Scrum Master certification is expensive. One of the cheaper ways to get a proper Scrum Master Certification is to just do the exam. Scrum.org allows for just that.

Here’s a question bank to help you prepare for the Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master (PSM I) exam. These questions cover key areas of Scrum theory, roles, events, and artifacts.

Scrum Theory and Principles

1. What is Scrum?
   • A: Scrum is a framework for developing, delivering, and sustaining complex products through collaboration, accountability, and iterative progress.
2. Which of the following is not an Agile principle?
   • A: Extensive documentation
3. What are the three pillars of Scrum?
   • A: Transparency, Inspection, Adaptation

Scrum Roles

4. Who is responsible for maximizing the value of the product?
   • A: The Product Owner
5. What are the three roles defined in Scrum?
   • A: Product Owner, Scrum Master, Development Team
6. Can a Scrum Master also be a Development Team member?
   • A: Yes, but it is generally not recommended as it can lead to conflicts of interest.

Scrum Events

7. What is the time-box for a Sprint?
   • A: One month or less
8. What is the purpose of the Daily Scrum?
   • A: To inspect progress towards the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary.
9. When does the Sprint Planning meeting take place?
   • A: At the beginning of each Sprint
10. What is the maximum time-box for the Sprint Review?
    • A: Four hours for a one-month Sprint
11. What is the focus of the Sprint Retrospective?
    • A: To plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness.

Scrum Artifacts

12. What comprises the Sprint Backlog?
    • A: The set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment and achieving the Sprint Goal.
13. What is the purpose of the Product Backlog?
    • A: To list everything that might be needed in the product and is the single source of requirements for any changes to be made.
14. Who is responsible for the Product Backlog?
    • A: The Product Owner
15. What is a Product Increment?
    • A: The sum of all the Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints.

Miscellaneous

16. What is the definition of Done (DoD)?
    • A: A shared understanding within the Scrum Team of what it means for work to be complete, ensuring transparency.
17. What happens if the Development Team cannot complete its work by the end of the Sprint?
    • A: The Product Owner and Development Team collaborate on how to handle incomplete work, which is then reviewed and adapted in the next Sprint Planning meeting.
18. Which role ensures that the Scrum Team adheres to Scrum values, principles, and practices?
    • A: The Scrum Master
19. What is the purpose of the Sprint Goal?
    • A: To provide a single objective for the Sprint, giving the Development Team some flexibility regarding the functionality implemented within the Sprint.
20. What happens during the Sprint Review?
    • A: The Scrum Team and stakeholders collaborate on what was done in the Sprint. Based on this and any changes to the Product Backlog during the Sprint, attendees collaborate on the next steps.

Scenario-Based Questions

21. If a Product Owner is not available during a Sprint, what should the Development Team do?
    • A: The Development Team should proceed with the work and make decisions based on their best understanding of the Product Owner’s priorities.
22. If during a Sprint, it becomes clear that the Sprint Goal cannot be achieved, what should the Development Team do?
    • A: They should immediately collaborate with the Product Owner to discuss the situation and possible adaptations to the Sprint Backlog.
23. How should the Scrum Master handle a situation where a team member consistently misses the Daily Scrum?
    • A: The Scrum Master should talk to the team member privately to understand the reason and address any impediments or misunderstandings regarding the importance of the Daily Scrum.

True or False

24. The Sprint Backlog can only be updated during the Sprint Planning meeting.
    • A: False
25. Only the Product Owner can cancel a Sprint.
    • A: True
26. The Scrum Master should facilitate all Scrum events.
    • A: True
27. The Development Team should be cross-functional.
    • A: True
28. Scrum is a process or technique for building products.
    • A: False
29. A Scrum Team should consist of 3 to 9 members, excluding the Scrum Master and Product Owner.
    • A: False (The Scrum Team includes the Scrum Master and Product Owner, and the ideal size is 3-9 members in total)

Multiple Choice

30. Which of the following best describes the role of the Scrum Master?
    • A: A) A project manager,
    • B) A team manager,
    • C) A servant-leader for the Scrum Team,
    • D) A product expert
    • A: C) A servant-leader for the Scrum Team
31. What is a key attribute of a well-functioning Scrum Team?
    • A: A) Hierarchical,
    • B) Self-organizing,
    • C) Large and diverse,
    • D) Individual accountability
    • A: B) Self-organizing
32. Which of the following is not an artifact in Scrum?
    • A: A) Product Backlog,
    • B) Sprint Backlog,
    • C) Increment,
    • D) Gantt Chart
    • A: D) Gantt Chart

Short Answer

33. Describe the purpose of the Product Backlog Refinement meeting.
    • A: The purpose of Product Backlog Refinement is to add details, estimates, and order to items in the Product Backlog, ensuring they are well understood and ready for future Sprints.
34. What does a Development Team do during a Sprint Retrospective?
    • A: The Development Team inspects how the last Sprint went regarding people, relationships, processes, and tools. They identify and order major items that went well and potential improvements.
35. Explain the difference between a Sprint Review and a Sprint Retrospective.
    • A: A Sprint Review focuses on inspecting the increment and adapting the Product Backlog if needed, while a Sprint Retrospective focuses on the process and interactions to improve team performance.

Use these questions to test your knowledge and identify areas where you may need to focus your studies. Good luck with your preparation!