CSM Scrum Team Roles and Accountabilities — 10 Questions

Question 1

Refer to the exhibit.

Accepted Answer

The configuration correctly identifies the mandatory attendees for the Daily Scrum and Sprint Planning events.. The JSON configuration correctly reflects Scrum event participation rules where the Daily Scrum is restricted to developers. Other team members may attend by invitation if they contribute, but only developers participate directly. This matters because strict adherence to event boundaries keeps daily events focused on technical planning and tactical execution without external distraction.

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The configuration is invalid because the Product Owner must attend every Daily Scrum to answer requirement questions.

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The configuration is incorrect because the Scrum Master must lead the Daily Scrum and must be listed as an attendee.

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The configuration is invalid because external stakeholders must be included in Sprint Planning by default.

Question 2

Refer to the exhibit. What is the primary accountability gap causing the performance drop in Sprint 14?

Accepted Answer

The Scrum Master failed to remove the impediment of the Product Owner's travel.. While the Product Owner is responsible for the Product Backlog, the Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide, which includes ensuring that the Scrum Team has the necessary support and that impediments are removed. If the Product Owner's unavailability is an impediment to the team's progress, the Scrum Master is accountable for addressing this with the organization. Option D is a more accurate reflection of the Scrum Master's accountability for removing impediments, whereas Option B incorrectly implies the PO is 'failing' by not being available, rather than the Scrum Master failing to facilitate the necessary environment.

Answer

The Scrum Master failed to manage the Developers' capacity.

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The Product Owner failed to provide necessary availability for the team.

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The Developers failed to pivot to a different backlog item.

Question 3

A Scrum Team has been working together for several Sprints. The Product Owner frequently asks the Developers to take on additional tasks outside the Sprint Backlog to satisfy urgent customer requests. The Developers are unsure how to respond. Who is accountable for ensuring that the Sprint Backlog is not altered mid-Sprint by such requests?

Accepted Answer

The Developers, because they own the Sprint Backlog and manage their own work.. The Developers own the Sprint Backlog and are accountable for managing their work during the Sprint. When urgent requests arise, they should collaborate with the Product Owner to assess the impact on the Sprint Goal, but the final decision on Sprint Backlog changes rests with them. This preserves the team's self-management and focus.

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The Scrum Master, because they enforce Scrum rules.

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The stakeholders, because they provide feedback during the Sprint Review.

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The Product Owner, because they manage the Product Backlog.

Question 4

A Scrum Team is preparing for its first Sprint Review with a new product. The Product Owner wants to ensure the event is effective. Which TWO statements accurately describe the Sprint Review according to the Scrum Guide? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

It is a working session where the Scrum Team and stakeholders collaborate on what to do next.. The Sprint Review is a working session where the Scrum Team and stakeholders collaborate on what was done and what to do next, adapting the Product Backlog. It is the second-to-last event of the Sprint, followed by the Sprint Retrospective. It is not a sign-off, status report, or extendable meeting, so the two correct statements reflect its collaborative, timeboxed, and ordered nature.

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It is a timeboxed event that can be extended if stakeholders have many questions.

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It is a formal sign-off meeting where stakeholders approve or reject the Increment.

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It is a status meeting where the Scrum Master reports the team's velocity to stakeholders.

Question 5

A Scrum Team is preparing for its first Sprint. The Scrum Master is explaining the accountabilities of the Product Owner to the team. Which TWO of the following are accountabilities of the Product Owner? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Ordering the items in the Product Backlog to best achieve goals and missions.. The Product Owner is accountable for the Product Backlog, which includes ensuring its transparency and ordering items to maximize value. These responsibilities are central to the role and distinguish it from the Scrum Master and Developers. The other options describe accountabilities of the Developers or Scrum Master.

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Creating the Definition of Done for the product.

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Coaching the team in self-management and cross-functionality.

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Facilitating Scrum events as requested or needed.

Question 6

During a Sprint, the Developers realize that a key user story cannot be completed because a critical external API is unavailable. The Product Owner is unavailable, and the Sprint Goal is at risk. According to Scrum, what is the most appropriate action?

Accepted Answer

The Developers should collaborate with the Product Owner to renegotiate the Sprint Scope and, if needed, adjust the Sprint Goal while preserving the Sprint's timebox.. The Sprint Goal gives the Scrum Team a shared objective, but it does not fix the scope of the Sprint Backlog. When an impediment threatens the goal, the Developers and Product Owner collaborate to adapt the Sprint Backlog, possibly adjusting the goal if it becomes obsolete, while respecting the Sprint timebox. Cancellation is a Product Owner decision reserved for when the goal no longer makes sense, not for every obstacle.

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The Scrum Master should take over the Developers' work on the blocked story and find a workaround.

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The Developers should continue working on other Product Backlog items and ignore the blocked story until the next Sprint.

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The Developers should cancel the Sprint immediately because the Sprint Goal can no longer be met.

Question 7

A Development Team member consistently interrupts fellow developers during Daily Scrums and pushes technical architectural changes without team consensus. What is the most appropriate Scrum Master response?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a private coaching session with the developer to discuss collaborative norms and active listening.. The Scrum Master acts as a servant leader by facilitating self-organization and resolving impediments without taking direct command. Coaching the individual on collaborative behavior helps preserve team autonomy while addressing disruptive dynamics. This matters because a healthy Scrum Team relies on psychological safety and shared ownership rather than autocratic technical dictation by a single dominant developer.

Answer

Escalate the developer's behavior to the functional engineering manager for a formal performance review.

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Facilitate the Daily Scrum personally to strictly enforce time limits and prevent anyone from speaking out of turn.

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Remove the developer from the Scrum Team immediately to restore immediate harmony during the next sprint.

Question 8

Who holds the final authority for determining the order of items within the Product Backlog in a Scrum environment?

Accepted Answer

The Product Owner, incorporating feedback from stakeholders, customers, and the Scrum Team.. The Product Owner is solely responsible for maximizing product value and managing the Product Backlog. Their decisions regarding ordering reflect stakeholder input, market analysis, and strategic vision. This matters because a single decision-maker prevents conflicting priorities from paralyzing the Development Team during sprint execution and planning.

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The entire Scrum Team through unanimous consensus during Sprint Planning sessions.

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The Scrum Master after facilitating alignment workshops with organizational executives.

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The Development Team based purely on technical dependencies and architectural complexity.

Question 9

A Product Owner is unavailable for three consecutive Sprints due to a medical emergency. Who is responsible for managing the Product Backlog during this absence?

Accepted Answer

The organization must ensure the Product Owner accountabilities are fulfilled through temporary delegation or reassignment.. The Scrum Guide states that the Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management. If the Product Owner is unavailable, the organization must ensure this accountability is fulfilled. While others may help with the mechanics, the accountability remains with the Product Owner role or requires an explicit handover. This ensures the team remains focused on value delivery while maintaining clarity on product direction despite unforeseen personnel changes.

Answer

The Scrum Master takes over all Product Owner accountabilities until they return.

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The Developers collectively decide on the priority of the Product Backlog items.

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The Sprint remains frozen until the Product Owner returns to manage the backlog.

Question 10

Which TWO of the following describe a responsibility of the Scrum Master regarding the Developers?

Accepted Answer

Coaching the team in organizational environments in which Scrum is not yet fully adopted.. The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by coaching the Developers in self-management and cross-functionality. By facilitating sessions and removing impediments, the Scrum Master helps the team increase its effectiveness. These responsibilities are critical for building a high-performing team that can navigate complex work without needing external command-and-control management, which is essential for long-term project success and agility.

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Assigning specific tasks to Developers to ensure the Sprint Goal is met.

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Approving the final Increment at the end of the Sprint.

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Managing the daily schedule of each Developer to track individual utilization.