Pass the Scrum PSPO PSPO-I Questions and answers with Dumpstech

The following are true about Scrum:

Scrum is based on empiricism and lean thinking. Empiricism is the principle of making decisions based on what is observed and experienced, rather than on theory or speculation. Lean thinking is the philosophy of eliminating waste and maximizing value in any process or system. Scrum applies these concepts by providing a framework for inspecting and adapting the product and the process, and by focusing on delivering the most valuable features to the customers and stakeholders.

Scrum is a framework for developing and sustaining complex products. A complex product is one that has unpredictable or unknown aspects that require creativity, experimentation, and adaptation to deliver. A framework is a set of minimal and essential rules and roles that provide structure and guidance, but leave room for flexibility and innovation. Scrum provides such a framework for teams to collaborate and deliver complex products iteratively and incrementally, while embracing change and feedback.

Each component of Scrum serves a specific purpose and is essential to Scrum’s success and your usage of Scrum to develop complex products. Scrum consists of three roles (Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developers), five events (Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective), and three artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment). Each of these components has a clear definition, accountability, and goal that contributes to the overall effectiveness and value of Scrum. Removing or changing any of these components may cause the benefits of Scrum to be lost or diminished.

The Product Owner wants the Developers to adhere to its Definition of Done to have complete transparency into what has been done at the end of each Sprint. This is because:

The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. It is a shared understanding among the Scrum Team and the stakeholders of what “Done” means for any Product Backlog item that is selected for a Sprint.

The Developers are accountable for creating a “Done” Increment in every Sprint. They must ensure that every Product Backlog item they work on meets the Definition of Done before it is considered complete.

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They must inspect the Increment at the end of each Sprint and assess how it delivers value and contributes to the Product Goal.

Having a clear and consistent Definition of Done helps the Product Owner have complete transparency into what has been done at the end of each Sprint. It also helps them make informed decisions about releasing, adapting, or continuing the product development.

Other options, such as predicting the team’s productivity over time, knowing what the team will deliver over the next three Sprints, or reprimanding the team when they do not meet their velocity goal for the Sprint, are not valid reasons for wanting the Developers to adhere to its Definition of Done. They may reflect a misunderstanding of what a Definition of Done is or how Scrum works.

The Scrum Guide states that " By the end of the Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team should have identified improvements that it will implement in the next Sprint. Implementing these improvements in the next Sprint is the adaptation to the inspection of the Scrum Team itself. " 1 This means that the Scrum Team may add the high priority process improvements to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint, as part of their plan to deliver the Increment and achieve the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Developers, who can update it throughout the Sprint as more is learned.1

1: The Scrum Guide2, page 16

2: The Scrum Guide

The Sprint Goal is a short statement of what the Scrum Team intends to achieve during a Sprint. It provides guidance and direction for the Scrum Team, as well as a basis for inspecting and adapting the product and the process. The Sprint Goal is aligned with the product vision and goals, and it reflects the value and purpose of the Sprint.

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible 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.

The Sprint Planning is an event that occurs at the beginning of each Sprint, where the Scrum Team plans how to deliver a valuable product Increment. The Sprint Planning consists of two topics: What can be done this Sprint? and How will the chosen work get done? The outcome of the Sprint Planning is an agreed-upon Sprint Goal, a Sprint Backlog, and a plan for delivering the Increment.

The responsibility of crafting the Sprint Goal is shared by both the Product Owner and the Developers. The Product Owner should come to Sprint Planning with a business objective in mind, based on their understanding of the product vision, goals, value proposition, stakeholder feedback, market conditions, or other relevant factors. The Product Owner should propose how this objective can be achieved by selecting some Product Backlog items that can deliver value to customers or users. The Developers should collaborate with the Product Owner to craft a clear and concise Sprint Goal that expresses what they want to accomplish as a team during this Sprint. The Developers should also ensure that they have enough capacity and skills to deliver on this Sprint Goal.

According to the Scrum Guide, a Sprint can be canceled before the Sprint time-box is over. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint, although he or she may do so under influence from the stakeholders, the Developers, or the Scrum Master. A Sprint would be canceled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. This might occur if the company changes direction or if market or technology conditions change. In general, a Sprint should be canceled if it no longer makes sense given the circumstances. But, due to the short duration of Sprints, cancellation rarely makes sense. Developers cannot cancel a Sprint on their own, even if they face challenges or difficulties with the selected Product Backlog items, the functional expectations, the technical dependencies, or the Product Owner’s availability. Instead, they should collaborate with the Product Owner and the Scrum Master to find the best way to deliver value within the Sprint and adapt to the changing situation.

The Scrum Guide

Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework

Professional Scrum Product Owner™ I Certification

The Scrum Guide states that " Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint. " 1 This means that there is no gap or break between Sprints, and the Scrum Team does not need to spend extra time to prepare for the next Sprint. The Scrum Team should be able to start the next Sprint Planning right after the Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective of the previous Sprint. The Scrum Team should also ensure that the testing and documentation of the work are done within the Sprint, and not left for later.

1: The Scrum Guide2, page 9

2: The Scrum Guide

It is not true that a Product Owner must create clear and unambiguous acceptance criteria for each Product Backlog item before it may be selected in Sprint Planning. This is because:

Acceptance criteria are a set of conditions that a Product Backlog item must satisfy to be accepted by the Product Owner or the stakeholders. They are used to verify that the item meets the expected quality and value standards.

Acceptance criteria are not mandatory or prescribed in Scrum. They are one of the possible techniques that a Product Owner may use to communicate their expectations and requirements to the Developers and the stakeholders. They are not part of the Scrum Guide or the Definition of Done.

Acceptance criteria do not need to be created before Sprint Planning. They can be created or refined at any time during the product development process, as long as they are clear and agreed upon before the item is considered complete. They can also be changed or updated based on feedback or new insights.

The only requirement for a Product Backlog item to be selected in Sprint Planning is that it is sufficiently clear and ready for selection. This means that it has enough detail and precision for the Developers to understand what they are supposed to build and why. It also means that it has been refined and ordered by the Product Owner based on value and impact.

The “cone of uncertainty” is a graphical representation of the degree of uncertainty in a project estimate over time. It shows that the range of possible outcomes is wider at the beginning of the project and narrows down as the project progresses and more information becomes available.

The “cone of uncertainty” can be used to illustrate that as a project forecast lengthens, it is increasingly less certain. This means that the longer the time horizon for a project, the more variability and risk there is in the estimate. This also implies that shorter iterations and frequent feedback can help reduce uncertainty and improve accuracy.

The “cone of uncertainty” cannot be used to determine whether to cut quality, similar to the “Iron Triangle” of project management. The “Iron Triangle” is a model that shows the trade-offs between scope, time, and cost in a project. Quality is often considered as a fourth dimension that is affected by these three factors. Cutting quality is not a desirable option for any project, especially for Scrum projects that value delivering high-quality products that meet customer needs.

The “cone of uncertainty” cannot be used to determine the cost of a project before it begins. The cost of a project depends on many factors, such as the scope, the resources, the complexity, the risks, and the market conditions. The “cone of uncertainty” only shows the range of possible outcomes based on the available information at a given point in time. It does not provide a definitive or accurate estimate of the cost before the project starts.

The “cone of uncertainty” cannot be used to determine the length of the next Sprint. The length of the next Sprint is determined by the Scrum Team based on their empirical experience and their ability to deliver a potentially releasable Increment of value. The “cone of uncertainty” does not provide any guidance on how long a Sprint should be or how much work can be done in a Sprint.

A Scrum Master does not fulfill the same role as a traditional Project Manager. A Project Manager is typically responsible for planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing a project, as well as managing the scope, schedule, budget, quality, risks, and stakeholders of the project1. A Scrum Master is a servant-leader for the Scrum Team, who helps the team understand and enact Scrum values, principles, and practices, and removes impediments to the team’s progress2. A Scrum Master does not manage the project, the scope, the schedule, the budget, or the team, as these are either shared responsibilities or emergent outcomes of the Scrum framework[3] [3]. A Scrum Master also does not have authority over the team or the stakeholders, but rather facilitates collaboration and empowerment among them4.

The Product Owner and the Scrum Master are essential roles in the Scrum Team. They have distinct accountabilities and responsibilities that contribute to the success of the product and the team. The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers. The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum and the Scrum Team. Both roles need to be fully engaged and available to the Scrum Team throughout the Sprint.