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: Who is accountable for the Product Backlog?. Follow @CertPunch and visit certpunch.com for more certification practice exams and study content.
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What you will practice
- Who is accountable for the Product Backlog?
- When does a new Sprint begin?
- What provides guidance to the Scrum Team on why they are building the Increment?
- Who is responsible for ensuring that the work done on a Product Backlog Item meets the Definition of Done?
- What might be a valid reason for abnormally cancelling a Sprint?
- What should Developers do with non-functional requirements?
Answers and explanations
Tap a question to expand the answer and the exam reasoning. Try to commit to your own pick first.
Q1. Who is accountable for the Product Backlog?
Answer: B. The Product Owner
The Product Owner is solely accountable for effective Product Backlog management, including its ordering and availability. While Developers help add detail, the final accountability never shifts away from the Product Owner.
Q2. When does a new Sprint begin?
Answer: C. Immediately after the end of the previous Sprint.
A new Sprint begins immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint. This continuous cycle ensures no downtime, maintaining the cadence and flow of inspection and adaptation throughout the project.
Q3. What provides guidance to the Scrum Team on why they are building the Increment?
Answer: A. The Sprint Goal
The Sprint Goal provides guidance to the Scrum Team on why they are building the Increment. It creates coherence and focus, allowing the team flexibility in the exact work performed to achieve that objective.
Q4. Who is responsible for ensuring that the work done on a Product Backlog Item meets the Definition of Done?
Answer: D. The Developers.
Developers are accountable for instilling quality by adhering to the Definition of Done for every Product Backlog Item. Watch out for distractors like the Scrum Team, as accountability for actually doing the work rests with Developers.
Q5. What might be a valid reason for abnormally cancelling a Sprint?
Answer: B. When the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.
A Sprint is abnormally cancelled only when the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. Avoid options about work being too difficult or new features appearing, as the Scrum Team should adapt the backlog instead.
Q6. What should Developers do with non-functional requirements?
Answer: A. Ensure they are addressed in every Increment.
Every Increment must meet non-functional requirements to be considered potentially releasable. Avoid options like separate lists or hardening phases, as Scrum demands quality be built in continuously.
Q7. Who has the authority to cancel the Sprint?
Answer: E. The Product Owner
Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint, usually because the Sprint Goal has become obsolete. A common trap is assuming the Scrum Master shares this authority, but their role is to facilitate the process.
Q8. Who is responsible for managing Developers' tasks during the Sprint?
Answer: B. The Developers.
The Developers are accountable for creating their Sprint plan and adapting it daily toward the Sprint Goal. Because they are self-managing, no one else assigns or manages their tasks during the Sprint, eliminating roles like Scrum Master or Project Manager.
Q9. Why is it important to have only one Product Owner per product?
Answer: B. It is clear who is accountable for the Product Backlog, the Developers always know who determines priorities, and it helps avoid barriers to effective communication and rapid decision-making
Having one Product Owner ensures clear accountability for the Product Backlog and priorities. This single source of decision-making prevents conflicting directions, reduces communication barriers, and allows rapid adaptation to changing market needs.
Q10. Who should be present to review and adjust the selected Sprint work if the Developers determine that they will not be able to finish the complete forecast?
Answer: A. The Product Owner and the Developers.
The Developers collaborate with the Product Owner to review and adjust Sprint scope. If a forecast cannot be met, scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned during the Sprint.
Q11. How much work must Developers of a Scrum Team do to a Product Backlog item they select for a Sprint?
Answer: D. As much as they have informed the Product Owner will be done for every Product Backlog item it selects in conformance with the Definition of Done.
Developers must complete work on a Product Backlog item to meet the Definition of Done. Partially done work is never accepted, ensuring transparency and a potentially releasable Increment every Sprint.
Q12. Which of the following describes an appropriate Sprint length?
Answer: A. All of these answers are correct.
Sprints must be one month or less to keep risk acceptable and synchronize with business events. The correct answer incorporates all these limits, as Scrum relies on a timebox that balances focus and predictability.
Q13. Could the Product Owner and the Scrum Master also be Developers of the Scrum Team?
Answer: B. Yes
Yes, Scrum does not prohibit individuals from holding multiple roles within a Scrum Team. For the exam, remember that the Product Owner and Scrum Master can also be Developers.
Q14. When does a Sprint end?
Answer: C. When the time-box expires.
A Sprint ends strictly when its fixed time-box expires. Do not choose an option about finishing work early; Sprints are never extended to complete remaining items.
Q15. How frequently should product releases occur?
Answer: D. Frequently enough to eliminate the risk that the product's value will get out of line with the marketplace
Releases should happen frequently enough to ensure the product's value stays aligned with the marketplace. Do not select rigid timeframes like every Sprint, as the release cadence is a business decision driven by risk.
Q16. What are the three most applicable characteristics of the Product Owner?
Answer: A,B,E. Lead Facilitator of Key Stakeholder Involvement || Product Marketplace Expert || Product Value Maximizer
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing product value, understanding the marketplace, and engaging key stakeholders. Avoid confusing these duties with the Scrum Master's responsibilities, such as facilitating Scrum events or evangelizing Scrum across the organization.
Q17. It is a good practice to have at least two Product Owners on big projects.
Answer: A. False
The Product Owner is exactly one person, not a committee, regardless of project size. A practical exam cue is to remember that while multiple people can advise, only one person holds the final accountability for Product Backlog ordering and value maximization.
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