Scrum Master role in practice

Which of the following is a way the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner?

• A Writing all the Product Backlog items for them
• B Helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management ✓
• C Approving the order of the Product Backlog
• D Acting as the sole channel to stakeholders

Answer: The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management, among other ways.

Which of the following best describes how the Scrum Master serves the organisation?

• A By managing the budget for all teams
• B By leading, training and coaching the organisation in its Scrum adoption ✓
• C By signing off on all releases
• D By assigning tasks to Developers across teams

Answer: The Scrum Master serves the organisation by leading, training and coaching it in its Scrum adoption and removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.

A Developer asks the Scrum Master to assign tasks for the Sprint. What is the most appropriate response?

• A The Scrum Master assigns each task to the most skilled person
• B The Scrum Master coaches the team that Developers self-organise and decide who does the work ✓
• C The Scrum Master asks the Product Owner to assign the tasks
• D The Scrum Master escalates to the functional manager

Answer: Developers are self-managing and decide among themselves who does what. The Scrum Master coaches the team in self-management rather than assigning tasks.

How should a Scrum Master handle impediments raised by the Developers?

• A Solve every impediment personally before the next Daily Scrum
• B Cause the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team's progress ✓
• C Ignore impediments that are outside the team
• D Log them and report to management at the Sprint Review

Answer: The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by causing the removal of impediments to the team's progress, which may mean removing them directly or facilitating their removal.

Is the Scrum Master responsible for ensuring the Scrum events take place and are productive?

• A No, that is solely the Product Owner's job
• B Yes, the Scrum Master ensures all events take place, are positive, productive and kept within the timebox ✓
• C No, events are optional and managed by the Developers
• D Yes, but only the Daily Scrum

Answer: The Scrum Master ensures that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive and kept within the timebox.

During the Sprint Review a stakeholder demands new scope be added to the current Sprint. What should the Scrum Master coach?

• A Add the scope immediately to satisfy the stakeholder
• B New work is captured in the Product Backlog for the Product Owner to order, not forced into the active Sprint ✓
• C Cancel the Sprint and restart with the new scope
• D Let the Developers decide whether to ignore the request

Answer: The Sprint Backlog can be negotiated within the Sprint, but new work and emergent items are captured in the Product Backlog and ordered by the Product Owner. The Sprint Goal should not be undermined.