Removing Impediments During Daily Standup as a Scrum Master
During a daily standup, a developer mentions a technical issue that will likely delay a user story by three days. What is the BEST action for the Scrum Master to take?
Quick Answer
Recording the impediment and following up with the developer after the standup is correct because it protects the core design of the daily standup itself: a short, time-boxed synchronization event meant to surface status and blockers quickly, not a working session for solving them. If the Scrum Master stopped to problem-solve the technical issue on the spot, the meeting would run long and everyone else on the team would be stuck waiting through a conversation that only concerns two people, which defeats the purpose of keeping the event brief and focused. At the same time, the impediment absolutely needs attention, since a three-day delay to a user story is significant, so the Scrum Master doesn't ignore it or wait until the next planning event; they capture it immediately and address it right after the standup ends, consistent with the Scrum Master's core responsibility of removing obstacles for the team. This balances two things that can look like they're in tension: respecting the standup's time-box and taking the impediment seriously. Whenever a scenario describes a problem surfacing during a standup, expect the correct answer to separate acknowledging and capturing the issue from actually solving it, with the deeper discussion happening immediately afterward rather than during the event or being deferred indefinitely.
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the Scrum Master's role with a project manager or technical lead, leading them to choose escalation (A) or immediate problem-solving (B) instead of the correct impediment-removal action (D).
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
✓
Record the impediment and work with the developer after the standup to resolve it
The Scrum Master's primary role is to remove impediments for the team. Recording the impediment and working with the developer after the standup ensures the daily standup remains a time-boxed synchronization event (15 minutes) and does not derail into a problem-solving session, which violates the Scrum Guide. The technical issue causing a three-day delay is an impediment that the Scrum Master must help resolve, not a task to delegate or escalate immediately.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Tell the developer to escalate to the project manager
Why it's wrong here
In Scrum, the Scrum Master handles impediments, not a separate PM.
- ✗
Ask the team to stay after the standup to solve the problem immediately
Why it's wrong here
This would derail the standup's purpose and waste other team members' time.
- ✗
Assign the issue to the product owner for prioritization
Why it's wrong here
The product owner focuses on value; technical impediments are the Scrum Master's responsibility.
- ✓
Record the impediment and work with the developer after the standup to resolve it
Why this is correct
The Scrum Master is responsible for removing impediments. Addressing it after the standup is appropriate.
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Variation 1. In a daily standup, a developer mentions that a task is taking longer than expected due to an unfamiliar technology. The sprint goal may be at risk. As a Scrum Master, what should you do FIRST?
easy- A.Assign the task to a more experienced developer
- B.Escalate to the product owner to descope the task
- ✓ C.Work with the developer and team to find a solution or pair with an expert
- D.Add the issue to the risk register for future sprints
Why C: The Scrum Master's first responsibility is to facilitate the team in self-organizing to remove impediments. In this scenario, the developer is blocked due to unfamiliar technology; the Scrum Master should coach the team to collaborate, such as through pair programming or knowledge sharing, to keep the sprint goal on track. Option A is incorrect as it undermines the team's self-organization and imposes a command-and-control approach. Option B is premature; descoping should only be considered after the team has attempted to resolve the issue internally and determined it's not feasible. Option D delays the issue unnecessarily; the Scrum Master should address impediments immediately, not defer them to a risk register.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PMP 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 PMP exam.