Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum FrameworkEasy
A Scrum Team is consistently unable to complete all selected Product Backlog Items by the end of the Sprint, although they are working hard. During Sprint Review, stakeholders express frustration about the unfinished work. What is the most appropriate next step for the Scrum Team to take to address this issue?
- AThe Scrum Team should collaboratively inspect their capacity and adjust the amount of work selected at the next Sprint Planning.
- BThe Product Owner should remove the unfinished items from the Product Backlog.
- CThe Scrum Master should assign more tasks to individual Developers to increase their accountability.
- DThe Developers should work overtime to ensure all selected items are completed.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. The Scrum Team should collaboratively inspect their capacity and adjust the amount of work selected at the next Sprint Planning.
Scrum promotes empiricism and continuous improvement. If the team consistently overcommits, they should inspect their past performance and adapt their approach to Sprint Planning. Adjusting the amount of work based on actual capacity is a key aspect of self-management and realistic forecasting.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Removing unfinished items from the Product Backlog is not the solution; they remain in the Product Backlog to be considered for future Sprints.
- C. The Scrum Master does not assign tasks; Developers are self-managing. Assigning more tasks would likely exacerbate the problem.
- D. Working overtime is not a sustainable solution and indicates a failure in planning or capacity estimation, not a healthy practice.
Empirical Process Control
Scrum is founded on empiricism, which asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed. It relies on transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
- Transparency: Significant aspects of the process must be visible.
- Inspection: Progress toward a Sprint Goal and the Product Goal is frequently inspected.
- Adaptation: Adjustments are made to minimize further deviations.
Memory trick: Don't just work harder, work smarter by learning from past Sprints.