PSM I: Coaching & Facilitation practice questions
20 questions on Coaching & Facilitation, one of the 8 areas assessed in Professional Scrum Master I. Untimed, with an explanation after every answer.
This topic covers how the Scrum Master serves: coaching the team in self-management and cross-functionality, causing the removal of impediments, ensuring events take place and are positive, productive and kept within the timebox, and helping the Product Owner with Product Backlog management. Scenarios test which stance fits the situation: teaching, facilitating, mentoring or coaching.
The Scrum Master causes impediments to be removed without removing each one personally. Facilitating means guiding the process, not deciding the outcome: the Scrum Master neither settles technical disputes nor assigns work. When a team keeps asking for decisions, hand them back. The Scrum Master is a true leader who serves, with no authority over the Developers’ work.
A newly formed Scrum Team asks the Scrum Master to assign work to individual Developers each morning. What is the most appropriate response?
Ready for exam conditions? 80 questions, 60 minutes, 85% to pass.
Mock examA worked example
A question from the bank with its answer and the reasoning behind it. Every practice question comes with an explanation like this one.
During the Daily Scrum, the Developers report progress to the Scrum Master one at a time while the Scrum Master notes issues. What is the most significant problem with this pattern?
- AThe Daily Scrum is exceeding its 15-minute timebox
- BThe event has become a status report to an individual rather than the Developers' own planning for the day(correct answer)
- CThe Product Owner is not present to hear the updates
- DThe Scrum Master should be recording the notes in the Sprint Backlog
Why
The Daily Scrum is by and for the Developers: they inspect progress towards the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog for the next day's work. Reporting to the Scrum Master reintroduces a supervisory dynamic and removes the collaborative planning the event exists for. Product Owner attendance (C) is optional, and note-taking (D) is not a Scrum Master duty.