NEW QUESTION 178
A Scrum Master is working with a Scrum Team that has Developers in different physical locations. The Developers meet in a variety of meeting rooms and have much to do logistically (for example: reserve meeting rooms and set up conference calls) before the Daily Scrum.
What action should the Scrum Master take?
(choose the best answer)
Explanation
The Scrum Master should allow the Developers to self-manage and determine for themselves what to do because:
* It respects the autonomy and empowerment of the Developers. The Developers are accountable for organizing and managing their own work, and they are the best people to decide how to conduct their Daily Scrum. The Scrum Master should not impose or dictate how the meeting should be set up or run, as that would undermine the self-organization and collaboration of the Developers.
* It supports the continuous improvement and adaptation of the Developers. The Developers are expected to inspect and adapt their process and practices, and to find ways to overcome any challenges or impediments they face. The Scrum Master should not solve the problems for them, but rather facilitate their problem-solving and learning abilities.
* It aligns with the role and responsibilities of the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum, and for helping everyone understand and enact Scrum theory, values, principles, and practices. The Scrum Master is not a manager or a leader of the Developers, but rather a servant-leader who enables them to work effectively.
References:
* Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.”
* Scrum Guide 2020, page 6: “The Developers are accountable for … organizing and managing their work.”
* Scrum Guide 2020, page 12: “The Developers can select whatever structure and techniques they want, as long as their Daily Scrum focuses on progress toward the Sprint Goal and produces an actionable plan for the next day of work. This creates focus and improves self-management.”
* Scrum Guide 2020, page 13: “The Daily Scrum is an internal meeting for the Developers. If others are present, the Scrum Master ensures that they do not disrupt the meeting.”
* Scrum Guide 2020, page 7: “The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the
* Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.”
NEW QUESTION 184
The job of a Product Owner focuses on the following:
(choose the best two answers)
Explanation
* The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog,
* collaborating with the stakeholders and the Developers, and ordering the items in a way that best achieves goals and missions. The Product Owner represents the interests of everyone with a stake in the product and ensures that the Scrum Team works on the right things at the right time.
* The job of a Product Owner focuses on the following aspects:
* Working with customers and stakeholders to identify the most valuable product requirements: The Product Owner engages in frequent and regular interactions with the people who have a stake or interest in the product, such as customers, users, sponsors, managers, or other teams. The Product Owner solicits and incorporates their input, feedback, and insights to understand their needs and expectations, discover new opportunities or ideas, align and collaborate on the product direction and priorities, and validate and deliver value to them. The Product Owner translates these requirements into Product Backlog items that can deliver value to customers or users.
* Clearly communicating project or release status and strategies to customers and stakeholders: The Product Owner communicates effectively and transparently with the customers and stakeholders about the progress, outcomes, and plans of the product development. The Product Owner shares relevant information and data about the product vision, goals, value proposition, roadmap, backlog, increment, feedback, or metrics. The Product Owner also communicates the strategies and decisions for delivering value to customers or users, such as release frequency, scope, quality, or risk management.
* The other options are not valid or relevant aspects of a Product Owner’s job. They are either too narrow, unrealistic, or unrelated to the product value delivery. They are:
* Writing clear, transparent User Stories: This is not a valid aspect of a Product Owner’s job. User Stories are a common format for expressing product requirements in an agile way. They consist of a brief description of a feature or function from the perspective of a user or customer. They usually follow a template such as “As a <role>, I want <goal>, so that <benefit>”. However, User Stories are not mandatory or universal in Scrum. The Product Owner can use any format or method to express product requirements, as long as they are clear, concise, and valuable. The format or method does not affect the value or quality of the product or service delivered.
* Being with the Scrum Team all the time, just in case they need me to clarify a requirement: This is not a realistic aspect of a Product Owner’s job. The Product Owner does not have to be physically present with the Scrum Team all the time. The Product Owner can work remotely or asynchronously with the Scrum Team, as long as they maintain effective communication and collaboration. The Product Owner should also empower and trust the Developers to make technical decisions and trade-offs that best meet the product goals and quality standards. The Product Owner should also ensure that the Product Backlog items are sufficiently clear and refined before they are selected for a Sprint.
References:
* Scrum Guide: https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
* Product Owner: https://www.scrum.org/resources/what-is-a-product-owner
* User Stories: https://www.agilealliance.org/glossary/user-stories