Practice for the Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) exam with 17 exam-style practice questions, instant answer reveals, and concise explanations of every correct answer. Topics include: What is the Sprint Retrospective?. Follow @CertPunch and visit certpunch.com for more certification practice exams and study content.
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What you will practice
- When multiple Scrum Teams are working on the same project, what best describes the Definition of Done?
- Which two of the following may change during the Sprint? (choose the BEST two answers)
- Which practice must be used by a Product Owner to manage the Product Backlog and share the Product Backlog pr…
- Which description best fits the accountability of the Product Owner?
- Learning turns into 'validated learning' when assumptions and goals can be assessed through results. What is…
- What are the Scrum artifacts?
Answers and explanations
Tap a question to expand the answer and the exam reasoning. Try to commit to your own pick first.
Q1. When multiple Scrum Teams are working on the same project, what best describes the Definition of Done?
Answer: A. All the Scrum Teams must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done
When multiple Scrum Teams work on the same product, they must mutually define and comply with a single integrated Definition of Done. This ensures the combined work results in a cohesive, potentially releasable Increment at the end of every Sprint.
Q2. Which two of the following may change during the Sprint? (choose the BEST two answers)
Answer: C,D. Product Backlog || Sprint Backlog
Both the Product Backlog and the Sprint Backlog are emergent and can change as the team learns more during the Sprint. The Sprint Goal remains fixed, and changing team composition mid-Sprint is highly discouraged.
Q3. Which practice must be used by a Product Owner to manage the Product Backlog and share the Product Backlog progress? (choose the best answer)
Answer: B. Any projective practice based on trends of work completed and upcoming work to be done.
The Product Owner may use any projective practice based on past work trends to forecast progress, such as burn-downs or burn-ups. Scrum does not mandate a specific charting tool, so any highly specific option is incorrect.
Q4. Which description best fits the accountability of the Product Owner?
Answer: A. Value Maximizer
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Developers. Remember that the Product Owner focuses on business value, not on traditional project management roles or simply gathering requirements.
Q5. Learning turns into 'validated learning' when assumptions and goals can be assessed through results. What is a key way for a Product Owner to apply validated learning?
Answer: B. Release an Increment to the market to learn about the business assumptions built into the product.
Validated learning occurs when assumptions are tested against real market results, typically by releasing an Increment to users. Internal planning or acceptance activities alone do not validate value because they lack external, empirical market feedback.
Q6. What are the Scrum artifacts?
Answer: C. The product backlog, the sprint backlog, the increment
The three official Scrum artifacts are the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog, and the Increment. Remember that the Definition of Done is a crucial commitment, not an artifact, and do not mistake the official events for artifacts.
Q7. For a Scrum Team, the Sprint Planning meetings are always going beyond the timebox. What could the likely causes be? (choose all that apply)
Answer: C,D. The Developers are trying to get a perfect and detailed Sprint plan. || The Team didn't invest enough in Product Backlog refinement
Sprint Planning often exceeds its timebox when Developers attempt to create a perfectly detailed plan rather than just enough. Another major cause is failing to invest enough in Product Backlog refinement, leaving items unclear and unestimated before planning.
Q8. You are a Product Owner of a Scrum Team. In the middle of the Sprint, you find out that the Developers will not be able to finish the Sprint Backlog by the end of the Sprint. What is the most appropriate response? (choose the best answer)
Answer: C. Work with the Developers to re-work selected Product Backlog items in the Sprint Backlog in order to meet the Sprint Goal.
The Product Owner should collaborate with the Developers to rework the Sprint Backlog so they can still meet the Sprint Goal. The scope can be renegotiated, but extending a Sprint is never allowed, and forcing overtime violates Scrum's commitment to sustainable pace.
Q9. What would a Product Owner typically do during a Sprint? (choose all that apply)
Answer: B,F. Work with the Developers on refining the Product Backlog. || Collaborate with stakeholders, users, customers, and people in your organization.
During a Sprint, the Product Owner collaborates with stakeholders and works with Developers on Product Backlog refinement. They do not manage daily tasks, estimate items for committees, or enforce rigid scope locks; they ensure Product Backlog items are clearly understood.
Q10. Only the Developers may cancel a sprint.
Answer: A. False
Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint, typically when the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. Developers cannot cancel a Sprint, but they can consult with the Product Owner if they realize the goal cannot be achieved.
Q11. What is the responsibility of the Product Owner during the Sprint Retrospective?
Answer: A. Participating as a member of the Scrum Team
The Product Owner actively participates as a Scrum Team member during the Sprint Retrospective to inspect and adapt processes. The goal is team improvement, not managing the team or merely describing backlog items, ensuring shared accountability for Scrum implementation.
Q12. What best describes the Product Backlog? (choose the best answer)
Answer: A. A living artifact of product requirements evolves and exists as long as the product exists.
The Product Backlog is a living artifact that evolves as long as the product exists. It is never a finalized or approved list of requirements. Avoid traditional project management terms; the backlog constantly adapts to incorporate newly discovered information.
Q13. What pre-conditions must be fulfilled in order to allow Sprint Planning to begin?
Answer: C. There are no such pre-conditions
There are no formal pre-conditions required to begin Sprint Planning, as it is simply the start of the Sprint. While having refined backlog items is helpful, Scrum explicitly avoids mandatory readiness gates. The team collaborates during the event.
Q14. Which of the following is a 'FALSE' statement? Select an answer:
Answer: B. Scrum values low visibility and high customer involvement.
It is false to claim Scrum values low visibility. The framework relies entirely on high visibility and transparency to enable proper inspection and adaptation. Watch for absolute or contradictory statements regarding core pillars when eliminating distractors.
Q15. Only the Developers may attend the Daily Scrum.
Answer: A. False
Anyone may attend the Daily Scrum, but only the Developers actively participate. Distinguish between merely attending as an observer and actively contributing. The Scrum Master ensures outsiders do not disrupt the Developers during this daily event.
Q16. Who is responsible for removing impediments during a project?
Answer: E. Scrum Master
The Scrum Master is accountable for removing impediments and serving the team to ensure smooth progress. A key exam cue is to avoid traditional roles like Project Lead, as Scrum recognizes no such title.
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