Quick Answer
The answer is the Product Owner, along with the Scrum Master and Developers, as these three accountabilities form the Scrum core roles. This is correct because the Scrum Guide explicitly defines only these three accountabilities—the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers—as essential for the framework’s operation, with no other roles like Project Manager or Stakeholder considered core. On the Certified Associate in Project Management CAPM exam, this question tests your understanding of the Scrum framework’s foundational structure, often appearing as a multiple-select item where distractors include roles like “Project Manager” or “Business Analyst.” A common trap is assuming the Product Owner is a secondary role, but it is actually a core accountability responsible for maximizing product value and managing the Product Backlog. To remember, think of the three-legged stool: Product Owner (value), Scrum Master (process), and Developers (delivery)—remove any leg, and Scrum falls apart.
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.
Which TWO of the following are core roles in the Scrum framework?
Product Owner
Product Owner is a core Scrum role responsible for maximizing product value.
Business Analyst
Why wrong: Business Analyst is not a defined role in Scrum.
Project Manager
Why wrong: Project Manager is not a Scrum role; Scrum has no Project Manager.
Tester
Why wrong: Testers are part of the Development Team, not a separate role.
Scrum Master
Scrum Master is a core role facilitating Scrum processes.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Product Owner
The Product Owner is a core Scrum role responsible for maximizing the value of the product and managing the Product Backlog. This role is explicitly defined in the Scrum Guide as one of the three accountabilities (alongside the Scrum Master and Developers) and is essential for the framework's operation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Product Owner
Why this is correct
Product Owner is a core Scrum role responsible for maximizing product value.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Business Analyst
Why it's wrong here
Business Analyst is not a defined role in Scrum.
Project Manager
Why it's wrong here
Project Manager is not a Scrum role; Scrum has no Project Manager.
Tester
Why it's wrong here
Testers are part of the Development Team, not a separate role.
Scrum Master
Why this is correct
Scrum Master is a core role facilitating Scrum processes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
PMI often tests the misconception that traditional project roles like Business Analyst or Tester are part of Scrum, when in fact Scrum deliberately minimizes role definitions to three core accountabilities.
Detailed technical explanation
The Scrum framework defines exactly three accountabilities: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers. The Product Owner is the single point of accountability for the Product Backlog, including its ordering and transparency, while the Scrum Master ensures the Scrum process is followed and removes impediments. In practice, if a team tries to add a separate Business Analyst or Tester role, it often leads to silos and undermines the self-managing nature of the Development Team, which is expected to own all aspects of delivery.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Agile Frameworks and Methodologies — This question tests Agile Frameworks and Methodologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Product Owner — The Product Owner is a core Scrum role responsible for maximizing the value of the product and managing the Product Backlog. This role is explicitly defined in the Scrum Guide as one of the three accountabilities (alongside the Scrum Master and Developers) and is essential for the framework's operation.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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