Practice questions · Project Management
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM): Practice Questions
Around 80 original concept-check questions for the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), grounded in the Scrum Guide. They cover Lean/Agile/Scrum basics, Scrum theory and the five values, the three accountabilities, the five events, the three artifacts and their commitments, and the Scrum Master's service to the team, Product Owner and organisation. Every answer is explained, including why each other option is wrong. Filter by domain or difficulty. These are concept checks, not real exam questions.
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Before you can take the CSM exam, you must:
Correct answer: B. The CSM requires completing a 16-hour official course taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) before the exam. Scrum experience is not required (the certification is entry-level), there is no essay component, and no degree is needed. -
Scrum is best described as:
Correct answer: C. Scrum is a lightweight framework for delivering value iteratively in short cycles. It is not a predictive plan (it is empirical and adaptive), not a programming language, and not a fixed contract - the backlog changes constantly. -
The three pillars of empirical process control in Scrum are:
Correct answer: A. Empiricism in Scrum rests on transparency, inspection and adaptation. 'Planning, executing and closing' is predictive project phasing; 'commitment, focus and courage' are three of the Scrum values, not the pillars; and 'roles, events and artifacts' are the framework's structural elements, not the empirical pillars. -
How many questions is the CSM exam and how long do you have?
Correct answer: D. The CSM exam is 50 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. The other figures describe different exams - for example, 120 questions in three hours is closer to the PMI-ACP - and do not match the CSM format. -
The five Scrum values are:
Correct answer: B. The five Scrum values are commitment, focus, openness, respect and courage. The list of 'transparency, inspection, adaptation, planning and review' is the empirical pillars plus events; 'speed, cost, scope, quality and risk' are predictive project constraints; and 'plan, do, check, act' is the PDCA improvement cycle, not the Scrum values. -
Who is accountable for maximising the value of the product and ordering the Product Backlog?
Correct answer: A. The Product Owner is accountable for maximising value and ordering the Product Backlog. The Scrum Master serves the team and process but does not own the backlog; the Developers build the Increment; and value ownership is a single Product Owner accountability, not a committee's. -
The Scrum Master's relationship to the team is best described as:
Correct answer: C. The Scrum Master is a servant leader who coaches the team, facilitates events and removes impediments. They do not assign tasks (the team self-manages), are not a passive observer, and are not an external client receiving reports. -
What is the pass mark for the CSM exam?
Correct answer: D. The CSM pass mark is 37 out of 50, which is 74%. 50%, 60% and 90% are all incorrect thresholds for this exam. -
Which event is the 'container' that holds all the other Scrum events?
Correct answer: A. The Sprint is the container event; all other events (Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review and the Sprint Retrospective) happen within it. Those other three are events held inside the Sprint, not the container itself. -
The purpose of the Daily Scrum is for the:
Correct answer: D. The Daily Scrum is for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and plan their next day of work. It is not a task-assignment meeting run by the Product Owner, not a status report to management, and not where stakeholders approve the Increment (that is closer to the Sprint Review). -
The Product Backlog is best described as:
Correct answer: B. The Product Backlog is an ordered, evolving list of everything that might be needed in the product. It is not a record of only finished work, not a fixed unchanging schedule (it is continuously refined), and obviously not a vacation calendar. -
Which statement about the CSM exam format is correct?
Correct answer: C. The CSM exam is open book, taken online and non-proctored. It is therefore not closed book, not webcam-proctored, and not an oral interview - those describe other kinds of exams. -
The commitment associated with the Sprint Backlog is the:
Correct answer: A. The Sprint Backlog's commitment is the Sprint Goal. The Product Goal is the commitment for the Product Backlog, the Definition of Done is the commitment for the Increment, and a release plan is not one of the three artifact commitments. -
When a Developer raises an organisational impediment, the Scrum Master should:
Correct answer: D. Removing impediments so the team can progress is a core part of the Scrum Master's role. Telling the Developer to ignore it leaves the blocker in place, reporting the Developer punishes them for surfacing a problem, and cancelling the Sprint is a drastic step that one impediment does not warrant. -
Sprint Planning produces:
Correct answer: B. Sprint Planning produces a plan for the Sprint (the Sprint Backlog) and a Sprint Goal. It does not by itself deliver a finished product, it is not a performance review, and it does not create a company-wide Definition of Done - that is a standard the team applies, not an output of planning. -
The Increment in Scrum is:
Correct answer: D. The Increment is a usable, 'Done' step toward the Product Goal, produced during the Sprint. It is not a planning document, not the Product Owner's wish list (that is closer to the Product Backlog), and not a budget forecast. -
The Sprint Review primarily exists to:
Correct answer: A. The Sprint Review inspects the Increment with stakeholders and adapts the Product Backlog based on feedback. Reflecting on the working process is the Sprint Retrospective, blaming individuals is never the purpose, and detailed planning of the next Sprint happens in Sprint Planning. -
How long is a CSM certification valid before it must be renewed?
Correct answer: A. The CSM is valid for two years and is renewed with Scrum Education Units (SEUs) plus a renewal fee. It is not a one-year or five-year cycle, and it does not last forever - renewal is required. -
Which group decides who does which task within a Sprint?
Correct answer: D. Scrum teams are self-managing, so the Developers decide among themselves who does what within the Sprint. The Product Owner orders the backlog but does not assign tasks, the Scrum Master facilitates rather than directs, and there is no external project manager assigning work in Scrum. -
The Sprint Retrospective is held to:
Correct answer: B. The Sprint Retrospective is where the team inspects how it works and plans improvements for the next Sprint. Demonstrating the product to customers happens in the Sprint Review, re-ordering the backlog is the Product Owner's ongoing work, and budget approval is outside the Scrum events entirely. -
The Definition of Done is:
Correct answer: C. The Definition of Done is a shared, agreed checklist of what must be true for an Increment to be considered complete. It is not an individual preference (it is team-wide and consistent), not a marketing plan, and not anyone's private notes. -
Which best describes the Developers' accountability in Scrum?
Correct answer: D. The Developers are accountable for creating a usable Increment each Sprint that meets the Definition of Done. Ordering the backlog by value is the Product Owner's accountability, coaching the organisation is part of the Scrum Master's role, and budget approval is not a Scrum accountability. -
Roughly how is the CSM exam fee set?
Correct answer: A. The CSM fee is bundled into the required course and set by the Certified Scrum Trainer, so it varies widely (commonly around US$250-2,495) and usually includes two exam attempts. There is no single fixed global price, it is not free, and it is not charged per question. -
Acting as a facilitator, a Scrum Master at the Sprint Retrospective would:
Correct answer: C. Facilitating means helping the team hold an effective discussion and reach its own improvements. Deciding alone and announcing removes the team's ownership, cancelling the event skips a core feedback loop, and forbidding problems defeats the whole purpose of a retrospective. -
The commitment associated with the Product Backlog is the:
Correct answer: B. The Product Backlog's commitment is the Product Goal. The Definition of Done is the commitment for the Increment, the Sprint Goal is the commitment for the Sprint Backlog, and a burndown chart is a tracking tool, not an artifact commitment. -
Do you need prior Scrum experience to enrol in a CSM course?
Correct answer: C. The CSM is an entry-level certification and requires no prior Scrum experience to enrol; the required course teaches the fundamentals. It does not require a year of experience, an existing Scrum Master role, or any university degree. -
A Scrum Master notices stakeholders bypassing the Product Owner to add work directly to the team. The best response is to:
Correct answer: D. The Scrum Master coaches the organisation so work flows through the Product Owner and the Product Backlog, protecting the team and a single source of priorities. Letting it continue undermines the Product Owner's accountability, doing the work secretly hides it and breaks transparency, and trying to fire stakeholders is neither realistic nor a coaching response. -
Because the CSM exam is open book, the best preparation approach is to:
Correct answer: C. With 50 questions in 60 minutes, you need to understand Scrum well and use organised notes to confirm answers, not to learn from scratch. Skipping study and looking up everything wastes the limited time, assuming notes replace understanding misjudges the time pressure, and having someone else answer violates the certification's integrity rules. -
Which of these is NOT one of the three Scrum artifacts?
Correct answer: C. The three Scrum artifacts are the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog and the Increment. The Daily Scrum is a Scrum event, not an artifact, so it is the correct answer to a question asking which is not an artifact. -
Why is Scrum described as 'empirical' rather than 'predictive'?
Correct answer: B. Scrum is empirical because decisions are based on what is observed and learned as the work progresses, through transparency, inspection and adaptation. It does not forbid planning (Scrum plans continuously), it deliberately avoids fixing full scope and date up front (that is the predictive approach), and decisions are made with the self-managing team, not by a single manager. -
The pillar of 'transparency' in Scrum means that:
Correct answer: A. Transparency means the significant aspects of the process and work are visible to those performing and receiving the work, which makes inspection meaningful. Limiting visibility to the Scrum Master, hiding progress, or excluding stakeholders all reduce transparency. -
In Scrum's empiricism, 'inspection' exists primarily to:
Correct answer: C. Inspection means frequently checking artifacts and progress toward a goal to detect variances and problems so the team can adapt. It is not about punishment, replacing planning, or adding documentation. -
'Adaptation' in Scrum should happen as soon as:
Correct answer: B. Adaptation should occur as soon as inspection shows that aspects of the process or product deviate outside acceptable limits, to minimize further deviation. Waiting for the project end, an annual review, or budget approval defeats the point of fast feedback. -
The Scrum value of 'courage' encourages team members to:
Correct answer: D. Courage means Scrum Team members have the courage to do the right thing and to work on tough problems. Avoiding hard problems, hiding bad news, or always working alone are the opposite of courage. -
The Scrum value of 'focus' means the team's primary focus is on:
Correct answer: A. Focus means the team's main attention is on the work of the Sprint to make the best possible progress toward its goals. It is not about pleasing everyone equally, maximizing documentation, or avoiding meetings. -
The Scrum value of 'openness' means the Scrum Team and stakeholders agree to be open about:
Correct answer: C. Openness means the team and stakeholders are open about the work and the challenges. Being open only about good news, about nothing, or only about salaries does not match the value. -
Why does Scrum work in short cycles rather than one long plan?
Correct answer: B. Short cycles let the team inspect and adapt frequently, which reduces risk and cost when assumptions prove wrong. Scrum still delivers, does not aim to increase documentation, and long plans are simply less adaptive, not illegal. -
Scrum is founded on which two bodies of thinking?
Correct answer: D. The Scrum Guide states Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking. Predictive planning, waterfall and command-and-control approaches are the traditions Scrum deliberately moves away from. -
How many distinct accountabilities make up the Scrum Team?
Correct answer: A. The Scrum Team comprises three accountabilities: one Scrum Master, one Product Owner and the Developers. Two, five and seven do not match the framework. -
In the 2020 Scrum Guide, the Developers, Product Owner and Scrum Master together form:
Correct answer: C. The 2020 Scrum Guide describes one cohesive Scrum Team with no sub-teams or hierarchies. It is not two teams, a steering committee, or a hierarchy led by the Scrum Master. -
The Product Owner is one person who:
Correct answer: B. The Product Owner is a single person accountable for maximizing the value of the product. The role is not a voting committee, does not report to the Scrum Master, and does not write the code. -
Who is accountable for instilling quality by adhering to the Definition of Done?
Correct answer: D. The Developers are accountable for instilling quality by adhering to the Definition of Done. Stakeholders, the sponsor and marketing are outside this accountability. -
The recommended Scrum Team size in the 2020 Scrum Guide is:
Correct answer: A. The Scrum Guide says the Scrum Team is typically 10 or fewer people, small enough to stay nimble yet large enough to do meaningful work. Exactly five, at least twenty, or one person do not reflect the guidance. -
When backlog items are decided, the Product Owner is accountable, but the Developers are accountable for:
Correct answer: C. The people who do the work, the Developers, are responsible for sizing it, though the Product Owner may influence them. Ordering the backlog and setting the vision are the Product Owner's, and budget approval is outside Scrum accountabilities. -
A 'cross-functional' Scrum Team means the team:
Correct answer: B. Cross-functional means the team members collectively have all the skills needed to create value each Sprint without depending on others. Depending on outside groups, lacking a Product Owner, or being all managers contradicts this. -
What is the maximum length of a Sprint in Scrum?
Correct answer: D. A Sprint is a fixed length of one month or less. One or two weeks are common choices within that limit, while three months exceeds the maximum. -
When one Sprint ends, the next Sprint should start:
Correct answer: A. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint. There is no planned gap, no required external sign-off to begin, and the cadence is not at a manager's discretion. -
The recommended time-box for the Daily Scrum is:
Correct answer: C. The Daily Scrum is time-boxed to 15 minutes. Sixty minutes, two hours, or no limit do not match the event. -
Who is required to participate in the Daily Scrum?
Correct answer: B. The Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers of the Scrum Team. Others may observe if invited, but stakeholders, management and the whole company are not required participants. -
Sprint Planning addresses three topics: why the Sprint is valuable, what can be done, and:
Correct answer: D. Sprint Planning covers why the Sprint is valuable (the Sprint Goal), what can be Done, and how the chosen work will get done. The other options are not topics of Sprint Planning. -
For a one-month Sprint, Sprint Planning is time-boxed to a maximum of:
Correct answer: A. Sprint Planning is time-boxed to a maximum of eight hours for a one-month Sprint, and usually shorter for shorter Sprints. One hour, two days, or no maximum are incorrect. -
The Sprint Review is best described as a:
Correct answer: C. The Sprint Review is a working session where the Scrum Team and stakeholders inspect the Sprint's outcome and adapt the Product Backlog. It is not a one-way status report, a personal appraisal, or a substitute for the Retrospective. -
The Sprint Retrospective concludes which part of the Sprint?
Correct answer: B. The Sprint Retrospective is the last event of the Sprint and concludes it, after the Sprint Review. It does not open the Sprint, happen mid-Sprint, or occur only quarterly. -
During the Daily Scrum, the Developers focus on progress toward the:
Correct answer: D. The Daily Scrum inspects progress toward the Sprint Goal and adjusts the plan for the day. The annual budget, mission statement and marketing plan are not its focus. -
Which statement about Scrum events and time-boxes is correct?
Correct answer: A. Every Scrum event is time-boxed, and the Sprint is the container that holds all the others. Events are not unlimited in length, the time-box is not limited to the Sprint alone, and the events are not optional. -
Who has the authority to cancel a Sprint?
Correct answer: C. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint, typically when the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. The Developers, stakeholders and the Scrum Master alone do not hold that authority. -
Each of the three Scrum artifacts contains a commitment. The commitment for the Increment is the:
Correct answer: B. The Increment's commitment is the Definition of Done. The Sprint Goal is the Sprint Backlog's commitment, the Product Goal is the Product Backlog's commitment, and velocity is a metric, not a commitment. -
The Sprint Backlog is made up of the Sprint Goal, the selected Product Backlog items, and:
Correct answer: D. The Sprint Backlog comprises the Sprint Goal (why), the selected Product Backlog items (what) and an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how). An org chart, a budget and a stakeholder list are not part of it. -
Who owns the Sprint Backlog?
Correct answer: A. The Sprint Backlog is created by and for the Developers, so it is owned by the Developers. The Product Owner owns priorities in the Product Backlog, the Scrum Master facilitates, and stakeholders do not own it. -
The Product Goal is:
Correct answer: C. The Product Goal is a long-term objective for the Scrum Team, and the Product Backlog emerges to define what will fulfill it. It is not a single short-term task, the Sprint Goal, or a bug list. -
An Increment is usable only when it meets the:
Correct answer: B. An Increment must meet the Definition of Done to be considered usable and releasable. Meeting the Sprint Goal is about value delivered, and a mood or budget does not determine 'Done'. -
Multiple Increments may be created within a single Sprint, and they:
Correct answer: D. Within a Sprint, multiple Increments may be created; they are additive and each must be usable. They need not wait for the Sprint Review, can be delivered before the Sprint ends, and do not replace the Product Backlog. -
If a Product Backlog item does not meet the Definition of Done, it:
Correct answer: A. Work that does not meet the Definition of Done cannot be released or presented as Done; it returns to the Product Backlog for future consideration. It is not released anyway, deleted permanently, or turned into the Sprint Goal. -
Product Backlog refinement is the act of:
Correct answer: C. Refinement breaks items into smaller, more precise ones and adds detail such as order and size. It is not deleting the backlog, assigning blame, or budgeting. -
The Definition of Done, when an organization has a standard, means individual teams must:
Correct answer: B. If the organization has a standard Definition of Done, teams must follow it as a minimum and may add more stringent criteria. They cannot ignore it, replace it with personal preferences, or apply it only at release. -
The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by, among other things:
Correct answer: D. The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by helping with Product Backlog management techniques and clear goal-setting. The Scrum Master does not order the backlog, approve the vision, or write the items alone. -
The Scrum Master serves the organization by:
Correct answer: A. The Scrum Master serves the organization by leading, training and coaching it in adopting Scrum and removing barriers between stakeholders and teams. Hiding Scrum, forcing it overnight, or avoiding managers do not fit. -
The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's:
Correct answer: C. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness, helping it improve its practices within the framework. Performance reviews, salaries and marketing results are not the Scrum Master's accountability. -
Is the Scrum Master a 'true leader' or a project manager who assigns tasks?
Correct answer: B. The Scrum Guide describes the Scrum Master as a true leader who serves the Scrum Team and the wider organization. The role does not assign tasks like a traditional project manager, and is not an outside contractor or auditor. -
When the Scrum Master coaches the Developers in self-management, the goal is for the team to:
Correct answer: D. Self-management means the Developers decide internally who does what, when and how. Waiting for instructions, reporting each task, or having the Product Owner assign work all undermine self-management. -
A Scrum Master helping the team and stakeholders understand the need for clear Product Backlog items is mainly:
Correct answer: A. Helping people understand and improve practices such as clear backlog items is coaching and facilitation, core to the Scrum Master's service. It is not ordering the backlog, cancelling the Sprint, or setting salaries. -
If the Daily Scrum repeatedly runs long and turns into problem-solving for an hour, the Scrum Master should:
Correct answer: C. The Scrum Master coaches the team to keep the Daily Scrum within its time-box and to move detailed problem-solving to separate sessions. Letting it run forever, cancelling the event, or reporting the team are not facilitative responses. -
A new organization asks the Scrum Master to also act as a 'Scrum policeman' who punishes rule-breakers. The best stance is to:
Correct answer: B. The Scrum Master serves as a coach and teacher who helps people understand and adopt Scrum, not as a punisher. Becoming an enforcer, disengaging, or handing the service to a manager all misread the role. -
Scrum prescribes that its events and artifacts are:
Correct answer: D. The Scrum Guide presents a minimal, purposely incomplete-but-complete framework; each element serves a purpose and omitting elements or changing the core is discouraged. The events and artifacts are not optional add-ons or freely replaceable. -
Scrum is intentionally:
Correct answer: A. Scrum is intentionally lightweight, defining only the parts required to implement Scrum theory and leaving practices to the team. It is not a step-by-step methodology, a heavyweight process, or a software tool. -
After passing the CSM exam, how do holders typically maintain the certification?
Correct answer: C. CSM holders renew every two years by earning Scrum Education Units (SEUs) and paying a renewal fee. The certification is not permanent, does not require monthly courses, and does not require a yearly re-exam. -
The CSM course must be led by a:
Correct answer: B. The required CSM course is led by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) authorized by Scrum Alliance. A senior developer, a PMP holder, or a university lecturer is not, by that title, authorized to deliver it. -
Scrum is most appropriate for work that is:
Correct answer: D. Scrum suits complex work where requirements evolve and frequent feedback reduces risk. Fully predictable, identical-repetitive, or already-finished work does not benefit from Scrum's empirical loops. -
In Scrum, 'self-managing' (self-organizing) teams primarily decide:
Correct answer: A. Self-managing teams internally decide who does what, when and how to turn backlog items into an Increment. They do not set salaries, company strategy, or customer relationships. -
The purpose of the Sprint Goal is to:
Correct answer: B. The Sprint Goal gives the Sprint one coherent objective, creating focus while leaving flexibility in the exact work. It is not a detailed task list, a holiday schedule, or a replacement for the longer-term Product Goal.
Practice questions FAQ
- Are these real CSM exam questions?
- No. These are original study questions written to test understanding. They are not real exam questions, exam dumps, or copied from any provider.
- How should I use these practice questions?
- Answer each one, read the explanation (including why the wrong options are wrong), and use the per-domain score below to focus your revision on weak areas. Revisit before exam day.
- How many questions should I do before the exam?
- Enough to score consistently across every domain, alongside full-length practice from official or reputable providers. Understanding why each answer is right matters more than raw volume.
- What score means I am ready?
- A good signal is consistently scoring around 80% or higher across all domains on questions you have not seen before, and being able to explain why the wrong options are wrong.
- Should I use exam dumps?
- No. Dumps (real or leaked questions) breach provider policy, can void your certification, and do not build the understanding the exam actually tests.