Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum Theory & PrinciplesMedium
During a Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team identifies that their Definition of Done (DoD) is consistently being bypassed for less critical items to meet Sprint deadlines. This leads to accumulating technical debt and inconsistent product quality. Which pillar of Empiricism is most directly being compromised by this behavior?
- AAdaptation
- BPrediction
- CInspection
- DTransparency
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Transparency
Bypassing the Definition of Done means that the true state of 'Done' work is not accurately reflected. If items are declared 'Done' without meeting the DoD, then the visibility into the actual quality and completeness of the Increment is obscured, directly compromising Transparency.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Adaptation relies on accurate inspection, which is hindered by a lack of transparency.
- B. Prediction is not a pillar of Empiricism.
- C. Inspection might happen, but without true transparency, the inspection will be flawed.
Empiricism: Transparency
Transparency ensures that the emergent process and work are visible to both those performing the work and those receiving the work, requiring a common standard like the Definition of Done.
- Requires common understanding (e.g., of 'Done').
- Without it, inspection and adaptation are impossible.
- Reveals the true state of artifacts and progress.
Memory trick: TIA: Transparency, Inspection, Adaptation