PSM-II Premium Exam Questions

B. Developers with an interest in Stella’s domain could volunteer to take on this work in their respective Scrum Teams.

• This is a good solution because it is consistent with the Scrum value of commitment, which means that the Scrum Team members are willing to learn new skills and take on new challenges to deliver value12. By volunteering to take on this work, the Developers can reduce the dependency on Stella, increase their cross-functionality, and collaborate more effectively within and across the Scrum Teams34. F. Ask Stella for a plan to hire and train additional people in her domain, and in the meantime work with the Product Owner and Scrum Teams to re-prioritize the work so that tasks not depending on Stella can be done first
• This is another good solution because it is consistent with the Scrum principle of empiricism, which means that the Scrum Team learns and adapts based on the actual outcomes and feedback, rather than following a predefined plan12. By asking Stella for a plan to hire and train additional people, the Scrum Master can help address the root cause of the dependency and create more capacity and diversity in Stella’s domain. By working with the Product Owner and Scrum Teams to re-prioritize the work, the Scrum Master can also help optimize the value and feasibility of the product backlog items, and enable the Scrum Teams to deliver valuable and functional increments every Sprint34. G. Create a team with Stella and identify people from the Scrum Teams to temporarily work in Stella’s domain to learn to better serve the existing teams
• This is also a good solution because it is consistent with the Scrum value of respect, which means that the Scrum Team members appreciate and value each other’s skills and perspectives12. By creating a team with Stella, the Scrum Master can acknowledge and leverage Stella’s expertise and experience in her domain. By identifying people from the Scrum Teams to temporarily work in Stella’s domain, the Scrum Master can also facilitate knowledge transfer and skill development among the team members, which can improve their self-organization and collaboration34.

References: 1: Scrum Values | Scrum.org 2: Scrum Values - Atlassian 3: Scrum Guide | Scrum Guides 4: Scrum - What is it, how it works, & how to start - Atlassian

 As the Scrum Master, your role is to serve the Scrum Team by helping them to work effectively and deliver value. You are not responsible for managing the work or assigning tasks to the Developers. You should respect the self-organization and autonomy of the Developers, and support them in finding their own solutions to the problem. You should also facilitate collaboration and communication among the Developers and with other stakeholders, such as Phil and the Product Owner.

Some reasons why the other options are not correct are:

• A: Preparing the Sprint Backlogs each day for the teams so Phil can spend some time in each team. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. The Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Developers, not by the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master should not interfere with or dictate how the Developers plan and execute their work. The Scrum Master should also not impose a solution that may not be optimal or feasible for the teams or for Phil.
• B: Allocate Phil to one team per Sprint, so that over four Sprints every team will have had the support it requires. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. The Scrum Master should not allocate resources or assign tasks to the teams or to Phil. The Scrum Master should also not impose a solution that may not be aligned with the Product Owner’s priorities or the teams’ needs.
• D: Ask Phil for a plan to hire and train additional people in his domain, and in the meantime work with the Product Owner and Developers to re-prioritize the work so that tasks not depending on Phil can be done first. This option is not correct because it violates the Scrum framework and the Scrum Master role. The Scrum Master should not ask Phil to do something that may be beyond his authority or responsibility. The Scrum Master should also not work with the Product Owner and Developers to re-prioritize the work, as this is the Product Owner’s accountability. The Scrum Master should respect the Product Owner’s decisions on what is valuable and what is not, and support the Developers in delivering that value.

References:

• What is a Scrum Master? | Scrum.org
• What is a Sprint Backlog? | Scrum.org
• Who is responsible for dependency management? | Scrum.org
• [Managing Dependencies in Scrum - Scrum Alliance]

• A: Opportunities to inspect and adapt the Sprint Backlog are reduced. Re-aligning is bound to become even more difficult. This is a valid concern, as the Daily Scrum is an event where the Developers can inspect the progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog accordingly. If the Daily Scrum is held less frequently, the Developers may miss some opportunities to adjust their plan and collaborate effectively.
• C: Less progress information will be shared, causing the plan for the Sprint to become inaccurate and transparency over progress toward the Sprint Goal is reduced. This is a valid concern, as the Daily Scrum is an event where the Developers can share their work status, challenges, and dependencies with each other. If the Daily Scrum is held less frequently, the Developers may have less visibility and awareness of what is going on in the Sprint, and may face more surprises or risks.
• D: Impediments are raised and resolved more slowly which might impact productivity and progress. This is a valid concern, as the Daily Scrum is an event where the Developers can identify and communicate any impediments or issues that hinder their work. If the Daily Scrum is held less frequently, the Developers may have to wait longer to get help or support from their peers or the Scrum Master, and may lose some momentum or efficiency.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned 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.”
• Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 14: “The Daily Scrum is a key opportunity for inspection and adaptation at the team level. It helps the team to synchronize their work, identify impediments, and collaborate on solutions.”

Splitting a team into two teams is a major decision that should not be taken lightly. It may have implications for the product vision, the product backlog, the sprint goal, the sprint backlog, the definition of done, and the team dynamics. It may also reduce the effectiveness of the Scrum Team by creating dependencies, communication overhead, and coordination challenges. Therefore, before considering such a drastic measure, it is advisable to explore other options to improve the quality and efficiency of the Daily Scrum. One option is to ask for help from another Scrum Master who can observe the Daily Scrum and provide feedback and suggestions.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 3.2 (The Daily Scrum), page 9
• The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 4 (The Daily Scrum), lesson 4 (Common Challenges) and lesson 5 (Tips for an Effective Daily Scrum)