CSM Service to the Scrum Team — 10 Questions

Question 1

Refer to the exhibit. The Scrum Team is consistently blocked by an external dependency as shown in the JSON policy. How should the Scrum Master serve the team?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate communication between the Scrum Team and the external Security team to negotiate a timeline for the API access.. The Scrum Master is responsible for removing impediments that the team cannot resolve themselves. Since this is an external dependency, the Scrum Master must engage with the external group or organization to facilitate a resolution. This is vital because the team's inability to resolve external blockers leads to stalled Sprints and missed goals, requiring the Scrum Master to act as a bridge for communication and process improvement.

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Ask the developers to rewrite the API themselves to avoid waiting for the external team.

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Advise the team to work on other backlog items until the Security team provides the API access.

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Instruct the Product Owner to remove the item from the Sprint Backlog immediately.

Question 2

A Scrum Team is struggling to maintain focus during the Sprint because external stakeholders frequently interrupt Developers with requests for minor feature tweaks. How should the Scrum Master address this?

Accepted Answer

Coach the stakeholders on why the Product Owner is the sole person responsible for managing the Product Backlog.. The Scrum Master must protect the team from external interference to ensure the Sprint Goal remains achievable. By coaching stakeholders on the role of the Product Owner, the Scrum Master establishes a clear channel for requirements, allowing Developers to focus on their commitments. This intervention is vital for maintaining velocity and ensuring the Scrum framework's integrity, preventing the team from being constantly derailed by ad-hoc, unplanned tasks.

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Direct the Developers to ignore all external communication until the Sprint ends.

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Update the Sprint Backlog to include these minor tweaks immediately.

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Require that the Developers hold a formal meeting with stakeholders every day.

Question 3

During a Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team identifies that their technical debt is preventing them from meeting the Definition of Done. What is the most effective way for the Scrum Master to serve the team?

Accepted Answer

Advise the Developers to discuss the impact of technical debt with the Product Owner.. The Scrum Master serves the team by facilitating discussions on process improvement and encouraging the team to address impediments. Technical debt is a systemic issue that impacts the quality of increments. By guiding the team to include technical debt reduction in their planning, the Scrum Master helps the team align their work with the Definition of Done and ensures long-term sustainability of the product delivery process.

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Force the team to dedicate 50% of every Sprint exclusively to technical debt.

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Ask the Product Owner to remove items from the Product Backlog to save time.

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Request that management hire additional developers to handle the technical debt.

Question 4

A Scrum Master observes that the Developers are taking too long to reach a consensus during their Daily Scrum. What should the Scrum Master do to support the team?

Accepted Answer

Coach the team on the purpose of the Daily Scrum and help them identify ways to keep it time-boxed.. The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the Developers to synchronize and plan the next 24 hours. When it exceeds this time, the Scrum Master should coach the team on the event's purpose. By reminding them that it is a planning session rather than a problem-solving meeting, the Scrum Master helps restore the event's efficiency while respecting the team's self-management and autonomy.

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Facilitate the meeting and force everyone to speak in a strict rotation.

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Limit the number of people who are allowed to speak during the meeting.

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Suggest that the team move the meeting to an asynchronous communication tool.

Question 5

Which action best demonstrates the Scrum Master's commitment to serving the Scrum Team as a coach?

Accepted Answer

Asking open-ended questions that lead the team to find their own solutions.. A Scrum Master acts as a coach to help the team discover their own solutions to challenges. This shifts the team toward maturity and self-management, which is a fundamental goal of Scrum. By asking powerful, open-ended questions, the Scrum Master encourages reflection and ownership, rather than simply providing answers or directives, which would foster dependency instead of the desired cross-functional team autonomy.

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Updating the team's Jira board daily to ensure tasks are tracked correctly.

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Assigning specific tasks to each team member during the Sprint Planning meeting.

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Attending all meetings to ensure nobody deviates from the official Scrum Guide.

Question 6

The Scrum Master is serving the team during the Sprint Retrospective. Which TWO of the following actions are appropriate for the Scrum Master to take? (Choose two)

Accepted Answer

Facilitate the meeting to ensure all participants have a chance to contribute.. The Scrum Master acts as a facilitator and coach during the Retrospective. They must ensure the event is positive, productive, and focused on improvement. By creating a safe environment and ensuring that actionable items are identified, the Scrum Master helps the team grow. These actions encourage the team to take responsibility for their own process improvements, which is the core purpose of the Sprint Retrospective event in Scrum.

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Direct the team on exactly which process changes they must implement next.

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Invite external stakeholders to witness the team's internal conflicts.

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Assign the least performing team member to lead the next Retrospective.

Question 7

Refer to the exhibit. A Scrum Master notices this status report for a blocker affecting the team. What should be the Scrum Master's immediate response to serving the team?

Accepted Answer

Help the team reach out to the other involved team to facilitate a collaborative solution.. The Scrum Master's role is to facilitate the removal of blockers, especially those requiring external influence. Escalating to management is a last resort, as the Scrum Master should first try to resolve the dependency through direct communication between teams. By actively working to clear the path, the Scrum Master protects the team from organizational friction, allowing them to focus on delivering value without getting bogged down in external bureaucratic delays.

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Immediately send the escalation to upper management to clear the path.

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Document the delay in the Sprint backlog and adjust the Sprint Goal accordingly.

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Tell the Product Owner that the current Sprint is now a failure and should be cancelled.

Question 8

A new team member is struggling to understand their role within the Scrum Team. As a Scrum Master, what is the best way to help?

Accepted Answer

Provide the Scrum Guide and schedule a session to clarify team accountabilities.. The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring the Scrum Team understands its accountabilities. By coaching the new member on the principles of Scrum and the specific roles of Developers, Product Owner, and Scrum Master, the individual gains clarity. This educational approach empowers the team member to contribute effectively while maintaining the structure and values that make Scrum successful, ultimately fostering a more cohesive and productive cross-functional team.

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Assign the new member a set of tasks that align with their previous job title.

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Tell them to watch the other team members and copy their behavior.

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Ask the team to create a new role description for the person.

Question 9

How does the Scrum Master best serve the Product Owner in their work with the Scrum Team?

Accepted Answer

Coaching the Product Owner on techniques for effective Product Backlog management.. The Scrum Master supports the Product Owner by coaching them on effective Product Backlog management and ensuring the team understands the need for clear, concise items. This service improves the flow of value and ensures the team is always working on the most important tasks. By facilitating effective communication between the PO and the team, the Scrum Master ensures alignment on the product vision and individual Sprint goals.

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Writing all the user stories for the Product Owner to save them time.

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Taking over the prioritization of the Product Backlog during the Sprint.

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Filtering all requests from stakeholders so the Product Owner is not bothered.

Question 10

A team is transitioning to Scrum and is facing friction regarding self-management. Which THREE of the following actions should the Scrum Master take to serve the team?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a session to help the team define their own working agreements.. The Scrum Master must lead by coaching and facilitating, not by dictating. These three actions empower the team to take ownership, learn from experience, and structure their work, which are foundational for self-management. By creating a safe environment and focusing on team-level reflection, the Scrum Master helps the team mature into a self-organizing unit that can handle complex work effectively without being micro-managed or directed by external leadership.

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Assign a team lead to ensure that everyone follows the Scrum process.

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Ensure that every team member has a clear and distinct role defined by management.