Agile Scrum Framework Roles Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the primary accountability of the Product Owner?
- Managing the project budget and timeline.
- Maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. (Correct answer)
- Facilitating all Scrum events and ensuring they are productive.
- Directing the daily tasks of the Developers.
Correct answer: Maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.
The Scrum Guide explicitly states that the Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product that the Scrum Team produces. This involves managing the Product Backlog to best achieve the Product Goal.
Question 2: During a Sprint Retrospective, the Developers complain that frequent, unplanned requests from the Head of Sales are disrupting their workflow. What is the most appropriate action for the Scrum Master to take?
- Tell the Developers to work harder to accommodate the requests.
- Report the Head of Sales to senior management for interference.
- Coach the Head of Sales on the Scrum framework and how to properly engage with the Scrum Team through the Product Owner. (Correct answer)
- Immediately add the sales requests to the current Sprint Backlog.
Correct answer: Coach the Head of Sales on the Scrum framework and how to properly engage with the Scrum Team through the Product Owner.
A key service of the Scrum Master is to serve the wider organization by leading, training, and coaching in its Scrum adoption. This includes helping stakeholders understand the process and removing barriers between them and the Scrum Teams.
Question 3: Which of the following statements best describes the Developers on a Scrum Team?
- They report their individual progress and status to the Product Owner daily.
- They are a hierarchical sub-team where a 'lead developer' assigns tasks.
- They are accountable for creating the Sprint Backlog and instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done. (Correct answer)
- They can only consist of software engineers and programmers.
Correct answer: They are accountable for creating the Sprint Backlog and instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done.
The Developers are accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint (the Sprint Backlog) and ensuring quality by adhering to a Definition of Done. They are a self-managing, cross-functional group with no sub-teams or hierarchies.
Question 4: A key stakeholder is unhappy with the progress on a feature and asks a Developer to change the priority of an item in the Product Backlog. How should the Developer respond?
- Make the change, as keeping stakeholders happy is the highest priority.
- Ignore the request as only the Scrum Team can alter the Product Backlog.
- Advise the stakeholder to discuss their concerns and desired changes with the Product Owner. (Correct answer)
- Organize a meeting with the entire Scrum Team to vote on the stakeholder's request.
Correct answer: Advise the stakeholder to discuss their concerns and desired changes with the Product Owner.
The Product Owner is the sole person accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes ordering the items. For anyone to make a change, they must convince the Product Owner.
Question 5: According to the 2020 Scrum Guide, what is the typical size of a Scrum Team?
- Exactly 7, plus or minus 2.
- 3 to 9 Developers, plus the Product Owner and Scrum Master.
- 10 or fewer people. (Correct answer)
- There is no recommendation on team size.
Correct answer: 10 or fewer people.
The 2020 Scrum Guide states, 'The Scrum Team is small enough to remain nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint, typically 10 or fewer people.' This includes the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers.
Question 6: During the Daily Scrum, a Developer says they are having trouble with a technical task. Who is responsible for figuring out the solution?
- The Scrum Master, who must remove the impediment.
- The Product Owner, who defines the requirements for the task.
- The Developers, as a self-managing unit. (Correct answer)
- The designated technical lead on the team.
Correct answer: The Developers, as a self-managing unit.
The Developers are a self-managing team, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how. While the Scrum Master is accountable for causing the removal of impediments the team cannot solve themselves, the Developers are responsible for planning their work and solving problems to meet the Sprint Goal.
Agile Scrum Framework Roles Questions and Answers 1
Which of the following is the primary accountability of the Product Owner?