CAPM Agile Frameworks and Methodologies Practice Question
An agile team is using a burndown chart for the first time. After six days of a two-week sprint, the burndown chart shows that the remaining work has increased compared to the previous day. The team is confused. They had completed several tasks, but new tasks were added to the sprint backlog after the sprint started. The product owner says the additions were urgent and necessary. The development team is frustrated because they feel the sprint goal is at risk. The Scrum Master must address this situation. What should the Scrum Master do?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume the sprint backlog is completely frozen once the sprint starts, but Scrum allows changes as long as the team and product owner agree and the sprint goal remains viable.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ask the product owner and team to renegotiate the sprint scope, either removing some planned work or deferring the new work to the next sprint
The Scrum Master should facilitate a negotiation between the product owner and the development team to re-evaluate the sprint backlog. In Scrum, the sprint backlog can be clarified or renegotiated with the product owner, but the sprint goal must remain achievable. By asking the team and product owner to either remove planned work or defer the new tasks, the Scrum Master protects the sprint goal and maintains team focus, which is the core responsibility of the Scrum Master in an agile framework.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Instruct the team to ignore the burndown chart and focus on delivering the original sprint goal
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring the chart discards the empirical data revealing scope creep, leaving the sprint goal risk unmanaged. It is tempting because the original goal still matters, and setting the chart aside would be reasonable if the increase were a plotting artefact rather than genuine added backlog items.
- ✗
Explain to the product owner that the sprint backlog is frozen once the sprint starts and cannot be changed
Why it's wrong here
The sprint backlog is not frozen; the team may renegotiate scope with the product owner, so this misstates Scrum rules and blocks the needed conversation. It is tempting because protecting the sprint goal from mid-sprint additions is legitimate, and refusing changes would be right if the goal were already unachievable.
- ✓
Ask the product owner and team to renegotiate the sprint scope, either removing some planned work or deferring the new work to the next sprint
Why this is correct
Scope added mid-sprint inflates remaining work, breaking the burndown and risking the sprint goal. Renegotiating scope with the product owner restores a realistic forecast, either by removing equivalent planned work or deferring the new items to the next sprint.
- ✗
Manually adjust the burndown chart to show the completed tasks and hide the additional work
Why it's wrong here
Falsifying the chart conceals the scope change that caused the increase, removing the transparency the team needs to address the sprint goal risk. It is tempting because the chart would look tidy again, and manual correction would suit a genuine data-entry error rather than real added work.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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