PSM-II Professional Scrum Master level II (PSM II) Questions and Answers

• C: Velocity has no direct relationship with value. This is a true statement, as velocity is a measure of the amount of work done by a Scrum Team in a Sprint, not the value or quality of that work. Velocity can vary depending on many factors, such as the size, complexity, and priority of the Product Backlog items, the skills and experience of the Developers, the Definition of Done, and the Sprint length. Therefore, velocity is not a reliable indicator of value creation or team performance.
• D: Velocity is the amount of business functionality that a Scrum Team creates in a Sprint. It is unique to that team and used as an input to Sprint Planning. This is a true statement, as velocity is a team-specific metric that reflects how much business functionality the Scrum Team can deliver in a Sprint. Velocity can help the Scrum Team to forecast how many Product Backlog items they can select for the next Sprint, based on their past performance and current capacity. However, velocity is not a goal or a target for the Scrum Team, and it should not be compared across teams.

References:

• Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 15: “Velocity is a measure of how much work a team can complete in a given time period. It is usually expressed in terms of story points or function points per Sprint.”
• Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 16: “Velocity is not a measure of value or quality. It does not tell us anything about the usefulness, usability, or desirability of the product increment.”
• Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 17: “Velocity is unique to each team and depends on many factors, such as the size and complexity of the work items, the skills and experience of the team members, the definition of done, and the length of the Sprint.”
• Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 18: “Velocity can be used as an input for Sprint Planning, to help the team forecast how much work they can realistically accomplish in the next Sprint. However, velocity is not a goal or a target for the team, and it should not be used to compare or evaluate teams.”

 Done means that the Increment is in a usable condition and meets the Scrum Team’s Definition of Done. 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 Definition of Done creates transparency by providing everyone a shared understanding of what work was completed as part of the Increment. Having an Increment that could be released to end users means that it is potentially releasable, which is one of the goals of Scrum. All work performed meets the Definition of Done means that the Developers have ensured that every Product Backlog item selected for the Sprint conforms to the agreed quality standards.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 10-11
• What is a Definition of Done?, Scrum.org, accessed on September 30, 2023
• DONE Understanding Of The Definition Of "Done”, Scrum.org, December 16, 2019

Technical debt is the implied cost of rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of a better approach that would take longer1. Reducing the Definition of Done for the next three Sprints will create technical debt, which will have negative impacts on the product quality, value, and delivery. Two ways to explain these impacts to the Product Owner are:

• Releasing the version creates false assumptions about the actual state of the system. This is likely to result in interruptions during future Sprints in order to react to unforeseen problems arising from not having met the Definition of Done2. This will reduce the transparency, predictability, and adaptability of the Scrum process, and compromise the trust and satisfaction of the customers and stakeholders.
• As development progresses and functionality is added upon the reduced Definition of Done, unknown errors will creep in. The system becomes more difficult to stabilize. Work for the actual release as well as future releases will be slowed down in unpredictable ways3. This will increase the complexity, risk, and cost of the product development, and lower the value and quality of the product.

References:

• What is Technical Debt in Scrum? | StarAgile, section “The technical debt is created when”.
• Technical Debt & Scrum: Who Is Responsible? | Scrum.org, section “What Is Technical Debt?”.
• Managing Technical Debt in a Scrum Project | SCRUMstudy Blog, section “Technical debt accrues”.

The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum, which includes helping the Scrum Team and the organization understand and enact Scrum values, principles, and practices. The Scrum Master should offer guidance that:

• Addresses the root cause of the conflict, not just the symptoms or the consequences.
• Empowers the Scrum Team to self-organize and collaborate effectively, without relying on external intervention or authority.
• Fosters a culture of transparency, inspection, and adaptation, where feedback is welcomed and used to improve the product and the process.
• Focuses on delivering value to the customer and meeting the Sprint Goal, not on following a fixed plan or satisfying individual preferences.

Therefore, the best option is to address why requirements change during the Sprint Retrospective ©, which is an event that allows the Scrum Team to inspect how they worked together and create a plan for improvements. The Scrum Master should ask the Developers and the Product Owner to talk about why the requirements are changing and consider the impact on value during this discussion. This will help them understand each other’s perspectives, clarify their expectations, and align their goals.

The other options are not appropriate because they:

• Take everyone to a 2-day off-site event to relax and re-align (A), which may be a nice gesture, but does not solve the underlying problem or help the Scrum Team improve their collaboration skills. It may also be seen as a distraction or a reward for poor performance.
• Ask each person’s functional manager to instruct their employees that they must collaborate better, or be removed from the team (B), which undermines the self-organization and autonomy of the Scrum Team and introduces a threat of punishment that may damage trust and motivation. It also violates the Scrum value of respect and the principle of servant leadership.
• Ask for a project manager or other external resource to mediate and temporarily take over for the Product Owner (D), which creates a dependency on an outsider who may not have the necessary knowledge, authority, or vision to manage the product. It also violates the Scrum role of the Product Owner and the principle of single-wringable-neck.

References: : [Scrum Guide], The Scrum Master : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint Retrospective : [Scrum Guide], The Product Owner : [Scrum Guide], The Developers : [Scrum Guide], Scrum Values

 The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by coaching them and the organization how to work empirically, which means using an evidence-based approach to inspect and adapt the product and the process1. The Scrum Master also facilitates Scrum events as requested or needed, such as the Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective2. The Scrum Master ensures that these events are positive, productive, and kept within the timebox2.

The Scrum Master does not resolve every impediment that the Developers run into, but rather helps them to remove or overcome those impediments themselves3. The Scrum Master also does not never intervene in matters of the Scrum Team, but rather balances between providing guidance and allowing autonomy. The Scrum Master is not a passive observer, but an active servant leader who supports the team in achieving their goals.

References:

• What is a Scrum Master? | Scrum.org, section “The Accountabilities of the Scrum Master”
• The Scrum Guide 2020, section “The Scrum Master”
• What is a scrum master? [+ Responsibilities] | Atlassian, section “Scrum master responsibilities”
• [The 8 Stances of a Scrum Master by Barry Overeem], section “The Servant Leader”
• [What Is a Scrum Master (and How Do I Become One)? - Coursera], section “What is a scrum master?”

 The best action for the Scrum Master to take in this situation is to conduct a session to help the Scrum Team resolve the conflict and create a uniform Definition of Done. This is because the Scrum Master is a servant-leader, a facilitator, and a coach to the team, who should have the skills to help resolve conflicts if called upon by the team1. The Scrum Master can employ various strategies to effectively resolve conflicts within the Scrum Team, such as promoting open communication, facilitating active listening, mediating disagreements, and fostering collaboration2. The Scrum Master can also remind the team members that conflicting ideas are natural and can be beneficial for innovation and learning, but making it personal does not help and violates the Scrum values of respect and openness3. The Scrum Master can guide the team to create a clear and shared Definition of Done that reflects their quality standards and expectations for the product4.

The other options are not the best actions for the Scrum Master to take, because they either undermine the self-organization and autonomy of the team, escalate the conflict, or avoid addressing the root cause of the problem.

B. Developers with an interest in Stella’s domain could volunteer to take on this work in their respective Scrum Teams.

• This is a good solution because it is consistent with the Scrum value of commitment, which means that the Scrum Team members are willing to learn new skills and take on new challenges to deliver value12. By volunteering to take on this work, the Developers can reduce the dependency on Stella, increase their cross-functionality, and collaborate more effectively within and across the Scrum Teams34. F. Ask Stella for a plan to hire and train additional people in her domain, and in the meantime work with the Product Owner and Scrum Teams to re-prioritize the work so that tasks not depending on Stella can be done first
• This is another good solution because it is consistent with the Scrum principle of empiricism, which means that the Scrum Team learns and adapts based on the actual outcomes and feedback, rather than following a predefined plan12. By asking Stella for a plan to hire and train additional people, the Scrum Master can help address the root cause of the dependency and create more capacity and diversity in Stella’s domain. By working with the Product Owner and Scrum Teams to re-prioritize the work, the Scrum Master can also help optimize the value and feasibility of the product backlog items, and enable the Scrum Teams to deliver valuable and functional increments every Sprint34. G. Create a team with Stella and identify people from the Scrum Teams to temporarily work in Stella’s domain to learn to better serve the existing teams
• This is also a good solution because it is consistent with the Scrum value of respect, which means that the Scrum Team members appreciate and value each other’s skills and perspectives12. By creating a team with Stella, the Scrum Master can acknowledge and leverage Stella’s expertise and experience in her domain. By identifying people from the Scrum Teams to temporarily work in Stella’s domain, the Scrum Master can also facilitate knowledge transfer and skill development among the team members, which can improve their self-organization and collaboration34.

References: 1: Scrum Values | Scrum.org 2: Scrum Values - Atlassian 3: Scrum Guide | Scrum Guides 4: Scrum - What is it, how it works, & how to start - Atlassian

 The Sprint Retrospective is a Scrum event in which the Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done1. The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness1. The Scrum Team should focus on improving the quality of the product Increment, not on increasing the measured velocity. Velocity is a metric that indicates how much work the team has completed in a Sprint, but it does not reflect the value or quality of that work. Working product is one of the primary measures of progress in Agile.

Some actions that the Scrum Master can take in this situation are:

• Facilitate a discussion on how to improve the quality to a level sufficient for production, even if the measured velocity will drop in the next Sprint. This action will help the Scrum Team to identify and address the root causes of the quality issues, and to plan actions for improvement. The Scrum Master should encourage the Scrum Team to inspect their Definition of Done, their testing and quality assurance practices, their technical debt, and their collaboration with stakeholders. The Scrum Master should also help the Scrum Team to prioritize quality over quantity, and to understand that delivering a potentially releasable Increment at the end of every Sprint is one of the goals of Scrum.
• Stress the value of working product over measured velocity. This action will help the Scrum Team to align their work with the Agile values and principles, and to focus on delivering value to the customers and users. The Scrum Master should remind the Scrum Team that velocity is not a goal or a measure of success, but a tool for planning and forecasting. The Scrum Master should also help the Scrum Team to avoid falling into the trap of velocity-driven development, where they sacrifice quality, sustainability, and customer satisfaction for higher numbers.

Some actions that the Scrum Master should not take in this situation are:

• Agree and praise the Developers for their hard work, so they are motivated to do even more in the next Sprint. This action will not help the Scrum Team to improve their quality or effectiveness, but rather reinforce a false sense of achievement based on velocity. The Scrum Master should acknowledge and appreciate the Developers’ efforts, but also challenge them to inspect and adapt their work processes and outcomes. The Scrum Master should also help the Developers to balance their motivation with realism, and to avoid overcommitting or overestimating their capacity.
• Acknowledge the hard work, but remind the Developers that they need to improve to do even more in the next Sprint. This action will not help the Scrum Team to improve their quality or effectiveness, but rather put pressure on them to increase their velocity. The Scrum Master should not imply that doing more work is equivalent to doing better work, or that higher velocity is expected or desired. The Scrum Master should also help the Developers to avoid burnout, stress, and fatigue caused by unrealistic or unsustainable expectations.

References:

• The Sprint Retrospective - What It Is & Tips for Making the Most of Your Meeting | Scrum Alliance
• How to Measure Sprint Velocity in Agile | Parabol
• What is a Sprint Retrospective? - Zeolearn
• What Is the Goal of Sprint Retrospective Meeting? | Wrike
• What is a Sprint Retrospective? | Scrum.org
• [Principles behind the Agile Manifesto]
• [What is a Product Increment? | Scrum.org]
• [Velocity-driven development: A trap waiting for you | Agile Alliance]

 Respect is one of the Scrum values that means recognizing the value of each individual and their contribution, trusting them to fulfill their tasks, listening to and considering their ideas, and acknowledging their accomplishments. Respect also means honoring the diversity of people, their experiences, and their opinions. Respect facilitates collaboration, learning, and creativity in the Scrum Team.

Some statements that demonstrate respectful behavior in the Scrum Team are:

• Respect the accountabilities of the Scrum Team members. This means that each role in the Scrum Team has a clear set of responsibilities and expectations, and that other team members respect those boundaries and do not interfere with or undermine them. For example, the Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Developers, and the Developers respect that by following the Product Owner’s guidance on what to work on and what not to work on. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide, causing change that increases the productivity of the Scrum Team, and working with other Scrum Masters to increase the effectiveness of the application of Scrum in the organization. The Developers respect that by adhering to the Scrum framework, being open to feedback and improvement, and collaborating with other Scrum Teams when needed.
• Respect people, their experience, diversity, and difference in opinion. This means that each person in the Scrum Team is valued as a skilled professional who brings unique perspectives and insights to the team. The team members respect each other’s expertise, skills, and ideas, and are willing to learn from each other and from their stakeholders. They also respect that people may have different opinions or preferences on how to approach a problem or a solution, and they seek to understand those differences rather than dismiss or ignore them. They engage in constructive dialogue and respectful disagreement when necessary, and they support team decisions even if they are not their personal choices.

Some statements that do not demonstrate respectful behavior in the Scrum Team are:

• Respect the Product Owner by letting them change the Sprint Goal during the Sprint. This is not respectful because it violates the Scrum framework and undermines the Developers’ autonomy and commitment. The Sprint Goal is a shared objective that provides guidance to the Developers on why they are building an Increment. It is crafted by the Product Owner in collaboration with the Developers during Sprint Planning, and it remains fixed for the duration of the Sprint unless a significant change occurs that invalidates it. Allowing the Product Owner to change the Sprint Goal during the Sprint would disrupt the focus and alignment of the Developers, introduce uncertainty and confusion, and reduce transparency and accountability.
• Respect stakeholder expectations that Scrum Teams will meet their forecast. This is not respectful because it implies that stakeholders have unrealistic or unreasonable expectations that are not based on empirical evidence or feedback. The forecast is a plan for what functionality will be delivered in an Increment by the end of a Sprint. It is based on what is known at Sprint Planning, but it is not a guarantee or a commitment. The forecast may change during the Sprint as new information emerges or as unforeseen challenges arise. The Scrum Team respects stakeholders by being transparent about their progress and any changes to their forecast, by delivering a valuable Increment at least by the end of every Sprint, by seeking feedback from stakeholders during Sprint Review, and by incorporating that feedback into future Sprints.

References:

• The Scrum Values
• Understanding the 5 Scrum Values
• Top 5 Scrum Values & Principles

• B: Developers can artificially increase velocity by incurring technical debt. This is a true statement, as some Developers may choose to take shortcuts or compromise on quality in order to deliver more work in a Sprint. However, this is not a sustainable or ethical practice, as it will create more problems and costs in the future. The Scrum Master can help the Developers to avoid this temptation and focus on delivering value and quality instead.
• D: Velocity may unexpectedly drop when the Developers run into technical debt while attempting to complete new Product Backlog items. This is a true statement, as technical debt can act as a drag on the productivity and progress of the Developers. Technical debt can make the work more difficult, complex, or risky, and may require more time and effort to fix or refactor. The Scrum Master can help the Developers to identify and manage technical debt, and communicate its impact to the Product Owner and the stakeholders.

References:

• How Technical Debt Affects Your Velocity1
• Understanding the impact of technical debt on the capacity and velocity2

Adding a second team to work on the same product will introduce some challenges and overheads that can affect the velocity of the original team. For example, the teams will need to coordinate and communicate more frequently, integrate their work more often, resolve any dependencies or conflicts, and align their standards and practices. These activities will consume some time and effort that could otherwise be spent on delivering value. Therefore, the velocity of the original team is likely to decrease and be lower than 18, at least in the short term.

References:

• Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 16: “Adding more people to a complex product development effort does not necessarily increase productivity or reduce time to market. In fact, it often has the opposite effect.”
• Nexus Guide 2020, page 5: “When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on the same product, there are additional complexities that arise. These complexities can be reduced by having the teams adhere to a common definition of “Done” and a single Product Backlog.”

 As the Scrum Master, your role is to serve the Scrum Team by helping them to work effectively and deliver value. You are not responsible for managing the work or assigning tasks to the Developers. You should respect the self-organization and autonomy of the Developers, and support them in finding their own solutions to the problem. You should also facilitate collaboration and communication among the Developers and with other stakeholders.

Some reasons why option B is the correct answer are:

• Asking the Developers what value they get by having the Daily Scrum with all team members present and what might go wrong if all Developers do not attend. This action will help the Scrum Team to understand the purpose and benefits of the Daily Scrum, and to identify and address the risks and consequences of missing it. The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the Developers of the Scrum Team to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work12. The Daily Scrum also provides an opportunity for the Developers to identify and communicate any impediments that are hindering their progress, and request help from the Scrum Master or other team members to resolve them12. The Daily Scrum improves communications, identifies impediments, promotes quick decision-making, and consequently eliminates the need for other meetings12. The Daily Scrum is not a status meeting, but a way for the Developers to collaborate and self-organize around the most important work for the next 24 hours12. If a Developer is missing the Daily Scrum, they may miss important information, feedback, or support from their peers, or they may cause delays, confusion, or conflicts for their team. The Scrum Master should encourage the Developers to share their perspectives and experiences on how the Daily Scrum helps them achieve their Sprint Goal and create a valuable Increment.
• The Scrum Master should also help the Developers to come up with their own solutions on how to ensure full attendance and participation in the Daily Scrum. The Scrum Master should not impose or dictate a solution, but rather coach and guide the Developers to find what works best for them. The Scrum Master should also help the Developers to agree on some ground rules or norms for their Daily Scrum, such as when, where, and how to conduct it, what topics to discuss, and how to handle any issues or conflicts that may arise.

Some reasons why the other options are not correct are:

• A: You do not intervene. The Developers own the Daily Scrum, so they should deal with any issues with attendance. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum Master role. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide1, causing change that increases the productivity of the Scrum Team1, and working with other Scrum Masters to increase the effectiveness of the application of Scrum in the organization1. The Scrum Master should not ignore or avoid a problem that affects the performance or well-being of the Scrum Team, but rather help them address it in a constructive and respectful way. The Scrum Master should also not assume that the Developers know how to deal with any issues with attendance, but rather teach them how to do so effectively.
• C: Talk to the Developer who is missing the Daily Scrum and ask her to always attend the Daily Scrum. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. The Daily Scrum is an event for and by the Developers12, not for reporting or accountability to anyone else. The Scrum Master should not interfere with or dictate how the Developers conduct their Daily Scrum, or make unilateral decisions on behalf of them. The Scrum Master should also not single out or confront a Developer who is missing the Daily Scrum, but rather involve all Developers in finding a solution that works for everyone.
• D: Teach the Developers how to deal with this situation by attending the Daily Scrum yourself. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. The Daily Scrum is an event for and by the Developers12, not for anyone else’s inspection or intervention. The Scrum Master should not attend or participate in the Daily Scrum unless they are actively working on items in the Sprint Backlog12. The presence of an outsider may disrupt or influence the dynamics of the Developers’ communication and collaboration. The Scrum Master should also not teach by doing, but rather by coaching and facilitating.

References:

• What is a Daily Scrum? | Scrum.org
• What Is a Daily Standup? | A Guide to Running Effective Standup Meetings | Atlassian

Splitting a team into two teams is a major decision that should not be taken lightly. It may have implications for the product vision, the product backlog, the sprint goal, the sprint backlog, the definition of done, and the team dynamics. It may also reduce the effectiveness of the Scrum Team by creating dependencies, communication overhead, and coordination challenges. Therefore, before considering such a drastic measure, it is advisable to explore other options to improve the quality and efficiency of the Daily Scrum. One option is to ask for help from another Scrum Master who can observe the Daily Scrum and provide feedback and suggestions.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 3.2 (The Daily Scrum), page 9
• The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 4 (The Daily Scrum), lesson 4 (Common Challenges) and lesson 5 (Tips for an Effective Daily Scrum)

A Scrum Team is self-managing, meaning that they have the autonomy and authority to organize and manage their own work within the boundaries of Scrum. A self-managing Scrum Team:

• Creates their own Sprint Backlog, reflecting all work that is part of the Definition of Done ©, which is a valid option as it shows that the Developers are responsible for planning and executing the work needed to deliver a potentially releasable Increment at the end of each Sprint.
• Collaboratively selects and re-plans their work during the Sprint (D), which is another valid option as it shows that the Developers are able to adapt to changing requirements, priorities, or circumstances within the Sprint, without relying on external instructions or approvals.

The other options are not correct because they:

• Invite management to the Daily Scrum for a progress update and subsequently work with the Scrum Master to optimize the plan for the next day (A), which is not a good option as it shows that the Scrum Team is not self-managing, but rather dependent on management intervention and direction. The Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers to inspect their progress and plan their work for the next 24 hours, not a status report for management or anyone else.
• Work strictly within the boundaries of their function description, and hand off work in a timely fashion to the other members within the team (B), which is not a good option as it shows that the Scrum Team is not self-managing, but rather following a rigid and siloed structure. The Developers are cross-functional, meaning that they have all the skills necessary to create a “Done” Increment, and they collaborate and coordinate their work as one team, not as separate individuals or roles.
• Invite the right external people to the Sprint Planning to help them create a complete and detailed Sprint Backlog before the meeting timebox expires (E), which is not a good option as it shows that the Scrum Team is not self-managing, but rather relying on external assistance and input. The Sprint Planning is an event for the Scrum Team to create a Sprint Goal and a Sprint Backlog, based on the Product Owner’s proposal and the Developers’ forecast. The Scrum Team may invite other people to provide advice or expertise, but they are ultimately accountable for their own plan.

References: : [Scrum Guide], The Scrum Team : [Scrum Guide], The Developers : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint Backlog : [Scrum Guide], The Daily Scrum : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint Planning

User documentation is part of your Definition of Done, which means that it is a requirement for delivering a potentially releasable product increment. Your Scrum Team cannot ignore or postpone this requirement, even if there are not enough technical writers for all teams. Your Scrum Team is responsible for creating and maintaining the user documentation, and the Developers are the ones who have the skills and authority to do so. The Scrum Master can help the Developers learn how to write effective user documentation, and the Product Owner can provide feedback on its quality and value.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 9: “The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 10: “The Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.”
• Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 12: “The Definition of Done is a crucial aspect of transparency. If it is not clear when work is done, then stakeholders may make wrong assumptions about the state of the software.”

The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality standards required for the product. The purpose of the Definition of Done is to:

• During the Sprint, it helps the Developers identify the work remaining for an Increment to be ready for release by the end of a Sprint (B), by providing a clear and shared understanding of what “Done” means for each Product Backlog item and the Increment as a whole.
• It creates transparency into the state of the Increment when it is inspected at the Sprint Review ©, by ensuring that everyone involved in the product development has the same expectations and criteria for evaluating the value, usability, and quality of the Increment.
• It guides the Developers when creating a forecast at the Sprint Planning (D), by enabling them to estimate how much work they can realistically complete within a Sprint, based on their capacity, skills, and Definition of Done.

References: : [Scrum Guide], The Definition of Done : [Scrum Guide], The Increment : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint Review : [Scrum Guide], The Sprint Planning