CSM Scrum Master Core Competencies — 10 Questions

Question 1

During a Sprint, a stakeholder frequently interrupts the developers to request minor changes to the current Sprint Backlog items. As a Scrum Master, what is the best course of action?

Accepted Answer

Redirect the stakeholder to the Product Owner.. While facilitating a discussion (C) is a reasonable soft-skill approach, the Scrum Guide explicitly states that the Product Owner is responsible for managing the Product Backlog and is the primary point of contact for stakeholders. Redirecting the stakeholder to the Product Owner (B) is the standard Scrum practice to protect the team from scope creep and ensure the Product Owner can manage stakeholder expectations and backlog priorities.

Answer

Allow the changes to keep the stakeholder satisfied.

Answer

Facilitate a discussion with the team and stakeholder regarding the impact of these interruptions.

Answer

Ask the Developers to ignore the stakeholder.

Question 2

Refer to the exhibit. As a Scrum Master, how do you handle this situation in the next Sprint?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a session to discuss feedback integration.. The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team and the organization by facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed. The Sprint Review is the designated time for stakeholder input to foster transparency and inspection. By facilitating a session to discuss how to integrate this feedback into the Product Backlog (led by the Product Owner), the Scrum Master ensures the empirical process is followed and the product evolves based on stakeholder needs.

Answer

Ignore the log; it is just a routine error.

Answer

Instruct the team to accept all future feedback.

Answer

Replace the stakeholder with a more compliant one.

Question 3

A Scrum Master is facilitating a Sprint Retrospective. The Developers are hesitant to speak openly, and the conversation remains superficial. Which two actions should the Scrum Master take to improve the effectiveness of the Retrospective? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Remind the team that the Retrospective is a safe space and that the Scrum Master will not share their comments with management.. To improve a hesitant Retrospective, the Scrum Master should reinforce psychological safety and use facilitation techniques like changing the format to encourage participation. These actions address the root cause of superficial conversation without forcing or dominating, allowing the team to reflect honestly and identify improvements.

Answer

Ask each Developer directly, in turn, to state one thing that went wrong during the Sprint.

Answer

Share your own observations about the team's performance to get the conversation started.

Answer

Cancel the Retrospective and reschedule it for a time when the team is more comfortable.

Question 4

A newly formed Scrum Team is struggling to reach a 'Definition of Done'. Which TWO actions should the Scrum Master prioritize to support the team?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a session to define criteria that ensure the increment is releasable.. The Scrum Master serves as a coach to improve team efficacy. By facilitating the creation of a 'Definition of Done', the Scrum Master helps the team establish a shared understanding of quality. These actions ensure that the product increment meets the necessary standards for release, reducing technical debt and increasing transparency, which is vital for empirical process control and long-term organizational value.

Answer

Write the Definition of Done for the team.

Answer

Force the team to meet daily until they agree on criteria.

Answer

Wait for the Product Owner to define the criteria.

Question 5

Refer to the exhibit. As a Scrum Master, how do you address this misinterpretation of the Sprint Review?

Accepted Answer

Coach the team and stakeholders on the purpose of the Sprint Review.. The Sprint Review is intended for inspecting the increment and adapting the Product Backlog, not for general backlog refinement. The Scrum Master must ensure the event focuses on collaboration and feedback regarding the product's progress. Correcting this misconception is crucial because the Sprint Review serves as the primary feedback loop between stakeholders and the team to ensure the product remains aligned with market needs.

Answer

Update the policy to include Refinement.

Answer

Allow the session to continue as it is.

Answer

Host a separate session for Backlog Refinement.

Question 6

A team has a very high 'WIP' limit and consistently fails to finish items. What is the most appropriate Scrum Master intervention?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a data-driven discussion in the Retrospective.. The Scrum Master should facilitate a retrospective to analyze the cause of the unfinished work. High WIP limits often indicate a lack of focus or poor refinement. By guiding the team to visualize their flow, the Scrum Master helps them identify bottlenecks and understand how limiting work in progress improves cycle time and the ability to achieve the Sprint Goal consistently.

Answer

Mandate a lower WIP limit for the next Sprint.

Answer

Ask the Product Owner to provide fewer items.

Answer

Increase the Sprint length to finish more work.

Question 7

Which THREE traits demonstrate that a Scrum Master is effectively acting as a servant-leader?

Accepted Answer

Removing impediments that block the team.. Servant-leadership focuses on the needs of the team and the organization, prioritizing growth and removing impediments. An effective Scrum Master does not command but enables. These traits foster trust, improve team autonomy, and create an environment where high-performing, self-organizing teams can thrive by focusing on continuous improvement and the delivery of value rather than adhering to rigid, top-down control structures.

Answer

Assigning specific tasks to team members.

Answer

Judging the team's performance based on velocity.

Question 8

A Scrum Master notices that the team is silent during the Daily Scrum, and the Developers only provide status updates to the Scrum Master. How should they respond?

Accepted Answer

Remind the team that the Daily Scrum is for them.. The Daily Scrum is for the Developers to plan their day and synchronize, not a reporting meeting for the Scrum Master. By shifting the focus away from themselves, the Scrum Master encourages peer-to-peer accountability. This is critical because the Daily Scrum is the primary mechanism for the team to inspect their progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan, which is essential for agility.

Answer

Start asking each member specific questions.

Answer

Cancel the Daily Scrum until they can do it properly.

Answer

Report the lack of engagement to management.

Question 9

A stakeholder asks the Scrum Master to add a high-priority feature to the current Sprint. What is the correct response?

Accepted Answer

Direct the stakeholder to the Product Owner.. The Scrum Master must uphold the integrity of the Sprint. Changes that jeopardize the Sprint Goal are discouraged. By coaching the stakeholder to work with the Product Owner for the next Sprint, the Scrum Master maintains the team's focus and ensures that the Product Backlog management remains transparent and orderly. This protects the team from constant disruption, which is vital for maintaining high productivity and quality standards.

Answer

Accept the feature if the team has capacity.

Answer

Add the feature but remove an equal amount of work.

Answer

Ask the team to vote on the new request.

Question 10

A Scrum Master discovers that the team is not holding Retrospectives because they feel they are 'too busy'. Which THREE actions should the Scrum Master take?

Accepted Answer

Explain the value of inspection and adaptation.. The Retrospective is the primary event for process improvement and is mandatory in Scrum. Without it, the team loses the ability to adapt. By emphasizing the long-term benefits of the event, the Scrum Master helps the team prioritize improvement as part of their work. This is essential for building sustainable pace and preventing the accumulation of process inefficiencies that eventually lead to burnout or technical stagnation.

Answer

Respect the team's decision to skip the meeting.

Answer

Report the team to management for non-compliance.