SSM Supporting Team Events Practice Question
During an Iteration Retrospective, the team realizes they have low confidence in their estimates. What is the best way for the Scrum Master to help?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates choose answers that suggest changing the estimation scale or hiring external estimators, failing to address the root cause of ambiguous requirements.
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
✓
Suggest the team spends more time in Backlog Refinement to clarify requirements.
Low confidence in estimates usually stems from ambiguity in requirements or a lack of understanding of the work. The Scrum Master should coach the team on better refinement techniques, like breaking down large stories, or encourage them to talk to the Product Owner earlier. Improving the refinement process directly increases confidence and leads to more reliable, predictable planning in the future.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Tell the team to simply double all their estimates to be safe.
Why it's wrong here
Arbitrarily doubling estimates is a band-aid solution that doesn't address the root cause of the lack of clarity. It misrepresents the team's capacity and doesn't foster better understanding of the work. The team should instead focus on improving their refinement process to understand the work better before estimating.
- ✓
Suggest the team spends more time in Backlog Refinement to clarify requirements.
Why this is correct
Backlog Refinement is the key event for clarifying stories and reducing uncertainty. By spending more time here, the team gains the necessary understanding to estimate with confidence. The Scrum Master's suggestion encourages the team to invest in the quality of their backlog, leading to more accurate and reliable estimates.
- ✗
Advise the team to stop estimating altogether since it is unreliable.
Why it's wrong here
Estimation is a vital tool for planning and managing expectations. While not perfect, it provides valuable insights into the scope and complexity of work. Abandoning it entirely leaves the team without a basis for planning, which makes it harder to align with stakeholders and manage the flow of value.
- ✗
Ask the technical lead to provide all estimates to save time.
Why it's wrong here
Estimates should be a team effort to ensure collective ownership and shared understanding. Relying on one person, even a technical lead, defeats the purpose of the team's diverse perspective and reduces the team's engagement. The Scrum Master should facilitate a team-based approach to ensure everyone's knowledge is utilized.
About these practice questions
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JA
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.