CSM Service to the Scrum Team Practice Question
A Scrum Team has reported that their Daily Scrum meetings are consistently exceeding 20 minutes because members spend too much time solving technical problems. What is the Scrum Master's best course of action?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently select options that cancel the Daily Scrum entirely or have the Scrum Master solve the technical problems during the meeting.
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
✓
Facilitate a discussion with the team to re-examine the purpose of the Daily Scrum and encourage them to move technical problem-solving to separate sessions.
The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for inspection of progress toward the Sprint Goal and adaptation of the Sprint Backlog. When technical issues arise, the Scrum Master should coach the team to identify these as topics for separate, focused discussions after the Daily Scrum. This ensures the event remains efficient and focused on planning, while keeping the team's collaboration centered on achieving the shared outcome within the designated timebox.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Require the team to record their meetings and review them later to identify the talkative members.
Why it's wrong here
Reviewing recordings fosters a culture of surveillance rather than trust. Scrum is built on transparency and self-management, not monitoring individual behavior. The Scrum Master should facilitate a team discussion about the purpose of the event rather than implementing disciplinary measures that damage the team's morale and psychological safety.
- ✓
Facilitate a discussion with the team to re-examine the purpose of the Daily Scrum and encourage them to move technical problem-solving to separate sessions.
Why this is correct
This approach addresses the root cause by refocusing the team on the event's intent. By coaching the team to recognize that the Daily Scrum is for coordination, not problem-solving, the Scrum Master supports the team's autonomy while ensuring the meeting stays within the mandated 15-minute timebox for effective communication.
- ✗
Take over the facilitation of the Daily Scrum to ensure the team stays on track and finishes in 15 minutes.
Why it's wrong here
Taking over facilitation undermines the team's self-management. The Scrum Master is a servant-leader, not a project manager who controls the meeting flow. The team must learn to manage their own time and interaction patterns. Over-facilitation prevents the team from developing the necessary skills to maintain their own effective workflows.
- ✗
Increase the timebox of the Daily Scrum to 30 minutes to accommodate the technical discussions.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the timebox of an official Scrum event is not permitted. The 15-minute limit is designed to maintain high energy and focus. Extending the timebox masks the underlying problem of ineffective communication and prevents the team from learning how to prioritize their coordination efforts during the brief daily sync.
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.