Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum FrameworkMedium
A Scrum Team is consistently failing to meet their Sprint Goals. During the Sprint Retrospective, the Developers express frustration about frequently changing priorities within a Sprint. The Product Owner, however, states that these changes are necessary to respond to market shifts. What is the MOST appropriate action for the Scrum Master?
- AFacilitate a discussion about the importance of stable Sprint Goals and the impact of mid-Sprint changes.
- BAdvise the Product Owner to stop introducing changes once the Sprint has started to ensure predictability.
- CRecommend extending the Sprint duration to allow more time for adapting to changing priorities.
- DSuggest that the Developers increase their capacity to absorb inevitable changes during the Sprint.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Facilitate a discussion about the importance of stable Sprint Goals and the impact of mid-Sprint changes.
The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by facilitating events and removing impediments. In this scenario, the Scrum Master should facilitate a discussion to help the team understand the impact of mid-Sprint changes on the Sprint Goal and find a balanced approach to adaptability and focus.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Directly advising the Product Owner against changes might hinder necessary adaptability, and it bypasses the team's self-organizing capability.
- C. Extending Sprint duration is generally not recommended as it reduces opportunities for inspection and adaptation and goes against the fixed-length nature of Sprints.
- D. Increasing capacity without addressing the root cause of changing priorities is not a sustainable solution and can lead to burnout.
Scrum Master as Facilitator
The Scrum Master facilitates Scrum events and helps the Scrum Team and organization understand and enact Scrum. They encourage healthy discussions to improve team dynamics and effectiveness.
- Serves the Scrum Team in understanding and enacting Scrum.
- Facilitates decision-making and conflict resolution.
- Helps remove impediments to the team's progress.
Memory trick: SM Sparks Solutions, not just Suggestions.