PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
During a sprint retrospective, the team identifies that the daily standups are too long and not adding value. They suggest implementing a timebox of 15 minutes and a strict 'three questions' format. What should the scrum master do?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates may mistakenly believe the Scrum Master must control or approve all process changes, when in fact the Scrum Master's role is to coach the team to self-manage and support their improvement experiments.
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
✓
Support the team's decision and help enforce the new format in future standups
The Scrum Master is a servant-leader who empowers the team to self-organize and improve its processes. By supporting the team's decision to timebox standups to 15 minutes and enforce the 'three questions' format, the Scrum Master fosters continuous improvement and team ownership, which is a core agile principle. The team's suggestion directly addresses the identified waste (too-long standups) and aligns with the Scrum Guide's recommendation for a focused, timeboxed daily Scrum.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Support the team's decision and help enforce the new format in future standups
Why this is correct
As a Scrum Master, supporting the team's decision to modify their daily standup format directly aligns with the servant-leader role, which emphasizes enabling team self-organization and continuous improvement. The retrospective is specifically designed for the team to inspect and adapt their processes, and the Scrum Master's responsibility includes removing impediments and coaching the team to implement their agreed-upon improvements. By helping enforce the new format, the Scrum Master ensures the team's commitment to empiricism is honored and their working agreements are respected.
- ✗
Escalate to the product owner for approval
Why it's wrong here
Escalating a team-level process decision, such as the daily standup format, to the Product Owner for approval is inappropriate and demonstrates a misunderstanding of Scrum roles and responsibilities. The Product Owner is primarily accountable for maximizing product value and managing the Product Backlog, focusing on *what* is built, not *how* the Development Team organizes its internal work or process. Empowering the team to self-organize their process without external approval is fundamental to Scrum's effectiveness.
- ✗
Overrule the suggestion because the scrum master is responsible for facilitating standups
Why it's wrong here
Overruling the team's consensus on their daily standup format, even under the guise of facilitation, directly contradicts the Scrum Master's role as a servant-leader and coach. Scrum teams are self-organizing and empowered to determine the most effective way to accomplish their work, including their internal processes and ceremonies. A Scrum Master's responsibility is to facilitate, guide, and protect the team's self-management, not to dictate or impose process decisions upon them.
- ✗
Ignore the suggestion because the team has already discussed it and no action is needed
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring a team-identified improvement suggestion from a sprint retrospective fundamentally undermines the purpose of the event and the principle of continuous improvement in Scrum. The retrospective is the dedicated opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect their way of working and create actionable plans for adaptation. Failing to act on a discussed improvement wastes the team's time and effort, preventing learning and hindering the team's ability to become more effective.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Leading Teams and Empowering Team Members
Key term
Daily Standup
A short, time-boxed daily meeting where team members share progress, plans, and blockers to stay aligned.
Key term
Sprint Retrospective
A Sprint Retrospective is a time-boxed meeting at the end of a Scrum sprint where the team reflects on their process and identifies improvements for the next sprint.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
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