SSM Supporting Team Events Practice Question
During a Daily Stand-up, a team member states that they are blocked by a missing test environment. Which action should the Scrum Master take first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is treating the Daily Stand-up as a problem-solving meeting, which leads to extending the timebox instead of handling impediments offline.
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
✓
Ask the team member to raise a ticket and continue the stand-up, then follow up after the event to help resolve the impediment.
The Daily Stand-up is a timeboxed coordination event, so impediments should be noted and addressed afterward. The Scrum Master's first action is to ensure the blocker is captured and then actively help remove it, preserving the stand-up's focus. This balances respect for the timebox with the Scrum Master's accountability for impediment removal.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Instruct the team member to work on a different backlog item until the environment is available.
Why it's wrong here
Simply reassigning work may mask the impediment and delay resolution. The Scrum Master's first action should be to help remove the blocker or ensure it is being addressed, not to redirect the team member without addressing the root cause. This response fails to fulfill the Scrum Master's responsibility for impediment removal.
- ✗
Escalate the blocker to the Release Train Engineer during the stand-up and wait for instructions.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation may be necessary if the impediment cannot be resolved by the team, but doing so during the stand-up disrupts the event and may not be the first step. The Scrum Master should first assess whether the team can resolve it, and if not, escalate after the stand-up through the appropriate channels, such as the Scrum of Scrums.
- ✗
Extend the stand-up to brainstorm solutions with the entire team until the environment issue is resolved.
Why it's wrong here
Extending the stand-up to solve the problem violates the timebox and turns the event into a problem-solving session, which detracts from its coordination purpose. The Scrum Master should protect the timebox and address the impediment in a follow-up discussion with the relevant parties, not hold the whole team hostage to one issue.
- ✓
Ask the team member to raise a ticket and continue the stand-up, then follow up after the event to help resolve the impediment.
Why this is correct
The Daily Stand-up is a timeboxed event for coordination, not problem-solving. Acknowledging the blocker, ensuring it is captured, and following up immediately after the event respects the timebox while fulfilling the Scrum Master's duty to remove impediments. This keeps the stand-up focused and ensures the blocker is actively addressed.
About these practice questions
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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.