Helping Hand Questions for PSM-II

A. The stakeholders have not been using the Sprint Reviews to actively engage, and inspect and evaluate progress. This is a possible factor that may have led to the disappointment and anger of the stakeholders. The Sprint Review is an event where the Scrum Team and the stakeholders collaborate to inspect the product Increment and adapt the Product Backlog based on feedback and new insights. If the stakeholders do not participate actively in the Sprint Review, they may miss the opportunity to provide input, voice their concerns, and influence the direction of the product development.

D. The Scrum Master has not ensured transparency. This is another possible factor that may have led to the disappointment and anger of the stakeholders. The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing and promoting transparency among the Scrum Team and the stakeholders, by ensuring that everyone has a clear and common understanding of the product vision, the Product Goal, the Product Backlog, the Sprint Goal, the Sprint Backlog, and the Definition of Done. Without transparency, there may be misalignment, confusion, or unrealistic expectations among the stakeholders regarding the product being built.

E. The Product Owner has not been interacting frequently with the stakeholders and kept them aware of the progress of the project. This is also a possible factor that may have led to the disappointment and anger of the stakeholders. The Product Owner is responsible for engaging with the stakeholders regularly and communicating the value, scope, and status of the product development. The Product Owner should also seek feedback from the stakeholders and incorporate it into the Product Backlog refinement and ordering. If the Product Owner does not interact frequently with the stakeholders, they may feel disconnected, ignored, or dissatisfied with the product being built.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 2.3 (The Scrum Team), page 7
• The Scrum Guide, section 3.6 (The Sprint Review), page 11
• The Scrum Guide, section 4.1 (The Product Backlog), page 11
• The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 2 (The Scrum Framework), lesson 5 (The Sprint Review) and lesson 6 (The Sprint Retrospective)

A. Developers collaboratively select and re-plan their work during the Sprint. This situation demonstrates that the Scrum Team is self-managing, as it shows that the Developers have the autonomy and authority to decide how to best accomplish their work, without being directed by others outside the team. The Developers can also adapt their plan based on new insights, feedback, or impediments that arise during the Sprint.

C. The Developers create their own Sprint Backlog, reflecting all work that is part of the Definition of Done. This situation also demonstrates that the Scrum Team is self-managing, as it shows that the Developers have the responsibility and accountability to create a realistic and achievable plan for the Sprint, based on their understanding of the Sprint Goal and the Product Backlog items. The Developers also ensure that their work meets the quality standards defined by the Definition of Done.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 2.3 (The Scrum Team), page 7
• The Scrum Guide, section 3.2 (The Daily Scrum), page 9
• The Scrum Guide, section 3.5 (The Sprint Planning), page 10
• The Scrum Guide, section 3.6 (The Sprint Review), page 11
• The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 2 (The Scrum Framework), lesson 2 (The Sprint), lesson 3 (The Sprint Goal), lesson 4 (Sprint Planning) and lesson 5 (The Sprint Review)
• The Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II) Assessment, question 39

A. Having one Product Owner will improve the clarity of accountability to the teams and to the product management department. This is a good suggestion, as it ensures that there is a single person who is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and managing the Product Backlog. Having one Product Owner also avoids confusion, duplication, or conflict among multiple Product Owners who may have different visions, priorities, or expectations for the product.

D. A single Product Backlog should be maintained holding all requirements for the new product. This is also a good suggestion, as it ensures that there is a single source of truth for the product requirements and that they are transparent and visible to all stakeholders. Having a single Product Backlog also enables the Product Owner to order the items based on their value, risk, dependency, and urgency, and to collaborate with the Scrum Teams to select and refine the items for each Sprint.

References:

• The Scrum Guide, section 2.3 (The Scrum Team), page 7
• The Scrum Guide, section 4.1 (The Product Backlog), page 11
• The Scrum Master Learning Path, module 2 (The Scrum Framework), lesson 4 (Sprint Planning) and lesson 5 (The Sprint Review)

• B: Ask the Developers and the Product Owner if removing regression testing from the Definition of Done allows the team to produce useful and valuable Increments at the end of every Sprint. This is a good way to challenge the decision and make them think about the consequences of lowering the quality standards. The Scrum Master can help them understand the importance of delivering a potentially releasable product increment that meets the expectations of the stakeholders and customers.
• C: Ask the Developers and the Product Owner what problem they are going to solve by altering the Definition of Done during the Sprint to remove regression testing. Will this raise transparency or improve quality? This is a good way to explore the root cause of the issue and find out why they are not able to complete regression testing for all of the selected Product Backlog items in the Sprint. The Scrum Master can help them identify and remove any impediments or inefficiencies that prevent them from achieving their Sprint Goal.

References:

• Scrum Guide 2020, page 9: “The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.”
• Scrum Guide 2020, page 13: “The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in several ways, including coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality.”
• Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 12: “The Definition of Done is a crucial aspect of transparency. If it is not clear when work is done, then stakeholders may make wrong assumptions about the state of the software.”