The correct answer is to explain to the product owner that new stories cannot be added during the sprint without removing an equal amount of work. This is because the Scrum framework establishes the sprint backlog as a fixed, immutable commitment once the sprint begins; any scope change, such as adding a user story, would destabilize the team’s focus and jeopardize the sprint goal. The Scrum Master’s role is to protect the team from disruption, ensuring that any request for a sprint scope change is negotiated by swapping out an equivalent amount of work, not simply adding more. On the Project Management Professional PMP exam, this scenario tests your understanding of agile principles within the hybrid and adaptive environments covered in the PMBOK Guide, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly think the product owner has unilateral authority to add work mid-sprint. A useful memory tip: think “swap, don’t stack”—if a new story comes in, an old story of equal effort must go out to keep the sprint backlog stable.
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.
In a Scrum project, the product owner asks the team to add a new user story during the sprint. The team is currently working on committed stories. What should the Scrum Master do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Explain to the product owner that new stories cannot be added during the sprint without removing an equal amount of work
In Scrum, the sprint backlog is fixed once the sprint starts. The product owner can add new stories only after the current sprint is completed, unless a story is swapped out with equal effort. The Scrum Master should protect the team from scope changes during the sprint.
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.
✗
Immediately schedule a sprint planning meeting to add the new story
Why it's wrong here
Sprint planning is held at the beginning of each sprint, not mid-sprint for ad-hoc additions.
✓
Explain to the product owner that new stories cannot be added during the sprint without removing an equal amount of work
Why this is correct
Scrum allows changes only if the sprint backlog is adjusted by swapping stories of similar size, with team agreement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Add the story to the sprint backlog and ask the team to work overtime
Why it's wrong here
Adding work mid-sprint disrupts the team's commitment and violates Scrum principles.
✗
Tell the team to finish current stories first and then work on the new story
Why it's wrong here
This would extend the sprint and is not how Scrum handles scope changes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this PMP question in full detail.
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Explain to the product owner that new stories cannot be added during the sprint without removing an equal amount of work — In Scrum, the sprint backlog is fixed once the sprint starts. The product owner can add new stories only after the current sprint is completed, unless a story is swapped out with equal effort. The Scrum Master should protect the team from scope changes during the sprint.
What should I do if I get this PMP question wrong?
Identify which PMP exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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