Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum Theory & PrinciplesEasy
A Scrum Master observes that during Sprint Planning, the Developers often commit to a larger scope than they can realistically deliver, leading to rushed work and incomplete items at the end of the Sprint. This behavior is a direct violation of which Lean principle?
- AAmplify Learning
- BOptimize the Whole
- CBuild Quality In
- DEliminate Waste
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Eliminate Waste
Committing to too much scope and consequently having incomplete items at the end of a Sprint leads to rework, context switching, and potentially discarded effort. These are all forms of 'waste' in Lean thinking, which aims to remove anything that does not add value to the customer.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Amplify Learning focuses on continuous learning and feedback, which is not directly violated by overcommitment.
- B. Optimize the Whole focuses on systemic optimization, not specifically overcommitment in a Sprint.
- C. Build Quality In focuses on preventing defects rather than addressing overcommitment.
Lean Principle: Eliminate Waste
Identify and remove any activities, processes, or outputs that do not add value for the customer.
- Promotes efficiency and value delivery.
- Includes waste from overproduction, waiting, defects, etc.
- Essential for continuous improvement.
Memory trick: Value Flow Pull Amplify Decide Optimize Build