CSM Service to the Product Owner Practice Question
A Product Owner is constantly missing Sprint Reviews because they are in other meetings. What is the most appropriate action for the Scrum Master?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates choose answers where the Scrum Master cancels the Sprint Review or runs it without the Product Owner, violating Scrum rules.
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
✓
Discuss the impact of their absence on team alignment and stakeholder feedback with the Product Owner.
The Scrum Master must highlight the importance of the Sprint Review as a critical inspection and adaptation event. By discussing this with the Product Owner, the Scrum Master helps them understand that their absence prevents the gathering of essential feedback from stakeholders. This conversation focuses on the value of the event and the impact of the Product Owner's absence on the product's success.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Hold the Sprint Review without the Product Owner and summarize the feedback to them later.
Why it's wrong here
Holding the meeting without the Product Owner deprives them of the direct feedback loop that is fundamental to Scrum. Summarizing later is a poor substitute for live, face-to-face interaction. The Product Owner needs to hear the stakeholders' reactions firsthand to make informed backlog updates.
- ✗
Cancel the Sprint Review if the Product Owner cannot attend to ensure team morale is not affected.
Why it's wrong here
Canceling the Sprint Review prevents the team from inspecting the increment and adapting the backlog. This destroys the feedback loop, which is essential for agility. The event must occur regardless of the Product Owner's availability, though the Scrum Master should coach them on its necessity for success.
- ✓
Discuss the impact of their absence on team alignment and stakeholder feedback with the Product Owner.
Why this is correct
This approach addresses the root cause of the behavior through coaching. By explaining the negative impact on the product and the team, the Scrum Master helps the Product Owner prioritize the event, ensuring they remain involved in the feedback process that informs the product's direction and backlog.
- ✗
Report the Product Owner to their manager for failing to attend the necessary Scrum events.
Why it's wrong here
Reporting the Product Owner creates a hostile environment and fails to address the underlying issues. The Scrum Master's role is to facilitate and coach, not to act as a supervisor or informant. Open, professional dialogue is the most effective way to resolve issues within the Scrum team.
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 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.