CAPM Agile Frameworks and Methodologies Practice Question
During Sprint Planning, the Development Team realizes that the total effort for the selected Product Backlog items exceeds their historical velocity. What should the team do?
⚠ Common exam trap
CAPM often tests the fixed nature of Sprint duration and the collaborative scope negotiation — candidates may choose to extend the Sprint or lower quality instead of adjusting scope.
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
✓
Remove some lower-priority items from the Sprint Backlog in agreement with the Product Owner.
When the total effort for selected Product Backlog items exceeds the team's historical velocity, the team should collaborate with the Product Owner to remove lower-priority items from the Sprint Backlog. This keeps the Sprint Goal achievable and respects the team's capacity, which is a core Scrum principle. The Sprint Backlog is a forecast, not a commitment, and can be adjusted as long as the Sprint Goal is not endangered.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Extend the Sprint duration to accommodate all the work.
Why it's wrong here
Sprints are fixed-length timeboxes; extending one breaks the cadence that empiricism and forecasting depend on, so scope must be reduced instead. It tempts because longer durations appear to fit more work, and would be valid only for a deliberately renegotiated Sprint length agreed before the Sprint begins.
- ✗
Commit to all items and work extra hours to deliver.
Why it's wrong here
Committing to work exceeding historical velocity contradicts the empirical forecasting Sprint Planning relies on; the team should renegotiate scope with the Product Owner instead. Extra hours tempt because overtime can absorb short-term spikes, and would fit a genuine production incident rather than routine capacity planning.
- ✗
Lower the Definition of Done to complete items faster.
Why it's wrong here
Weakening the Definition of Done to fit capacity produces increments that are not genuinely releasable, violating the quality commitment the Scrum Team owns. It tempts as a way to show completed items, and would be legitimate only when the team formally agrees a revised, still-rigorous Done standard.
- ✓
Remove some lower-priority items from the Sprint Backlog in agreement with the Product Owner.
Why this is correct
Velocity is a planning constraint, not a target to exceed. The team and Product Owner renegotiate scope, removing lower-priority Product Backlog items so the Sprint Backlog fits historical capacity, preserving the Sprint Goal and sustainable pace.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on CAPM
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During a Sprint, the development team realizes they have taken on more work than they can complete. According to Scrum, what should they do?
easy- ✓ A.Collaborate with the Product Owner to remove or defer some Product Backlog items.
- B.Continue working and deliver whatever is done at the end of the Sprint, regardless of missing items.
- C.Inform management about the issue and ask for more resources.
- D.Extend the Sprint duration to complete all the work.
Why A: In Scrum, the development team is self-managing and responsible for committing to a Sprint Goal. If they realize they have taken on too much work, the correct action is to collaborate with the Product Owner to remove or defer Product Backlog items, as this preserves the Sprint's timebox and focus on the highest-value work. This aligns with the Scrum principle of transparency and inspection, allowing the team to adjust the Sprint Backlog without changing the Sprint duration.
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PMI exam blueprint
This CAPM practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CAPM exam.