encourage the Product Owner to put quality specifications on the Product Backlog1. This allows the Developers to understand the stakeholder’s expectations and work towards meeting them1. The Developers are responsible for building quality into the product, but the stakeholders (through the Product Owner) are responsible for setting what is expected in terms of product and process quality1.
Why would you expect a Product Owner to care that the Scrum Team adheres to its Definition of Done?
(choose the best two answers)
Correct Answer:CD
The Product Owner should care that the Scrum Team adheres to its Definition of Done because:
✑ It helps to forecast the team’s productivity over time. By having a clear and consistent Definition of Done, the Product Owner can measure the amount of work that the team can deliver in each Sprint and plan accordingly.
✑ It affects the product’s total cost of ownership. By ensuring that the work done by the team meets the quality standards and expectations of the stakeholders, the Product Owner can reduce the risk of technical debt, rework, defects, and maintenance costs in the future.
References:
✑ Scrum Guide 2020, page 10: “The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.”
✑ Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “The Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes … ordering Product Backlog items; and, ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible and understood.”
✑ Scrum Guide 2020, page 14: “The Definition of Done creates transparency by providing everyone a shared understanding of what work was completed as part of the Increment. If a Product Backlog item does not meet the Definition of Done, it cannot be released or even presented at the Sprint Review. Instead, it returns to the Product Backlog for future consideration.”