- A
Instruct the Product Owner to defer all mid-sprint changes to the next sprint.
Why wrong: This is too rigid and may ignore genuinely urgent business needs, damaging stakeholder relationships.
- B
Add a capacity buffer to each sprint to accommodate unexpected requests.
Why wrong: Buffers reduce transparency and often lead to even more scope creep; they do not address the root cause.
- C
Implement a change control board to approve all mid-sprint changes.
Why wrong: A change control board is a traditional project management approach; it adds rigidity and does not align with agile principles.
- D
Facilitate stakeholder negotiation to limit mid-sprint changes and reinforce the importance of the sprint goal.
This balances protecting the sprint while allowing flexibility for critical changes, and it aligns with the Scrum Master's role as a facilitator.
Quick Answer
The answer is to facilitate stakeholder negotiation to limit mid-sprint changes and reinforce the importance of the sprint goal. This is correct because Scrum’s framework protects the sprint backlog from disruption once the sprint has started, ensuring the team can focus on delivering a potentially releasable increment; the Product Owner should not accept new work mid-sprint unless the team can drop an equivalent amount of scope, and the Scrum Master’s role is to coach the Product Owner and stakeholders on this principle. On the CAPM exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Scrum Master’s servant-leader responsibilities and the agile value of responding to change without sacrificing the sprint goal—a common trap is choosing a rigid “defer all changes” option, which ignores truly urgent needs, or a waterfall-style change control board. Remember the mnemonic “Sprint Goal, Not Scope Creep”: if a change threatens the sprint goal, the Scrum Master must negotiate, not just accept or buffer.
CAPM Agile Frameworks and Methodologies Practice Question
This CAPM practice question tests your understanding of agile frameworks and methodologies. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company uses Scrum with two-week sprints. The team's velocity is 30 story points per sprint, and they have a well-refined product backlog. However, stakeholders frequently introduce urgent, high-priority requests mid-sprint, which the Product Owner accepts because of stakeholder pressure. As a result, the team is overcommitted each sprint, often leaving 40% of planned work incomplete. The Product Owner is frustrated because promised features are delayed, and the team feels demotivated due to constant interruptions. The Scrum Master has been asked to intervene. What is the best course of action for the Scrum Master?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Facilitate stakeholder negotiation to limit mid-sprint changes and reinforce the importance of the sprint goal.
The best action is to facilitate negotiation with stakeholders to limit mid-sprint changes and reinforce the sprint goal. This respects the Scrum principle of protecting the sprint backlog while addressing stakeholder needs. Option A (implementing a change control board) is a waterfall practice that adds bureaucracy. Option B (deferring all changes to the next sprint) is too rigid and may not address truly urgent needs. Option D (adding buffer) reduces transparency and does not solve the root cause of overscoping.
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.
- ✗
Instruct the Product Owner to defer all mid-sprint changes to the next sprint.
Why it's wrong here
This is too rigid and may ignore genuinely urgent business needs, damaging stakeholder relationships.
- ✗
Add a capacity buffer to each sprint to accommodate unexpected requests.
Why it's wrong here
Buffers reduce transparency and often lead to even more scope creep; they do not address the root cause.
- ✗
Implement a change control board to approve all mid-sprint changes.
Why it's wrong here
A change control board is a traditional project management approach; it adds rigidity and does not align with agile principles.
- ✓
Facilitate stakeholder negotiation to limit mid-sprint changes and reinforce the importance of the sprint goal.
Why this is correct
This balances protecting the sprint while allowing flexibility for critical changes, and it aligns with the Scrum Master's role as a facilitator.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 CAPM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Agile Frameworks and Methodologies — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CAPM question test?
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: Facilitate stakeholder negotiation to limit mid-sprint changes and reinforce the importance of the sprint goal. — The best action is to facilitate negotiation with stakeholders to limit mid-sprint changes and reinforce the sprint goal. This respects the Scrum principle of protecting the sprint backlog while addressing stakeholder needs. Option A (implementing a change control board) is a waterfall practice that adds bureaucracy. Option B (deferring all changes to the next sprint) is too rigid and may not address truly urgent needs. Option D (adding buffer) reduces transparency and does not solve the root cause of overscoping.
What should I do if I get this CAPM question wrong?
Identify which CAPM exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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