SSM Defining the Scrum Master / Team Coach Role Practice Question
A team has been using Scrum for several months but still struggles with high variability in their velocity. How should the Scrum Master coach the team to improve predictability?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is to suggest 'increasing velocity' as a goal, rather than 'stabilizing velocity' through better planning and smaller work items.
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
✓
Help the team break down User Stories into smaller, more uniform pieces of work.
Variability in velocity often stems from inconsistent story sizing or a lack of disciplined refinement. The Scrum Master should coach the team on breaking down stories into smaller, more manageable pieces and ensuring they meet the 'Definition of Ready.' Small, consistent story sizes lead to a more stable flow and more predictable delivery patterns.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Encourage the team to work overtime during the final week of the Iteration to meet their goals.
Why it's wrong here
Overtime is a short-term fix that leads to burnout and reduced quality. It also masks the underlying process issues that cause the variability. SAFe emphasizes a sustainable pace, and the Scrum Master should help the team identify and fix the root causes of their unpredictability instead of pushing for more hours.
- ✓
Help the team break down User Stories into smaller, more uniform pieces of work.
Why this is correct
Smaller stories reduce risk and variability because they are easier to estimate and complete within a short time-box. By coaching the team to slice stories vertically and thinly, the Scrum Master helps create a more consistent flow of value, which is the foundation of predictability in an Agile environment.
- ✗
Request that the Product Owner only brings technical stories to the team for the next two Iterations.
Why it's wrong here
Focusing only on technical stories ignores the need to deliver business value. While addressing technical debt is important, it doesn't solve the problem of variability in how the team handles user-facing work. A balanced backlog and consistent story sizing for all types of work are necessary for true predictability.
- ✗
Change the team's estimation unit from Story Points to ideal developer hours.
Why it's wrong here
Moving to hours often leads to a focus on individual activity rather than team output. Story points are designed to account for complexity and uncertainty, which hours cannot capture effectively. Switching back to hours is a regression toward traditional project management and does not help the team improve their Agile maturity.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Scaled Agile exam blueprint
This SSM practice question is part of Courseiva's free Scaled Agile 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 SSM exam.