CSM Service to the Organization Practice Question
A Scrum Master notices that the organization's procurement process requires detailed requirements documents and fixed-price contracts for all vendors, which is causing delays and misalignment with Scrum teams. What is the most appropriate action for the Scrum Master serving the organization?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is treating procurement as an unchangeable constraint, when the Scrum Master's service includes influencing organizational policies that impede agility.
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
✓
Coach procurement and legal on how to structure contracts that support iterative delivery, such as fixed-capacity or outcome-based agreements, and facilitate a pilot with a willing vendor.
The Scrum Master serves the organization by addressing systemic impediments like rigid procurement processes. Coaching procurement and legal on agile contract models and running a pilot can align procurement with Scrum without sacrificing governance. The other options either bypass policies, worsen rigidity with large fixed-price contracts, or use confrontational escalation, none of which foster sustainable organizational change.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the CEO and demand that procurement be changed immediately to support Scrum.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating with demands is confrontational and unlikely to create sustainable change. The Scrum Master serves the organization through influence, education, and facilitation, not by issuing demands. A collaborative approach with procurement stakeholders is more effective and respectful of organizational roles.
- ✗
Advise the teams to ignore the procurement process and work directly with vendors to speed up delivery, since Scrum values working software over documentation.
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring organizational processes is not a service to the organization; it creates risk and conflict. While Scrum values working software, it does not advocate bypassing procurement or legal requirements. The Scrum Master should work within the system to improve it, not encourage teams to violate policies.
- ✓
Coach procurement and legal on how to structure contracts that support iterative delivery, such as fixed-capacity or outcome-based agreements, and facilitate a pilot with a willing vendor.
Why this is correct
The Scrum Master serves the organization by helping it adapt its procurement practices to support Scrum. Educating procurement and legal on alternative contract models and facilitating a pilot can demonstrate how to maintain compliance while enabling iterative delivery, thereby removing a systemic impediment to agility.
- ✗
Recommend that the organization adopt a single large fixed-price contract with a vendor to simplify procurement and reduce delays.
Why it's wrong here
A single large fixed-price contract amplifies risk and rigidity, making it harder to adapt to change. Scrum thrives on flexibility and frequent delivery. This action would worsen the misalignment and is not a service to the organization's long-term agility.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every CSM question from scratch — 312 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or 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.