SSM Supporting ART Events Practice Question
During the Problem-Solving Workshop of the Inspect and Adapt, a team identifies 'Lack of automated testing' as a root cause. What is the next step the Scrum Master facilitates?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often incorrectly believe the next step is to immediately assign tasks or implement fixes, bypassing the essential 'Brainstorming' phase required to identify the best systemic improvement.
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
✓
Brainstorm potential solutions to address the lack of automation.
The Problem-Solving Workshop follows a structured process: identifying the problem, performing root cause analysis, brainstorming solutions, and creating action items. Once a root cause is identified, the focus must shift to creative solution generation to ensure the problem is addressed effectively in the next Program Increment planning session.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create an improvement backlog item for the next PI immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Creating a backlog item before brainstorming solutions is premature. The team needs to explore various ways to address the 'lack of automated testing'—such as training, tool selection, or process changes—to ensure that the resulting backlog item is the most effective way to solve the identified root cause.
- ✗
Perform a fishbone analysis to find more potential root causes.
Why it's wrong here
If the team has already identified the root cause as 'lack of automated testing,' repeating the fishbone analysis is redundant. The analysis is used to find the cause; once found, the process must move forward to the solution phase to maintain momentum and reach an actionable conclusion for the ART.
- ✓
Brainstorm potential solutions to address the lack of automation.
Why this is correct
Brainstorming potential solutions is the step that follows the identification of a root cause. Once the 'why' is understood through techniques like the 5 Whys, the team must then pivot to creative thinking to find ways to prevent the issue from recurring in future iterations and Program Increments.
- ✗
Update the Definition of Done to include mandatory automated tests.
Why it's wrong here
Updating the Definition of Done is a potential outcome of the workshop, but it is not the next step in the facilitation process. The team must first agree on the feasibility and nature of the solutions before making formal changes to their working agreements or the standards for software delivery.
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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.