CSM Service to the Scrum Team Practice Question
A new Scrum Master is working with a Scrum Team that has never used a Definition of Done. The Developers argue that they should define it later because they are under pressure to deliver. What is the most appropriate action for the Scrum Master?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is treating the Definition of Done as something that can be postponed or dictated, when it is a Scrum Team commitment that the Scrum Master helps the team create and uphold from the outset.
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 Developers create a Definition of Done now and coach them on why it is essential for transparency and for delivering a potentially releasable Increment.
The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by coaching it to create a Definition of Done, which provides the shared standard for a complete and potentially releasable Increment. Establishing it now, rather than deferring, preserves transparency and supports empirical inspection. The team owns this commitment, so the Scrum Master facilitates its creation rather than imposing or delaying it.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Help the Developers create a Definition of Done now and coach them on why it is essential for transparency and for delivering a potentially releasable Increment.
Why this is correct
This is correct because the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by coaching it in the creation of a Definition of Done. Without one, the team cannot reliably assess whether work is complete, and transparency suffers. Helping the Developers establish it now, and explaining its purpose, builds a shared standard and supports the empirical process of inspecting a genuinely usable Increment each Sprint.
- ✗
Agree to defer the Definition of Done until the team has more time, and in the meantime let each Developer decide individually when work is complete.
Why it's wrong here
Deferring the Definition of Done and letting individuals decide completion destroys shared transparency. The team would have no common standard for the Increment, making inspection and adaptation unreliable. The Scrum Master serves the team by helping it establish this commitment, not by postponing it. Pressure to deliver is precisely when a clear Definition of Done protects quality and prevents hidden rework.
- ✗
Ask the Product Owner to write the Definition of Done and present it to the Developers as a mandatory standard they must follow.
Why it's wrong here
The Definition of Done is created by the Scrum Team, not dictated by the Product Owner. Imposing it removes the Developers' ownership of their quality standard and may not reflect their actual capabilities. The Scrum Master should facilitate the team's creation of the Definition of Done, ensuring it is understood and followed, rather than routing it through the Product Owner as a directive.
- ✗
Tell the Developers that a Definition of Done is only needed once the product is ready for its first release, so they can continue without one for now.
Why it's wrong here
A Definition of Done is needed from the start because it defines what it means for work to be complete and potentially releasable. Waiting until release time allows unverified work to accumulate and hides quality problems. The Scrum Master serves the team by helping it adopt a Definition of Done immediately, so every Increment is inspected against a shared, transparent standard throughout the product's development.
About these practice questions
This CSM question is part of Courseiva's 312-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 Scrum Alliance exam blueprint
This CSM practice question is part of Courseiva's free Scrum Alliance 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 CSM exam.