The correct answer is to coach the Product Owner on the Sprint Backlog rule and the impact of changes. This is because the Scrum Master’s core duty is to ensure Scrum theory, rules, and practices are understood and enacted, and the Product Owner violates the fundamental principle that once a Sprint begins, no changes can be made to the Sprint Backlog that would endanger the Sprint Goal. Only the development team can modify the backlog during the Sprint to achieve that goal, so the Scrum Master must address the root cause—the Product Owner’s misunderstanding—rather than simply shielding the team. On the Certified Associate in Project Management CAPM exam, this scenario tests your grasp of the Scrum Master’s servant-leader role and the Sprint Backlog’s immutability, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly choose to “ask the team to adapt” or “escalate to management.” A useful memory tip: think of the Sprint Backlog as a locked contract—once the Sprint starts, the Product Owner can only reorder the Product Backlog, not touch the Sprint Backlog.
CAPM Agile Frameworks and Methodologies Practice Question
This CAPM practice question tests your understanding of agile frameworks and methodologies. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A team is using Scrum and notices that the Product Owner frequently changes priorities during the Sprint, causing the team to rework tasks. What should the Scrum Master do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Coach the Product Owner on the Sprint Backlog rule and the impact of changes.
Option A is correct because the Scrum Master's primary responsibility is to ensure Scrum is understood and enacted. The Product Owner is violating the Sprint Backlog rule, which states that once a Sprint starts, the Product Owner cannot change the Sprint Backlog items; only the team can modify the Sprint Backlog to meet the Sprint Goal. By coaching the Product Owner on this rule and the impact of changes (e.g., rework, loss of focus, and potential Sprint Goal failure), the Scrum Master addresses the root cause without disrupting the team's workflow.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Coach the Product Owner on the Sprint Backlog rule and the impact of changes.
Why this is correct
The Scrum Master coaches the Product Owner to respect the Sprint scope.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Shorten the Sprint duration to minimize rework.
Why it's wrong here
This does not address the behavior causing the problem.
✗
Ask the team to be flexible and accept the changes.
Why it's wrong here
This violates the Sprint Backlog stability principle.
✗
Escalate to the project sponsor for resolution.
Why it's wrong here
Scrum issues should be resolved within the team first.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the Product Owner's authority over the Product Backlog with the Sprint Backlog, assuming the Product Owner can change priorities at any time, when in fact the Sprint Backlog is frozen during the Sprint to protect the team's focus and the Sprint Goal.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the Sprint Backlog is a plan made by the Development Team to achieve the Sprint Goal, and it is owned solely by the team during the Sprint. The Product Owner can only cancel the Sprint if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete, but cannot add or reprioritize items mid-Sprint. In a real-world scenario, if the Product Owner frequently changes priorities, it often indicates a lack of understanding of the Scrum Guide's timeboxing and commitment rules, leading to a 'waterfall in sprints' anti-pattern where the team is treated as a resource pool rather than a self-managing unit.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the CAPM exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Agile Frameworks and Methodologies — This question tests Agile Frameworks and Methodologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Coach the Product Owner on the Sprint Backlog rule and the impact of changes. — Option A is correct because the Scrum Master's primary responsibility is to ensure Scrum is understood and enacted. The Product Owner is violating the Sprint Backlog rule, which states that once a Sprint starts, the Product Owner cannot change the Sprint Backlog items; only the team can modify the Sprint Backlog to meet the Sprint Goal. By coaching the Product Owner on this rule and the impact of changes (e.g., rework, loss of focus, and potential Sprint Goal failure), the Scrum Master addresses the root cause without disrupting the team's workflow.
What should I do if I get this CAPM question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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