CSM Practice Test 12 — 15 Questions

Question 1

Refer to the exhibit. The Product Owner is unsure which items should be prioritized for the next release. Based on Scrum principles, how should the Scrum Master advise the Product Owner?

Accepted Answer

Suggest prioritizing 'User Authentication' first to mitigate risk while delivering core functionality.. The Scrum Master should coach the Product Owner to balance risk, value, and effort. While the Product Owner retains final say, the Scrum Master can help them apply techniques like MoSCoW or Risk-Adjusted Backlog Grooming. Addressing high-risk, high-value items early is crucial for learning and reducing uncertainty, whereas low-value, low-complexity items are often deferred to optimize the return on investment throughout the product's lifecycle.

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Advise the Product Owner to address the 'Database Migration' first to clear the complex technical debt.

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Tell the Product Owner to group all items by type and complete the lowest complexity items first.

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Recommend that the Scrum Master randomly select the order to ensure the team stays motivated and focused.

Question 2

A Scrum Team is about to hold its Sprint Retrospective at the end of a challenging Sprint. Which TWO statements accurately describe the purpose and format of the Sprint Retrospective according to the Scrum Guide? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

The Sprint Retrospective concludes the Sprint and is timeboxed to a maximum of three hours for a one-month Sprint.. The Sprint Retrospective is a required event that concludes the Sprint. It is timeboxed to a maximum of three hours for a one-month Sprint and is attended by the entire Scrum Team. Its purpose is to inspect the last Sprint and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint, often including adjustments to the Definition of Done.

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The Sprint Retrospective is optional if the team met its Sprint Goal and had no impediments during the Sprint.

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The Sprint Retrospective is attended only by the Scrum Master and Product Owner, who then report findings to the Developers.

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The primary output of the Sprint Retrospective is an updated Product Backlog with newly prioritized items for the next Sprint.

Question 3

The Product Owner is having difficulty defining the 'Definition of Done' (DoD) because they believe quality is a technical concern. How should the Scrum Master guide the Product Owner?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a session where the Product Owner and Developers collaborate to define quality standards that satisfy both product value and technical excellence.. The Scrum Master must clarify that the Product Owner is accountable for the product's value, which is inherently tied to quality. If the increment is not of high quality, it creates technical debt that slows down future progress and decreases total value. Coaching the Product Owner to see quality as a value enabler allows them to collaborate effectively with the Developers to define clear criteria for a releasable increment.

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Tell the Product Owner that the Definition of Done is purely a technical matter for the Developers to decide independently.

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Suggest the Product Owner adopt a market standard definition without consulting the Developers to save time during the Sprint.

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Recommend the Product Owner focus only on the features and let the Scrum Master enforce the Definition of Done.

Question 4

Which TWO of the following are considered accountabilities of the Developers in a Scrum Team?

Accepted Answer

Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog.. Developers are accountable for the technical execution and quality of the increment. They must manage their own work during the Sprint to meet the Definition of Done. These accountabilities ensure that the team focuses on creating a usable, high-quality product increment every Sprint, emphasizing self-management and cross-functionality in achieving the Sprint Goal.

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Defining the product vision and roadmap.

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Final approval of the Definition of Done.

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Managing stakeholder expectations and communications.

Question 5

Refer to the exhibit. As a Scrum Master, what is the most critical issue shown in the error log?

Accepted Answer

Velocity is being reported to management and individual performance is being tracked.. The log indicates the Scrum Master is using Scrum metrics for management reporting and individual tracking, which is an anti-pattern. This destroys transparency, as team members will manipulate velocity to meet management expectations. The Scrum Master must stop these practices to restore the integrity of the Scrum process, as these actions undermine the core Scrum value of trust and prevent the team from honestly inspecting their performance.

Answer

The log format is incorrect for reporting purposes.

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The Scrum Master is tracking the wrong metrics.

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The logging system is not capturing enough information.

Question 6

A Product Owner wants to provide detailed technical requirements for every story to ensure the Developers don't make mistakes. What should the Scrum Master do?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a discussion about the importance of team autonomy and the role of the Product Owner.. The Scrum Master must help the Product Owner understand that the Developers are the experts in technical implementation. Providing too much detail limits their autonomy and ability to innovate. By encouraging the Product Owner to focus on the 'what' and 'why' rather than the 'how,' the Scrum Master fosters a collaborative environment where Developers can leverage their expertise to build better solutions, leading to higher quality and more innovative results.

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Support the Product Owner by helping them write more technical documentation.

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Agree with the Product Owner, as technical errors are costly.

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Tell the Developers to ignore the technical requirements provided by the Product Owner.

Question 7

During the Sprint Planning event, the Development Team realizes they have overcommitted by pulling in too many Product Backlog items. What is the most appropriate course of action according to Scrum principles?

Accepted Answer

Collaborate with the Product Owner to negotiate and remove items from the Sprint Backlog until the forecast matches their actual capacity.. Sprint Planning requires the team to forecast work they can realistically achieve based on historical capacity. When overcommitment becomes clear, collaboration with the Product Owner is essential to adjust the plan. This ensures sustainability, protects team morale, and maintains a transparent view of delivery expectations without compromising quality standards.

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Automatically extend the duration of the current Sprint to accommodate the remaining workload without changing the goal.

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Work mandatory overtime hours throughout the Sprint to ensure all originally selected Product Backlog items are successfully completed.

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Immediately cancel the Sprint and schedule a completely new Sprint Planning session for the following week.

Question 8

Refer to the exhibit. The team is struggling with transparency regarding their progress during the Sprint. Based on the provided policy, what should the Scrum Master prioritize to improve the situation?

Accepted Answer

Ensure the Sprint Backlog is updated and visible to all team members.. Transparency is a pillar of Scrum, and the Scrum Master must ensure it is maintained. By focusing on the Sprint Backlog and visual management, the Scrum Master helps the team see the reality of their progress. This aligns with the 'Required' policy for transparency, ensuring the team can make informed decisions based on accurate data rather than assumptions about their current status during the iteration.

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Create a detailed project plan to track individual tasks.

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Ask the Product Owner to provide daily status updates to stakeholders.

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Assign a lead developer to monitor everyone's progress.

Question 9

A newly formed Scrum Team is clarifying who does what. The Developers ask who is accountable for creating a clear, ordered Product Backlog that maximizes the value the product delivers. Which accountability fits best?

Accepted Answer

The Product Owner, who is accountable for the Product Backlog and its effective management.. The Product Owner is accountable for the Product Backlog, including its content, availability, and ordering. This single accountability ensures the team always works on the most valuable items. The Scrum Master facilitates, the Developers deliver, and stakeholders inform, but only the Product Owner owns backlog clarity and order.

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The stakeholders, because they provide the requirements and business priorities.

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The Scrum Master, because they facilitate all Scrum events and remove impediments.

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The Developers, because they estimate and select the work they will complete each Sprint.

Question 10

A Scrum Team is preparing for its first Sprint. The Product Owner insists on attending every Daily Scrum to ensure the Developers stay aligned with business priorities. The Scrum Master wants to clarify the accountabilities defined in the Scrum Guide. Which TWO statements correctly describe the Scrum Master's accountability in this situation? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

The Scrum Master ensures that the Daily Scrum occurs, but the Developers are accountable for conducting it and may invite others if it serves their purpose.. The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by ensuring Scrum is understood and enacted, and by coaching team members and the organization. The Daily Scrum belongs to the Developers, who may invite others if it helps them inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal. The Scrum Master's response is to coach the Product Owner on the event's purpose, not to bar attendance or escalate.

Answer

The Scrum Master should escalate the Product Owner's behavior to senior management so they can enforce the Scrum Guide.

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The Scrum Master must remove the Product Owner from the Daily Scrum because only Developers may attend the event.

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The Scrum Master is accountable for the Product Backlog and can decide which stakeholders may attend Scrum events.

Question 11

Midway through a Sprint, a Developer identifies that a technical approach will not meet the Sprint Goal and proposes a different design. The Product Owner is concerned about scope but trusts the team. According to Scrum, how should this situation be handled?

Accepted Answer

The Developers should adjust their plan and approach, because they self-manage how to turn Product Backlog items into an Increment of value.. Developers are accountable for managing and adapting their own work, including the technical approach. The Sprint Backlog is a living plan that can change at any time during the Sprint. The Product Owner may discuss scope and value, but the how belongs to the Developers, who are best positioned to make design decisions.

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The change must wait until the Sprint Review, because the Sprint Backlog is frozen once the Sprint begins.

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The Product Owner must approve the new design before any change, since they are accountable for the value delivered.

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The Scrum Master should decide, because they are accountable for removing impediments and ensuring the Sprint Goal is met.

Question 12

A Scrum Team is midway through a one-month Sprint when the Product Owner identifies a critical market shift that makes the current Sprint Goal obsolete. The Developers are split on the best response. The Scrum Master wants to ensure the team follows the Scrum framework. What is the most appropriate action?

Accepted Answer

Have the Product Owner cancel the Sprint and initiate a new Sprint Planning event to establish a new Sprint Goal.. The Product Owner is the sole authority to cancel a Sprint when the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. Canceling stops investment in work that no longer delivers value and allows the team to replan through a new Sprint Planning event. The Scrum Master facilitates the process but does not cancel the Sprint. Waiting until the Sprint Review or continuing as planned both ignore the empirical opportunity to adapt early.

Answer

Wait until the Sprint Review to present the Increment and let stakeholders decide whether to change direction.

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Ask the Scrum Master to cancel the Sprint and immediately reassign the Developers to new tasks without a Sprint Planning event.

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Continue the Sprint as planned because the Sprint Goal was agreed upon and cannot be changed mid-Sprint.

Question 13

A Scrum Team is halfway through a Sprint. The Scrum Master observes that the Developers have stopped using the Daily Scrum to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and instead are giving detailed status reports to the Scrum Master. What is the most appropriate action for the Scrum Master?

Accepted Answer

Coach the Developers on the purpose of the Daily Scrum and help them refocus the event on inspecting progress toward the Sprint Goal.. The Daily Scrum is the Developers' event to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog. When it becomes a status report to the Scrum Master, the Scrum Master should coach the Developers on its purpose and help them reclaim ownership. This supports self-management and empiricism rather than imposing control or changing the framework.

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Take over facilitation of the Daily Scrum and ask each Developer three standard questions to restore structure.

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Cancel the Daily Scrum and replace it with a written status update in a chat channel.

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Escalate to the Product Owner that the Developers are not collaborating effectively during the Daily Scrum.

Question 14

A Scrum Master is helping a Product Owner who struggles to keep the Product Backlog ordered and refined. Which two actions best fit the Scrum Master's accountabilities in this situation? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Facilitate stakeholder collaboration so the Product Owner can make better-informed ordering decisions.. The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by teaching effective Product Backlog management techniques and by facilitating stakeholder collaboration. Both actions build the Product Owner's capability and support informed ordering without taking over the Product Owner's accountability. Directing Developers or letting stakeholders vote would undermine the Product Owner's authority over the backlog.

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Ask the stakeholders to vote on the order of the Product Backlog during the Sprint Review.

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Take over ordering the Product Backlog until the Product Owner becomes proficient, then hand it back.

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Direct the Developers to add technical debt items to the Product Backlog on the Product Owner's behalf.

Question 15

A Scrum Master is working with a new Scrum Team. During the first Sprint Retrospective, the Developers say they feel the Scrum Master should assign tasks to each person to ensure fairness. What is the most appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

Explain that the Developers are self-managing and should decide among themselves how to create and adapt the Sprint Backlog.. The Developers are self-managing and accountable for the Sprint Backlog, so they decide how to organize and assign work. The Scrum Master should explain self-management rather than assign tasks, ask the Product Owner to assign them, or create a rotating schedule. Coaching the team toward self-management supports Scrum's principles and builds long-term capability.

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Agree to assign tasks for the first few Sprints to build fairness, then gradually stop.

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Create a rotating task-assignment schedule and post it in the team room so everyone knows their duties.

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Ask the Product Owner to assign tasks because the Product Owner knows the value of each item.