SSM Supporting Team Events Practice Question
During an Iteration Retrospective, the Scrum Master notices that the same two vocal team members dominate the conversation, while quieter members offer no input. Which technique should the Scrum Master use to ensure balanced participation?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often think the Scrum Master should publicly reprimand the vocal members, which damages psychological safety.
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
✓
Utilize silent brainstorming techniques, such as brainwriting on sticky notes, before opening the floor to verbal discussion.
To overcome dominant personalities in retrospectives, the Scrum Master should employ silent writing techniques like brainwriting before verbal discussion. This allows every team member an equal opportunity to generate ideas without interruption or intimidation. Facilitating inclusive participation ensures the team captures diverse perspectives and uncovers root causes that might otherwise remain hidden.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ban the two dominant team members from attending future retrospectives so the quieter members feel safer speaking.
Why it's wrong here
Excluding dominant members removes their contribution rather than redistributing airtime, so quieter voices gain no structured turn. It is tempting because reducing dominant talk feels like balancing participation, and exclusion would suit a genuinely disruptive attendee who blocks psychological safety.
- ✓
Utilize silent brainstorming techniques, such as brainwriting on sticky notes, before opening the floor to verbal discussion.
Why this is correct
Brainwriting lets every member contribute ideas simultaneously and anonymously on sticky notes before discussion, removing the dominance of the two vocal participants. Reviewing all notes first ensures quieter members' input is captured, directly satisfying the balanced-participation constraint.
- ✗
Designate yourself as the sole speaker for the team, summarizing what you believe everyone else experienced.
Why it's wrong here
Acting as the sole spokesperson turns the retrospective into a top-down lecture rather than a collaborative team reflection. The Scrum Master's role is to facilitate the team's voice, not replace it with their own assumptions.
- ✗
Ignore the imbalance, assuming that quiet team members simply have nothing meaningful to contribute to the discussion.
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring the imbalance leaves the dominant speakers controlling the Retrospective, so quieter members still contribute nothing and the Scrum Master fails to surface the team's full perspective. Deliberately ignoring participation is correct only when the team is self-managing effectively and no facilitation intervention is warranted.
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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.