- A
Shorten the stand-up to 5 minutes regardless of the number of participants
Why wrong: Simply shortening may not address the root cause; coaching is needed.
- B
Ask the product owner to attend the stand-up to enforce discipline
Why wrong: The product owner's role is not to enforce process; the Scrum Master should facilitate.
- C
Cancel the stand-up and ask team members to send written updates
Why wrong: Removing the ceremony eliminates the opportunity for coordination.
- D
Facilitate a discussion on how to improve the stand-up and agree on a time-box and focus
This empowers the team to improve the process collaboratively.
Question 306 of 892
PMP Process — Managing Technical Aspects Practice Question
This PMP practice question tests your understanding of process — managing technical aspects. 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.
During a sprint retrospective, several team members express frustration that the daily stand-ups are too long and not focused. As the Scrum Master, what is the BEST action to take?
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 a discussion on how to improve the stand-up and agree on a time-box and focus
Option D is correct because the Scrum Master's role is to facilitate the team's self-improvement, not impose solutions. By facilitating a discussion on how to improve the stand-up, the team collaboratively defines a time-box and focus, which directly addresses the root cause of frustration and aligns with the agile principle of continuous improvement. This approach ensures the team owns the solution, leading to better adherence and effectiveness.
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.
- ✗
Shorten the stand-up to 5 minutes regardless of the number of participants
Why it's wrong here
Simply shortening may not address the root cause; coaching is needed.
- ✗
Ask the product owner to attend the stand-up to enforce discipline
Why it's wrong here
The product owner's role is not to enforce process; the Scrum Master should facilitate.
- ✗
Cancel the stand-up and ask team members to send written updates
Why it's wrong here
Removing the ceremony eliminates the opportunity for coordination.
- ✓
Facilitate a discussion on how to improve the stand-up and agree on a time-box and focus
Why this is correct
This empowers the team to improve the process collaboratively.
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
The trap here is that candidates may choose Option A because they mistakenly believe a strict 5-minute time-box is always the best solution, but the PMP exam emphasizes that the team must collaboratively decide on improvements rather than having the Scrum Master impose a rule.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The daily stand-up is a time-boxed event (typically 15 minutes) for the development team to synchronize activities and plan the next 24 hours, as defined in the Scrum Guide. The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring the event is effective, but not by dictating the format; instead, they coach the team on techniques like using a 'walk the board' approach or focusing on three key questions. In practice, teams often struggle with stand-ups that devolve into problem-solving sessions, and the best corrective action is a facilitated retro to re-establish the event's purpose and time-box.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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 PMP 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Process — Managing Technical Aspects — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PMP question test?
Process — Managing Technical Aspects — This question tests Process — Managing Technical Aspects — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Facilitate a discussion on how to improve the stand-up and agree on a time-box and focus — Option D is correct because the Scrum Master's role is to facilitate the team's self-improvement, not impose solutions. By facilitating a discussion on how to improve the stand-up, the team collaboratively defines a time-box and focus, which directly addresses the root cause of frustration and aligns with the agile principle of continuous improvement. This approach ensures the team owns the solution, leading to better adherence and effectiveness.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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