Scrum Master's First Action When a Task Is Blocked
During a daily standup, a developer mentions that a critical integration task is blocked because the API documentation from an external vendor is incomplete. The sprint ends in three days, and this task is on the critical path. What should the scrum master do FIRST?
Quick Answer
The correct first action is to work with the vendor to obtain the missing documentation and update the team, because the Scrum Master’s primary responsibility is to remove impediments that block the team’s progress, especially when a task is on the critical path with only three days left in the sprint. This scenario tests your understanding of servant leadership and the Scrum Master’s role as an impediment remover, a key concept on the PMP exam where you must distinguish between what the Scrum Master does directly versus what they delegate or escalate. A common trap is choosing to escalate immediately or assign a developer to fix the vendor’s issue, but the PMP emphasizes that the Scrum Master should first attempt to resolve the blockage themselves before escalating. Remember the mnemonic “FIRST: Fix Impediments, Resolve, Support, Then escalate”—the Scrum Master acts as a shield, not a delegator, when a blocked task threatens the sprint goal.
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse the Scrum Master's role with that of a project manager, leading them to escalate (A) or reprioritize (C) instead of directly removing the technical impediment.
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
✓
Work with the vendor to obtain the missing documentation and update the team.
The Scrum Master's first responsibility is to remove impediments. Since the task is on the critical path and the sprint ends in three days, the Scrum Master should directly engage with the external vendor to obtain the missing API documentation, thereby unblocking the developer. This action aligns with the Scrum Master's role as a servant leader and facilitator of technical progress.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the project sponsor immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation should be a later step after attempting resolution.
- ✗
Ask the developer to create the missing documentation themselves.
Why it's wrong here
This is not the team's responsibility and could lead to inaccurate documentation.
- ✗
Inform the product owner and ask them to reprioritize the backlog.
Why it's wrong here
Reprioritization may be needed but first try to remove the block.
- ✓
Work with the vendor to obtain the missing documentation and update the team.
Why this is correct
The scrum master removes impediments.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Procurement and Vendor Management
Key term
Daily Standup
A short, time-boxed daily meeting where team members share progress, plans, and blockers to stay aligned.
Key term
Scrum Methodology
Scrum is a lightweight process framework that helps teams deliver complex projects in small, iterative chunks called sprints.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on PMP
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Variation 1. During a daily standup, a developer mentions that a critical integration task will take longer than expected because of a technical dependency on another team. The project is on a tight schedule. Which THREE actions should you take?
easy- ✓ A.Help the team remove the impediment by coordinating with the other team's manager
- B.Add more tasks to the sprint to keep the team busy
- ✓ C.Ask the product owner to reprioritize the backlog if the delay affects the sprint goal
- D.Immediately inform the sponsor that the project will be delayed
- ✓ E.Update the risk register with the potential delay and mitigation actions
Why A: Removing impediments is a key responsibility of the project manager or Scrum Master; coordinating with the other team's manager addresses the dependency promptly. Option C is correct because the product owner should reprioritize the backlog if the delay impacts the sprint goal, ensuring the team works on the most valuable items. Option E is correct because updating the risk register with the potential delay and mitigation actions is a standard risk management practice to track and communicate risks. Option B is incorrect because adding tasks does not resolve the delay and may overwhelm the team. Option D is incorrect because informing the sponsor of a delay is premature; the team should first assess the impact and explore mitigation options.
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.