Professional Scrum Master (PSM I)

Correct answer: D. The item meets the Scrum Team's shared understanding of the definition of "Done"

An item is Done only when it meets the Scrum Team's Definition of Done, which is the shared organizational or team standard. The Product Owner does not unilaterally define Done, and deployment or testing alone does not guarantee it.

Correct answer: C. 10 or fewer people

The Scrum Guide recommends a Scrum Team of 10 or fewer people, small enough to stay nimble and large enough to complete significant work. Beware of the older 5-to-9 guideline, which predates the 2020 Guide's whole-team sizing.

Correct answer: C. Maximizing the value of the Developers's work

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the Developers' work. Managing the team is not a Product Owner duty, and experimenting with Sprint length belongs to the Scrum Team, not the PO.

Correct answer: D. It must be in a useable condition and meet the definition of "Done"

Every Increment must be usable and meet the Definition of Done, regardless of whether it is actually released. Releasability does not depend on being an MVP or on the Product Owner deciding it is done.

Correct answer: D. Developers

Only the Developers execute the Sprint Backlog work; it is their plan for meeting the Sprint Goal. The Scrum Master and Product Owner may help with other work but the Sprint Backlog belongs to the Developers.

Correct answer: A. Impediment removal

Removing impediments is an explicit service the Scrum Master provides to the Developers. Backlog management and prioritization belong to the Product Owner, not the Scrum Master.

Correct answer: D. Product Owner

The Product Owner is solely accountable for Product Backlog ordering to maximize value. Others may suggest changes, but the final order always belongs to the Product Owner, a heavily tested accountability point on the exam.

Correct answer: D. Scrum Master

The Scrum Master leads, trains, and coaches the organization in its Scrum adoption, which is a listed organizational service. The Product Owner focuses on value and the backlog, not enterprise-wide Scrum implementation.

Correct answer: D. Servant leadership

The Scrum Master is a servant-leader who facilitates, coaches, and removes impediments rather than directing the team. Directive leadership is the key distractor because Scrum relies on self-management, not command and control.

Correct answer: C. To inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as needed

The Daily Scrum lets Developers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan for the next 24 hours. Task assignment and stakeholder demos are distractors; the Developers self-manage and talk to each other, not to stakeholders.

Correct answer: D. Inspect how the last Sprint went with regards to people, relationships, process, and tools

The Retrospective inspects how the last Sprint went regarding people, relationships, process, and tools, then plans improvements. Option C describes the Sprint Review's focus on the Increment, so watch for that classic swap between the two events.

Correct answer: A. Product Owner

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the Scrum Team's work, chiefly by ordering the Product Backlog. The Scrum Master enables effectiveness, but value accountability stays with the Product Owner.

Correct answer: C. Meet individually to address concerns

The Scrum Master should first meet the individual privately to understand and address the underlying concerns. Coaching is preferred over mandating attendance or escalating; forcing participation without understanding rarely resolves the real issue.

Correct answer: D. One Sprint at a time, adapting each Sprint Backlog according to what was learned from the last Sprint

Scrum teams plan one Sprint at a time, adapting each Sprint Backlog based on learning from the previous Sprint. Options about velocity averaging or release dates contradict empiricism, where plans emerge from inspection and adaptation.

Correct answer: A. Developers

The Sprint Backlog is owned solely by the Developers, who plan and manage it to achieve the Sprint Goal. Remember that Product Backlog ownership sits with the Product Owner, while the Scrum Team owns the Sprint Goal collectively.

Correct answer: B. Coach the Developers to help them understand the purpose of Sprint Retrospective

The Scrum Master should coach the Developers so they understand the Retrospective's purpose of continuous improvement. Letting them skip it ignores a mandatory event, and enforcement without understanding creates resentment rather than improvement.

Correct answer: D. Commitment

Commitment is one of the five Scrum values and is what the team demonstrates to achieve the Sprint Goal. Alignment, agreement, and completion are not Scrum values, so memorize the five: commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage.

Correct answer: C. Explain that the intent of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress towards sprint goal

The Daily Scrum exists to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the plan, not to report status to a manager. Canceling the event or making it optional breaks Scrum, so reinforcing its true intent is the right move.

Correct answer: D. Servant-leader

By removing an impediment, the Scrum Master acts as a servant-leader serving the team's needs. Project Manager is a distractor because Scrum Masters do not direct work or manage people.

Correct answer: A. Product Owner

Product Owner is correct because the Scrum Guide defines exactly three accountabilities: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. Project Manager and Business Analyst are not Scrum roles, so eliminate any option outside the official three on exam day.

Correct answer: A. Find effective Product Backlog management techniques

Helping find effective Product Backlog management techniques is a listed Scrum Master service to the Product Owner in the Scrum Guide. The distractors fail because prioritizing the backlog and writing items remain the Product Owner's accountability, not the Scrum Master's.

Correct answer: B. Sprint Backlog

Sprint Backlog is correct because the three artifacts are Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment. The Definition of Done and Sprint Goal are commitments to artifacts, not artifacts themselves, and burndown charts are optional charts, not Scrum artifacts.

Correct answer: B. Focus

Focus is the value shown when the team concentrates on finishing one task before starting another. For the exam, remember the five Scrum values: commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage; focus means concentrating on the Sprint Goal and the work at hand.

Correct answer: D. Once at the end of every Sprint

The Sprint Review is held once at the end of every Sprint to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog. A common trap is Daily, which matches the Daily Scrum, not the Review, so keep each event's cadence straight.

Correct answer: C. Clearly expressing Product Backlog items

Product Backlog management includes clearly expressing Product Backlog items, ordering them, and optimizing their value. Creating Sprint tasks and planning the Sprint Backlog belong to the Developers, and facilitating the Daily Scrum is the Scrum Master's duty.

Correct answer: D. Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools

Team members collaborating directly to find the best delivery approach demonstrates individuals and interactions over processes and tools. The other options pair the left side with wrong right-side values, so memorize the four exact Manifesto pairings.

Correct answer: A. After the Sprint Review and prior to the next Sprint Planning

The Sprint Retrospective happens after the Sprint Review and before the next Sprint Planning. Recall the event order: Planning, Daily Scrum, Review, then Retrospective, so improvement insights feed the next Sprint's plan.

Correct answer: C. Meet and discuss outside of Daily Scrum

The Daily Scrum is a short 15-minute inspection of progress toward the Sprint Goal, not a problem-solving session. Deep technical discussions should happen afterward with only the people who are needed, which is exactly option C.

Correct answer: D. Estimate

The Scrum Guide says Product Backlog items are refined to include attributes like description, size, and order, so estimate fits. Due dates and assignments are distractors because the backlog is ordered, not date-driven or pre-assigned.

Correct answer: C. Scrum Master

The Scrum Master ensures Scrum is understood and enacted by coaching the team and the organization. The term Development Team is from the pre-2020 guide; current Scrum uses Developers, but the answer here is still clearly the Scrum Master.

Correct answer: C. Work with other Scrum Masters to increase the effectiveness of the application of Scrum in the organization

The Scrum Master serves the organization and works with other Scrum Masters to improve Scrum adoption and effectiveness. Escalating for reprimand or ignoring resistance both fail the Scrum Master's leadership role in organizational change.

Correct answer: A. Coach the Developers in self-organization and cross-functionality

Coaching the Developers in self-management and cross-functionality directly builds their effectiveness. Facilitating events is also a service, but coaching self-organization is the answer the exam expects for team effectiveness.

Correct answer: B. Scrum Team and other involved parties

The Scrum Master works with the Scrum Team and other involved parties to ensure artifact transparency. Exam cue: transparency enables inspection and adaptation, and it involves everyone affected by the artifacts, not just management.

Correct answer: C. Simplicity – The art of maximizing the amount of work not done is essential

The simplicity principle, maximizing the amount of work not done, supports doing the most valuable work first. Welcoming change is about adaptability rather than prioritizing value, so it is a weaker fit here.

Correct answer: B. Facilitating

Facilitation is the skill of guiding a group toward shared decisions and consensus. Coaching and mentoring are one-on-one development activities, so they do not fit the group setting wording.

Correct answer: B. Daily Scrum

The Daily Scrum is where Developers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and surface impediments, so B is the best answer. The Retrospective could be defended since impediments are also discussed there, but Daily Scrum is the inspection point tied to the Sprint Goal.

Correct answer: D. The work to be performed in the Sprint is planned

Sprint Planning initiates the Sprint by laying out why it is valuable, what can be done, and how the work will be completed. The demo belongs to the Sprint Review, and refinement is a separate ongoing activity, not the planning event itself.

Correct answer: D. The Scrum Team

The whole Scrum Team works together to understand Sprint work, since all three accountabilities collaborate. The strongest distractor pairs only the Product Owner and Developers, but the Scrum Master also participates in planning conversations.

Correct answer: A. Courage

Courage is the intended answer because asking for help and admitting gaps takes willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Openness is a defensible distractor, but the Scrum Guide frames these acts specifically as courage and openness about work, not about oneself.

Correct answer: C. Usable

A Done Increment must be usable; it meets the Definition of Done and is in a usable condition regardless of whether it is released. Released is the top distractor because release is a Product Owner decision, not a requirement of Done.

Correct answer: C. cross-functional

A cross-functional team has all the skills needed to create a valuable Increment without depending on outsiders. Note that the question already says "self-directed" as a distractor, but the blank calls for cross-functional, matching the Scrum Guide definition.

Correct answer: C. The best architecture, requirements and designs

The classic principle is that the best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-managing teams. Options mentioning user stories are distractors; memorize the exact trio architecture, requirements, and designs for the exam.

Correct answer: A. Scrum

Scrum is defined as a lightweight framework for managing complex work in complex environments, based on empiricism. Agile is a broader mindset, not a specific framework, so Scrum is the precise answer despite the stray Waterfall text.

Correct answer: D. Clearly express and prioritize Product Backlog items

The Product Owner maximizes value by clearly expressing and ordering Product Backlog items, so D fits the Scrum Guide accountability. Managing Developers is not the Product Owner's job; self-managing Developers decide how to do the work.

Correct answer: C. facilitate a discussion between the Stakeholders, Product Owner and Developers

The Scrum Master serves the team by facilitating communication, so bringing Stakeholders, the Product Owner, and Developers together builds shared understanding. Doing nothing is the strongest distractor, but the Scrum Master's job includes facilitating collaboration, not standing aside.

Correct answer: D. Encourage the team to experiment with new ideas

The Scrum Master encourages the team to experiment and improve, acting as a servant-leader and coach. Setting budgets and deciding releases belong to others: the organization and the Product Owner respectively, while Developers provide estimates.

Correct answer: B. Sprint Backlog, Product Backlog and Increment

The three Scrum artifacts are the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment, and each is designed for transparency, inspection, and adaptation. The Definition of Done is a commitment to an artifact, not an artifact itself, which is the main trap here.

Correct answer: A. 10%

The commonly cited guideline is that refinement should take no more than about 10% of the Developers' capacity, a rule of thumb rather than a strict Scrum rule. Remember the 2020 Scrum Guide made refinement an ongoing activity with no mandated limit.

Correct answer: B. an empirical process

Excessive team size adds complexity that undermines the empirical process of transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Scrum mitigates this by recommending fewer than ten people per team, keeping communication channels manageable.

Correct answer: A. Why, What, and How

Sprint Planning answers Why the Sprint is valuable, What can be Done, and How the work will be accomplished. Any option containing 'When' or 'Where' fails immediately because Sprints have fixed timeboxes with no scheduling decisions.

Correct answer: D. It provides an opportunity for the Scrum Team to get feedback, test hypotheses, and change course

A Done Increment every Sprint enables inspection, feedback, validation of hypotheses, and course correction, which is the heart of empiricism. The strongest distractor, meeting the Sprint Goal, is a result of the work rather than the significance of the Increment itself.

Correct answer: D. Any complex work required to create value

Scrum uses "development" broadly to mean any complex work needed to create value, not just software or hardware. Watch for options that narrow it to specific disciplines; Scrum is intentionally domain-agnostic.

Correct answer: C. The Product Owner

The Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, including ordering and content changes, and may delegate the work but never the accountability. Exam cue: accountability for the Product Backlog always stays with the Product Owner.

Correct answer: C. Developers

The Developers are accountable for creating a Done Increment each Sprint, so they ensure Product Backlog Items meet the Definition of Done. The Scrum Team option is too broad on the exam; look for the accountability closest to the actual work.

Correct answer: B. Enough work so the Product Backlog Item meets the Definition of Done

A selected Product Backlog Item must be completed to the Definition of Done within the Sprint, not partially done. Options about proportional work or 'some testing' fail because partial completion is not an Increment.

Correct answer: A. All of the above

All three statements are true, so the combined answer is correct. A Sprint is one month or less, and its length is tuned to keep risk acceptable and to synchronize with other business events. Expect 'all of the above' style options to be correct when each part matches the Scrum Guide.

Correct answer: A. An ordered list of Product Backlog Items that represent everything known to be needed for the product

The Product Backlog is an ordered, emergent list of everything known to be needed for the product. It is not limited to User Stories and does not contain Sprint tasks or only finished items. Remember that PBIs can take many forms.

Correct answer: B. The Product Owner may delegate work related to Product Backlog management but remains accountable for the outcome

The Product Owner may delegate Product Backlog work but never the accountability for maximizing value. Options claiming joint ownership with the Scrum Master or stakeholder override rights contradict Scrum's single-owner accountability model.

Correct answer: A. Estimating the effort required for each Product Backlog Item (PBI) · B. Adding new items to the Product Backlog · E. Prioritizing the Product Backlog based on stakeholder feedback

Refinement covers adding items, clarifying and sizing them, and ordering the backlog, so the selected three options apply. Adjusting the Definition of Done is not refinement, and task assignment happens during the Sprint, not in refinement.

Correct answer: D. To outline the long-term vision and objective for the product

The Product Goal describes the future state of the product and serves as the long-term objective for the Scrum Team. Options about assigning tasks or responsibilities describe management work, not the purpose of the Product Goal.

Correct answer: A. By helping the Product Owner ensure the Product Backlog is transparent, visible, and understood, and by facilitating collaboration to maximize value

The Scrum Master helps the Product Owner with techniques for effective Product Backlog management and ensures it is transparent and understood. The Scrum Master never creates, orders, or approves backlog items, since that accountability stays with the Product Owner.

Correct answer: A. It allows the Scrum Team to develop a shared understanding and manage overwhelming complexity

Decomposing large items builds shared understanding and makes complexity manageable, which supports transparency and forecasting. The distractor about accelerating completion fails because speed is not the purpose of refinement.

Correct answer: C. Undone work

Work that does not meet the Definition of Done is called undone work, and it is not part of the Increment. Exam cue: undo, incomplete, and unfinished are plausible distractors, but undone is the Scrum Guide term.

Correct answer: B. Coaching the team and helping remove impediments

The Scrum Master serves the team primarily through coaching, facilitation, and removing impediments, which sustains effectiveness. Ordering the backlog is the Product Owner's accountability, making that the strongest distractor.

Correct answer: B. Clear goals, clear boundaries, and clear accountabilities

Self-management thrives when goals, boundaries, and accountabilities are all clear, enabling the team to decide and act autonomously. Options with vague or absent clarity contradict the conditions Scrum requires.

Correct answer: C. Coaching team members in understanding the problem domain

Coaching the problem domain is false because the Scrum Master coaches the team in self-management and Scrum, not business expertise. The other three options come directly from the Scrum Guide's list of services.

Correct answer: C. Reviewing what was accomplished in the Sprint

Reviewing what was accomplished belongs to the Sprint Review, while the Retrospective inspects people, interactions, processes, and tools. Exam cue: Review equals the product, Retrospective equals the process and teamwork.

Correct answer: D. The list of removed impediments · E. The Sprint Goal

The three Scrum artifacts are the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment; the Sprint Goal is a commitment to the Sprint Backlog, not an artifact. Remember the three commitments: Product Goal, Sprint Goal, and Definition of Done.

Correct answer: B. Helping employees and stakeholders understand and apply an empirical approach to complex work · C. Leading, training, and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption · D. Planning and advising Scrum implementations within the organization

The Scrum Master serves the organization by leading and coaching Scrum adoption, planning and advising Scrum implementations, and helping people apply empiricism. Removing barriers between stakeholders and the Product Owner is not listed in the Scrum Guide services.

Correct answer: D. Planning and advising Scrum implementations within the Scrum Team and with stakeholders

Planning and advising Scrum implementations is a service the Scrum Master provides to the organization, not to the Product Owner. The other three options match the Scrum Guide's list of Scrum Master services to the Product Owner, so memorize those lists separately.

Correct answer: B. By giving the team space to determine how to do their work and empowering them to experiment and arrive at solutions

Self-management means the team decides who, how, and what of its work, enabling experimentation and adaptation for complex problems. Options about predefined recipes or exact directions contradict self-management and empirical process control.

Correct answer: B. The Sprint Backlog is fully formulated in the Sprint Planning event and does not change during the Sprint

The false statement is that the Sprint Backlog is fixed at Sprint Planning; it actually evolves as the Developers learn more during the Sprint. Exam cue: the Sprint Backlog is a living plan with a forecast and progress toward the Sprint Goal, not a frozen contract.

Correct answer: C. Develop and deliver at least one piece of functionality · D. Deliver an Increment of useful and valuable product

Every Sprint, including the first, must deliver a usable Increment of value, which means developing at least one piece of functionality. Distractors fail because Scrum requires no complete architecture, release plan, or full Product Backlog up front.

Correct answer: A. To define the quality standards that must be met for a product Increment to be considered complete

The Definition of Done describes the quality state an Increment must reach to be considered complete. Distractors fail because ordering the backlog is the Product Owner's job and task planning belongs in the Sprint Backlog.

Correct answer: C. The level of expertise over the technology to be used, ability to release an increment to the end users, and the risk of being disconnected from the stakeholders

Sprint length balances risk, feedback frequency, and the ability to deliver usable Increments, which matches the expertise, release, and stakeholder factors listed. Consistency across teams is a convenience, not a deciding factor in Scrum.

Correct answer: A. Development of almost everything we use in our daily lives as individuals and societies · B. Development of products and enhancements · C. Research and identifying of viable markets, technologies and product capabilities · D. Development and sustaining of cloud and other operational environments · E. Managing the operation of an organisation · F. Development of software and hardware

Scrum applies to essentially any complex product work, so every listed application is valid. Remember the Scrum Guide's stance: it is not limited to software, which rules out excluding hardware, research, or operations.

Correct answer: D. A revised Product Backlog

The Sprint Review results in a revised Product Backlog that guides the next Sprint based on stakeholder feedback. A revised Sprint Backlog is the distractor; that artifact belongs to Sprint Planning and the Sprint itself.

Correct answer: C. Whenever stakeholder input would be valuable

Stakeholder interaction is allowed whenever it adds value, not just during formal events. The Sprint Review is the formal collaboration point, but Scrum does not restrict stakeholder contact to specific events, so event-only answers are wrong.

Correct answer: C. As soon as it is identified

The Sprint Backlog is updated throughout the Sprint as new work is discovered, so work is added as soon as it is identified. Remember, no approval from the Scrum Master or a Daily Scrum gate is required for Developers to update the Sprint Backlog.

Correct answer: A. No specific format is mandated, and the planning horizon can vary based on team preference

The Scrum Guide prescribes neither a format nor a planning horizon for the Product Goal; teams and organizations define these themselves. Scrum rarely mandates templates, so options claiming standardized formats are distractors.

Correct answer: C. Single, transparent, and ordered list of all work to be done

The Product Backlog is a single, transparent, ordered list of everything known to be needed for the product. The key word is "ordered"; option D's "coherent" is the trap, because ordering by value is what distinguishes a Product Backlog.

Correct answer: B. Responding to change · C. Customer collaboration · D. Working software

The Manifesto values are individuals and interactions, working software, customer collaboration, and responding to change. Comprehensive documentation and contract negotiation appear in the Manifesto, but on the lesser-valued side, so they are not the valued items.

Correct answer: D. The Sprint Review provides an opportunity for feedback and guidance but is not a gate for delivering the Increment to stakeholders

The Sprint Review gathers feedback but is not a release gate; a Done Increment may be delivered whenever the Product Owner decides. Distractor B states the opposite of the Scrum Guide and directly contradicts the myth framing.

Correct answer: A. None of the answers are correct

Scrum has only three accountabilities, and Project Manager duties are distributed across the Scrum Team rather than assigned to one role. On the exam, avoid forcing traditional roles onto Product Owner or Scrum Master.

Correct answer: C. The Product Owner requires deep technical expertise in the product being developed

The false statement is that the Product Owner requires deep technical expertise, which Scrum never mandates. The Product Owner is one person accountable for value and may represent many stakeholders, so the other statements are true.

Correct answer: D. Both Product Backlog items (PBIs) and Product Goals

The Product Backlog contains Product Backlog items and is committed to the Product Goal, which gives it long-term direction. Sprint Goals belong to the Sprint Backlog, not the Product Backlog.

Correct answer: A. False

The statement is false because a Sprint has a fixed duration that stays consistent over time, providing a predictable rhythm. Changing Sprint length frequently undermines forecasting and consistency.

Correct answer: C. The timebox is four hours for a four-week Sprint and proportionally shorter if appropriate · D. The presentation of the Increment in this meeting is intended to collect feedback and raise issues that may impact future Sprint plans

The Sprint Review is timeboxed to four hours for a one-month Sprint, shorter for shorter Sprints, and its purpose is to inspect the Increment and gather feedback that shapes future planning. Option B fails because stakeholders attend, and the team does more than check off items.

Correct answer: A. True

This is true: the Sprint Retrospective inspects people, interactions, processes, tools, and the Definition of Done to plan improvements. Exam cue: Retrospective is about how the team works; Sprint Review is about the product and Increment.

Correct answer: C. Misalignment with team members and stakeholders, resulting in wasted time on irrelevant tasks

A poorly managed Product Backlog causes misalignment and wasted effort on low-value work, hurting transparency and value delivery. The other options describe benefits, which contradicts the word 'poorly' in the stem.

Correct answer: B. None of the answers are correct

The Scrum Guide prescribes no time cap for Product Backlog refinement or estimation, so no numeric answer is correct. A common guideline says refinement consumes no more than ten percent of capacity, but that is not a Scrum rule, so fixed-percentage options are traps.

Correct answer: C. Sprint results

The Sprint Review inspects the Increment and discusses Sprint results with stakeholders to adapt the Product Backlog. The distractor about the Scrum process belongs to the Sprint Retrospective, and engineering practices belong to the Developers.

Correct answer: B. Whenever needed to ensure alignment and maximize product value

Scrum prescribes no fixed frequency for communicating the Product Goal, so sharing it whenever needed to align the team and maximize value is correct. The fixed-event distractors fail because Scrum avoids such prescriptions.