Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum Theory & PrinciplesMedium
A Scrum Master observes that during Sprint Planning, the Developers often commit to a large number of Product Backlog items, but consistently fail to complete all of them by the end of the Sprint. This leads to frequent carry-over and a perception of underperformance. From a Lean Thinking perspective, which principle is being violated?
- AEliminate Waste
- BDeliver Fast
- CDecide as Late as Possible
- DAmplify Learning
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Eliminate Waste
Consistently committing to too much work and failing to complete it creates waste in the form of partially done work, context switching, and potentially demoralized team members. Eliminating waste is a core Lean principle, focusing on removing anything that doesn't add value.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Deliver Fast is a general goal, but 'Eliminate Waste' is a more specific Lean principle addressing the scenario.
- C. Decide as Late as Possible is about deferring decisions until more information is known, not directly related to overcommitment.
- D. Amplify Learning is about continuous feedback and improvement, which might be a consequence but not the direct principle violated by overcommitment.
Lean Principle: Eliminate Waste
Identify and remove anything that does not add value to the customer or the product development process.
- Focuses on efficiency and value creation.
- Reduces non-value-adding activities.
- Leads to faster delivery and higher quality.
Memory trick: Waste not, want not: build quality, learn fast, be agile.