Pass the Scrum Professional Scrum Master PSM-I Questions and answers with CertsForce

 According to the Scrum Guide, the time-boxed events in Scrum are Sprint Retrospective, Sprint Planning, and Daily Scrum. These events have a maximum duration that cannot be exceeded. The other options are not time-boxed events in Scrum, as they are either not part of Scrum (such as Release Planning, Release Retrospective, Sprint Testing, and Sprint 0) or not events at all (such as Definition of Done).

The best answer is C. When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition Of Done.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , “the Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.” The Scrum Guide also states that “when multiple Scrum Teams are working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done. This ensures transparency and consistency among the teams and makes their combined work potentially releasable.”

A, B, and D are not correct answers.

A. Each Scrum Team uses its own, but must make their definition clear to all other teams so the differences are known.

This answer does not reflect the Scrum value of alignment 2 . Having different Definitions of Done for each Scrum Team can create confusion and inconsistency in the quality and completeness of the product. It can also make it difficult to integrate and deliver a coherent and valuable Increment at the end of each Sprint.

B. The Scrum Masters from each Scrum Team define a common Definition of Done.

This answer does not reflect the Scrum principle of self-organization 3 . The Definition of Done should be created by the Developers who are responsible for delivering the Increment, not by the Scrum Masters who are responsible for facilitating and coaching the Scrum Teams. The Scrum Masters can help the Developers understand and apply the Definition of Done, but they should not impose it on them.

D. Each Scrum Team defines and uses its own. The differences are discussed and reconciled during a hardening Sprint.

This answer does not reflect the Scrum value of focus 2 . Having different Definitions of Done for each Scrum Team can lead to technical debt or rework that requires a hardening Sprint to resolve. A hardening Sprint is an anti-pattern that violates the rule of delivering a potentially releasable Increment at the end of each Sprint 4 .

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , each Sprint is a project with no more than a one-month horizon. The Sprint Goal gives guidance to why the Scrum Team is building an Increment. The Development Team consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of “Done” product at the end of each Sprint. Therefore, in the first Sprint, as in any other Sprint, the Development Team should develop at least one piece of functionality and create an increment of potentially releasable software. The other options are not consistent with Scrum values and principles.

A Scrum Team is a cohesive unit of professionals that consists of one Product Owner, one Scrum Master, and Developers, as stated in the Scrum Guide: “The Scrum Team consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers. Within a Scrum Team, there are no sub-teams or hierarchies. It is a cohesive unit of professionals focused on one objective at a time, the Product Goal.”

The correct answer is B, because the time-box for a Daily Scrum is 15 minutes. The Scrum Guide states that “the Daily Scrum is a 15-minute time-boxed event for the Development Team to synchronize activities and create a plan for the next 24 hours.”

The correct answer is A, because the Scrum Guide states that “the definition of ‘Done’ is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.” Therefore, non-functional requirements should be part of the definition of ‘Done’ and ensure every Increment meets them.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done. Inspected elements often vary with domain, practices, and people involved. The Scrum Team identifies the most helpful changes to improve its effectiveness. The most impactful improvements are addressed as soon as possible. They may even be added to the Sprint Backlog for the next Sprint. Therefore, two appropriate topics for discussion during a Sprint Retrospective are:

Identifying high priority process improvements for the next Sprint.

How the team collaborates.

The other options are not relevant or appropriate for the Sprint Retrospective.

Correct Answer: C and E

Short Explanation: According to the Scrum Guide 2020 1 , the product has one Product Backlog, which is the single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team. The Product Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner, who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. There should be only one Product Owner per product, who may represent the desires of a committee in the Product Backlog, but those wanting to change a Product Backlog item’s priority must address the Product Owner 1 . Having multiple Product Owners or Product Backlogs would create confusion, inconsistency, and waste in the Scrum process.

The correct answers are B and D. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness and helps the team improve its practices within the Scrum framework. One important way this happens is by facilitating Scrum Team decisions. That makes Option B correct. The Scrum Master does not make decisions for the team, but helps create the conditions for effective collaboration, self-management, and sound decision-making. This support improves the team’s ability to inspect, adapt, and work productively.

Option D is also correct because the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team’s progress. Impediments reduce flow, create delays, and lower effectiveness. By helping remove those obstacles, the Scrum Master enables the team to focus on creating valuable Increments.

Option A is incorrect because ordering the Product Backlog is the Product Owner’s accountability, not the Scrum Master’s. Option C is too narrow. While the Scrum Master helps ensure Scrum events are positive, productive, and within the timebox, simply starting and ending meetings on time is not one of the two primary ways they help maximize team productivity. Their deeper contribution is enabling effectiveness and removing barriers.

According to the Scrum Guide, the amount of work required of the Developers to complete a Product Backlog item selected during the Sprint Planning is as much as is required to meet the Scrum Team’s Definition of Done. This means that the Developers must ensure that every item they work on is in a usable condition and meets all quality standards agreed upon by the team. The other options are not valid descriptions of the amount of work required, as they are either too vague (such as all development work and some testing or a proportional amount of time) or incorrect (such as fitting as much as possible or deferring work to the next Sprint).