PSPO Changed PSPO-I Questions

Explanation: The Product Owner is responsible for managing and refining the Product Backlog, which is the single source of truth for the plan of the product development. The Product Backlog is a living artifact that changes as the product and the market evolve. The Product Owner updates the Product Backlog continuously based on feedback, learning, and stakeholder needs. There is no separate project plan document in Scrum.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], section 3.1: “The Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product.”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner], chapter 5: “The Product Backlog represents everything necessary to develop and launch a successful product.”
• [What is a Product Backlog?]: “The Product Backlog is a list of all things that need to be done within the project.”

The Definition of Done is a shared understanding of what it means for work to be complete, and ensures transparency of the quality of the work done1. A Product Backlog item is considered complete when it meets the Definition of Done, which means that it is usable and potentially releasable, and that it meets the quality standards set by the Scrum Team and the stakeholders2. The other options are not sufficient to determine the completeness of a Product Backlog item, as they may not reflect the actual value and quality of the product.

References:

1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 13

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 6

 The Product Owner orders the Product Backlog items according to various criteria, such as:

• The value of Product Backlog items. The Product Owner aims to maximize the value of the product and the work of the Scrum Team. Therefore, they prioritize the items that deliver the most value to the stakeholders and the users, considering factors such as customer satisfaction, market share, revenue, social impact, etc.
• The dependencies between Product Backlog items. The Product Owner tries to minimize the dependencies between items, as they may create complexity, uncertainty, and risk. Therefore, they order the items in a way that reduces or eliminates the dependencies, or resolves them as early as possible.
• The dependencies to other products. The Product Owner also considers the dependencies that the product has to other products, such as platforms, frameworks, libraries, services, etc. Therefore, they order the items in a way that aligns with the availability and compatibility of those products.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “The Product Owner is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes … ordering Product Backlog items; and, ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible and understood.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “The ordering of the items in the Product Backlog is the sole responsibility of the Product Owner. They order Product Backlog items to best achieve goals and missions.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 11: “Higher ordered Product Backlog items are clearer and more refined than lower ordered ones.”

The Scrum Guide states that “Sprints are the heart of Scrum where ideas are turned into value”. It also states that “Sprints have consistent durations throughout a development effort. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint”. Furthermore, it states that “Sprints are limited to one calendar month. When a Sprint’s horizon is too long the definition of what is being built may change, complexity may rise, and risk may increase”. Therefore, the correct answer is B. The other options are not acceptable, as they contradict the Scrum principles of empiricism, self-organization, and adaptation.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 3.1. Sprints
• Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) Learning Path, section 2.2. The Product Owner and the Sprint