- A
Add more user stories to the backlog to increase team motivation.
Why wrong: Adding more work without addressing the root cause is unlikely to help and may worsen the situation.
- B
Ask the product owner to speak with the team about the importance of the sprint goals.
Why wrong: While communication with the product owner is important, the scrum master should first facilitate a team discussion to clarify the goal.
- C
Facilitate a meeting with the team to review and clarify the sprint goal and ensure alignment.
The scrum master is responsible for helping the team understand and commit to the sprint goal. This directly addresses the issue.
- D
Report the velocity drop to senior management and ask for intervention.
Why wrong: Escalating immediately without attempting to resolve the issue internally is not the first step; the scrum master should address the team first.
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.
Your agile team has been experiencing a decrease in velocity over the last three sprints. During the daily standup, team members seem disengaged and mention they are unsure of the sprint goals. As the scrum master, what should you do FIRST?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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 meeting with the team to review and clarify the sprint goal and ensure alignment.
The sprint goal is established during sprint planning. If the team is unsure of the goal, it indicates that sprint planning may not have been effective. The scrum master should facilitate a discussion to clarify the goal and ensure alignment. This is a proactive coaching step.
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.
- ✗
Add more user stories to the backlog to increase team motivation.
Why it's wrong here
Adding more work without addressing the root cause is unlikely to help and may worsen the situation.
- ✗
Ask the product owner to speak with the team about the importance of the sprint goals.
Why it's wrong here
While communication with the product owner is important, the scrum master should first facilitate a team discussion to clarify the goal.
- ✓
Facilitate a meeting with the team to review and clarify the sprint goal and ensure alignment.
Why this is correct
The scrum master is responsible for helping the team understand and commit to the sprint goal. This directly addresses the issue.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Report the velocity drop to senior management and ask for intervention.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating immediately without attempting to resolve the issue internally is not the first step; the scrum master should address the team first.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Adding more work without addressing the root cause is unlikely to help and may worsen the situation.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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.
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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 meeting with the team to review and clarify the sprint goal and ensure alignment. — The sprint goal is established during sprint planning. If the team is unsure of the goal, it indicates that sprint planning may not have been effective. The scrum master should facilitate a discussion to clarify the goal and ensure alignment. This is a proactive coaching step.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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.
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