Practice questions · Project Management
Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I): Practice Questions
Original concept-check questions on the Scrum framework, based on the 2020 Scrum Guide. Choose an answer to reveal the explanation, including why the other options are wrong. Filter by domain or difficulty. These are original study questions, not real exam questions.
Answered 0 · Correct 0
-
What is the maximum timebox for the Daily Scrum?
Correct answer: C. The Daily Scrum is timeboxed to 15 minutes for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal. -
Who is accountable for the Product Backlog?
Correct answer: B. The Product Owner is accountable for the Product Backlog, including its content, ordering and clarity. -
Which three pillars uphold empiricism in Scrum?
Correct answer: A. Empiricism rests on transparency, inspection and adaptation. (Commitment, courage and focus are Scrum values.) -
The commitment associated with the Increment is the:
Correct answer: D. Each artifact has a commitment: the Increment's is the Definition of Done, which defines the required quality. -
During the Sprint, who can change the Sprint Backlog?
Correct answer: B. The Sprint Backlog is the Developers' plan; they own and adjust it throughout the Sprint as they learn more. -
How long is a Sprint?
Correct answer: C. A Sprint is a fixed-length timebox of one month or less; its length does not change once it has started. -
The main purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to:
Correct answer: A. The Retrospective is where the Scrum Team inspects itself and plans improvements to its process, tools and interactions. -
Who creates the Increment?
Correct answer: B. The Developers are accountable for creating a usable Increment each Sprint. -
If the Developers cannot finish all planned work, the Sprint should:
Correct answer: D. A Sprint's length is fixed and does not extend; unfinished work returns to the Product Backlog to be re-ordered. -
Which of these is one of the five Scrum values?
Correct answer: C. The five Scrum values are commitment, focus, openness, respect and courage. -
The Sprint Review exists to:
Correct answer: A. At the Sprint Review the Scrum Team and stakeholders inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog as needed. -
The Product Goal is the commitment contained in which artifact?
Correct answer: C. The Product Goal is the commitment for the Product Backlog and gives the team a long-term objective to work toward. -
How many accountabilities (roles) are there in a Scrum Team?
Correct answer: A. A Scrum Team has three accountabilities: Product Owner, Scrum Master and Developers. The counts of two, four and five are incorrect. -
The Scrum Master serves the team by:
Correct answer: B. The Scrum Master is a servant-leader who coaches and removes impediments. Task assignment, backlog ownership and coding are not their accountability. -
The Product Owner is accountable for:
Correct answer: D. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the team's work, largely through Product Backlog management. Facilitating the Daily Scrum, managing salaries and testing the code are not the Product Owner's accountability. -
The Developers are accountable for:
Correct answer: A. Developers build the Increment. Backlog ordering is the PO's, impediment removal the SM's, and contracts are not a Scrum accountability. -
The recommended maximum size of a Scrum Team is:
Correct answer: B. The 2020 Scrum Guide recommends a Scrum Team of 10 or fewer people. 'At least 20 people', 'unlimited' and 'exactly 3 people' are incorrect. -
Which event is the container that holds all the other events?
Correct answer: C. The Sprint is the container that holds all the other events. Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum and the Sprint Review each occur within the Sprint, so none of them is the container. -
The maximum length of a Sprint is:
Correct answer: D. Sprints are one month or less. Longer fixed Sprints are not allowed. -
Sprint Planning addresses why and what, and also:
Correct answer: B. Sprint Planning addresses why (the Sprint Goal), what (the selected items) and how the chosen work will be done. Who pays for the project, the annual budget and when the company will stop are out of scope for Sprint Planning. -
For a one-month Sprint, Sprint Planning is timeboxed to a maximum of:
Correct answer: A. Sprint Planning is timeboxed to a maximum of eight hours for a one-month Sprint, usually shorter for shorter Sprints. -
For a one-month Sprint, the Sprint Review is timeboxed to a maximum of:
Correct answer: D. For a one-month Sprint the Sprint Review is timeboxed to a maximum of four hours. The limits of one hour, two hours and eight hours are incorrect for this event. -
If the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete, who has the authority to cancel the Sprint?
Correct answer: C. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint. The Scrum Master, the Developers and external stakeholders may advise but cannot cancel it. -
The three Scrum artifacts are the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog and the:
Correct answer: A. The three Scrum artifacts are the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog and the Increment. A burndown chart, a roadmap and a contract are not Scrum artifacts. -
The commitment for the Product Backlog is the:
Correct answer: B. Each artifact has a commitment: Product Backlog -> Product Goal. The Sprint Backlog has the Sprint Goal and the Increment has the Definition of Done. -
The commitment for the Increment is the:
Correct answer: C. The Increment's commitment is the Definition of Done. The Sprint Goal belongs to the Sprint Backlog and the Product Goal to the Product Backlog. -
The Definition of Done is:
Correct answer: D. The Definition of Done is the shared standard for when an Increment is considered complete, setting its quality bar. The project budget, the team roster and the length of the Sprint are unrelated to it. -
Within a single Sprint, multiple Increments may be created and:
Correct answer: B. Multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint and released when valuable, no later than the end of the Sprint. 'Never released', 'held until the end of the year' and 'used to replace the backlog' are all incorrect. -
Scrum is founded on:
Correct answer: C. Scrum is founded on empiricism (transparency, inspection, adaptation) and lean thinking. Fixed long-term contracts, detailed up-front plans and individual heroics contradict that basis. -
The five Scrum values are commitment, focus, openness, respect and:
Correct answer: A. The five Scrum values are commitment, focus, openness, respect and courage. Speed, profit and secrecy are not Scrum values. -
During Sprint Planning, who is ultimately responsible for setting the topic of the Sprint Goal?
Correct answer: D. The Product Owner proposes how the product could increase its value in the Sprint, and the entire Scrum Team collaborates to define a Sprint Goal. The Scrum Master facilitates but does not decide it, stakeholders do not dictate it, and the Developers do not set it without the Product Owner. -
The Daily Scrum is held:
Correct answer: C. The Daily Scrum is held at the same time and place every working day of the Sprint to reduce complexity. It is not weekly, not dependent on the Scrum Master's availability, and not triggered by stakeholder requests. -
Who is required to attend the Daily Scrum?
Correct answer: B. The Daily Scrum is an event for the Developers of the Scrum Team. If the Product Owner or Scrum Master are actively working on Sprint Backlog items, they participate as Developers. It is not for stakeholders or the whole organisation, and the Scrum Master alone is not the point of it. -
A new Sprint starts:
Correct answer: A. A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous one, so there is no gap between Sprints. There is no planning gap, fixed break, or required stakeholder sign-off between Sprints. -
For a two-week Sprint, the Sprint Retrospective should be timeboxed to roughly:
Correct answer: D. The Retrospective is timeboxed to a maximum of three hours for a one-month Sprint and is usually shorter for shorter Sprints, so about an hour and a half is reasonable for a two-week Sprint. A full day, a fixed four hours, or no limit are all incorrect. -
The Sprint Retrospective concludes:
Correct answer: C. The Sprint Retrospective is the final event of the Sprint and concludes it. Sprint Planning opens the Sprint, the Daily Scrum recurs within it, and Scrum is not project-bound. -
The Sprint Review is best described as:
Correct answer: A. The Sprint Review is a working session, not a one-way demo or status report; the Scrum Team presents results to stakeholders and they collaborate on what to do next. It is not a status report to the Product Owner, not a stakeholder-run sign-off gate, and not a silent demo. -
Topics covered in Sprint Planning include all of the following EXCEPT:
Correct answer: D. Sprint Planning addresses why the Sprint is valuable, what can be done, and how the work will be done. A detailed two-year annual release schedule is outside the scope of Sprint Planning. -
If Developers determine during the Sprint that they have more capacity, they should:
Correct answer: B. As more is learned, the Developers negotiate the scope of the Sprint Backlog with the Product Owner within the Sprint. They do not extend the fixed-length Sprint, do not cancel it for extra capacity, and do not abandon the Sprint Goal. -
The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to:
Correct answer: C. The Daily Scrum lets the Developers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog, adjusting their plan for the day. It is not a status report to managers, not task assignment by the Scrum Master, and not a detailed design review. -
In the 2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Team is described as:
Correct answer: D. The 2020 Scrum Guide describes the Scrum Team as cohesive, with no sub-teams or hierarchies, focused on one Product Goal at a time. It is not built from sub-teams, not necessarily large, and is not led by a project manager. -
The Scrum Team is responsible for all product-related activities. This implies the team is:
Correct answer: B. Because the Scrum Team handles all product-related activity, it is cross-functional, meaning members have all the skills needed to create value each Sprint. It is self-managing rather than dependent on outside groups, and it is not required to outsource testing. -
Self-managing in Scrum means the Scrum Team internally decides:
Correct answer: A. Self-managing Scrum Teams choose who does the work, when, and how, rather than being directed from outside. Salaries, firing stakeholders, and overall company strategy are outside the team's mandate. -
The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness by:
Correct answer: D. The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness by enabling it to improve its practices within the Scrum framework. Writing code reviews, approving every backlog item, and setting bonuses are not Scrum Master accountabilities. -
Which is a way the Scrum Master serves the organisation?
Correct answer: B. The Scrum Master serves the organisation by leading, training and coaching it in Scrum adoption, among other things. Approving budgets, writing all user stories, and managing sales are not part of this service. -
The Product Owner may delegate Product Backlog management work, but:
Correct answer: C. The Product Owner may have others manage the Product Backlog but remains accountable for it. Accountability does not transfer to the Scrum Master or stakeholders, and it never simply disappears. -
For the Product Owner to succeed, the whole organisation must:
Correct answer: A. For Product Owners to succeed, the entire organisation must respect their decisions, which are visible in the Product Backlog's content and ordering. Bypassing them, requiring sign-off for every item, or letting stakeholders reorder the backlog directly all undermine the role. -
The Product Owner is one person, not a committee, because:
Correct answer: B. The Product Owner is one person so that there is a single, clear point of accountability for the product's value and the backlog's ordering, though they may represent the needs of many. Committees do not make this faster, Scrum encourages collaboration, and stakeholders can still be consulted. -
When several Scrum Teams work on the same product, they should share:
Correct answer: C. Multiple teams on one product share one Product Goal, one Product Backlog and one Product Owner. They are not merely sharing a Scrum Master, are not working on separate products, and do have important things in common. -
The accountability for instilling and supporting the Scrum values in the team rests most directly with the:
Correct answer: D. The Scrum Master helps the Scrum Team and organisation adopt an empirical, Scrum-values-based approach. Stakeholders, customers and finance are not accountable for instilling the Scrum values. -
Each Scrum artifact contains a commitment to improve transparency and focus. The commitments are the Product Goal, the Sprint Goal and the:
Correct answer: A. The three artifact commitments are the Product Goal (Product Backlog), the Sprint Goal (Sprint Backlog) and the Definition of Done (Increment). A velocity target, release date and burndown chart are not artifact commitments. -
The Sprint Backlog is composed of the Sprint Goal, the selected Product Backlog items, and:
Correct answer: C. The Sprint Backlog is the Sprint Goal (why), the selected Product Backlog items (what), plus an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how). It does not contain the budget, the org chart, or a stakeholder list. -
Product Backlog refinement is the act of:
Correct answer: B. Refinement breaks down and further defines backlog items into smaller, more precise items, adding detail such as description, order and size. It does not freeze, delete, or hide the backlog. -
Who is responsible for sizing (estimating) Product Backlog items?
Correct answer: A. The Developers who will perform the work are responsible for sizing it, though the Product Owner may influence them by helping them understand and select trade-offs. The Product Owner alone, the Scrum Master, and an external team do not size the items. -
If the Definition of Done for an item is not met, the Increment:
Correct answer: D. Work that does not meet the Definition of Done cannot be released or even presented at the Sprint Review; it returns to the Product Backlog for future consideration. It is not released anyway, not auto-accepted, and does not extend the Sprint. -
When an organisation has no Definition of Done as a standard, the Scrum Team should:
Correct answer: B. If an organisational standard does not exist, the Scrum Team must create a Definition of Done appropriate for the product. The team does not skip it, wait for stakeholders, or substitute velocity for it. -
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal and must be:
Correct answer: A. Each Increment must be usable and additive to prior Increments, meeting the Definition of Done. It is not untested, does not need every stakeholder's prior approval, and is not held until year end. -
The Product Backlog is:
Correct answer: C. The Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product and is the single source of work for the Scrum Team. It is not fixed at the start, not owned by the Developers, and not the same as the Sprint Backlog. -
The Sprint Goal provides the Developers with:
Correct answer: D. The Sprint Goal creates coherence and focus while giving the Developers flexibility regarding the exact work needed to achieve it. It is not a salary structure, not a frozen task list, and not a reason to skip the Daily Scrum. -
The Definition of Done creates transparency by giving everyone a shared understanding of:
Correct answer: C. The Definition of Done creates a shared understanding of what work was completed as part of the Increment. It does not track hours, define marketing, or set the release date. -
Transparency as a Scrum pillar means:
Correct answer: B. Transparency requires that the emergent process and work are visible to those performing and receiving the work, enabling meaningful inspection. Hiding information or deciding in secret defeats transparency, and it is not limited to managers. -
Inspection in Scrum must be performed:
Correct answer: D. Scrum artifacts and progress must be inspected frequently and diligently, though not so often that inspection gets in the way of the work. Inspecting only once per release, never, or only by external auditors would undermine empiricism. -
Adaptation in Scrum is triggered when:
Correct answer: A. Adaptation happens when aspects of a process deviate outside acceptable limits or the resulting product is unacceptable, so the process or materials are adjusted as soon as possible. It is not driven by whim, not tied only to Sprint end, and not limited to year end. -
The Scrum value of 'focus' means the Scrum Team focuses on:
Correct answer: B. Focus means the team concentrates on the work of the Sprint and the goals of the Scrum Team. It is not about pleasing every stakeholder, maximising meetings, or prioritising documentation above all. -
The Scrum value of 'openness' means the Scrum Team and stakeholders are open about:
Correct answer: D. Openness means the Scrum Team and its stakeholders are open about the work and the challenges. It is not limited to good news, does not concern personal salaries, and is the opposite of staying silent to avoid conflict. -
The Scrum value of 'respect' means Scrum Team members:
Correct answer: C. Respect means members respect each other to be capable, independent people, and are respected as such by those they work with. It does not mean deferring to seniority, suppressing disagreement, or competing against teammates. -
Scrum's empirical approach asserts that knowledge comes from:
Correct answer: A. Scrum is founded on empiricism, which asserts that knowledge comes from experience and that decisions are based on what is observed. It does not rely on far-ahead prediction, a rigid unchanging plan, or the highest-paid person's opinion. -
Lean thinking, which underpins Scrum alongside empiricism, emphasises:
Correct answer: D. Scrum combines empiricism with lean thinking, which reduces waste and focuses on the essentials. Adding process, maximising documentation, and centralised command-and-control run counter to lean thinking. -
If transparency is low, decisions made to adapt the product or process are likely to be:
Correct answer: C. Low transparency leads to decisions that diminish value and increase risk, because inspection without transparency is misleading. It does not make decisions more reliable, leave them unaffected, or guarantee correctness. -
The Scrum framework is described as:
Correct answer: B. Scrum is purposefully incomplete, defining only the parts required to implement Scrum theory, and is built on the collective intelligence of the people using it. It is not a complete methodology, a rigid technique set, or a product you purchase. -
Who facilitates the Scrum events when needed and ensures they are positive and productive?
Correct answer: A. The Scrum Master ensures that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive and kept within the timebox, facilitating as requested or needed. The senior Developer, Product Owner alone, and an external coach are not accountable for this. -
The timebox for an event is:
Correct answer: D. A timebox is a maximum duration; events may end as soon as their purpose is achieved but may not exceed the box. It is not a minimum to fill, not merely a suggestion, and differs by event. -
Each event in Scrum is a formal opportunity to:
Correct answer: A. The Scrum events are specifically designed to enable the transparency required for inspection and adaptation. They are not for replacing roles, renegotiating pay, or pausing empiricism. -
The Sprint enables predictability by ensuring inspection and adaptation toward the Product Goal at least:
Correct answer: C. Sprints are fixed-length events of one month or less, so inspection and adaptation toward the Product Goal happen at least once per Sprint. Yearly, quarterly, or release-only cadence would reduce predictability and feedback. -
During the Sprint, no changes are made that would:
Correct answer: B. During the Sprint, quality does not decrease, and no changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal. Improving quality, clarifying the Sprint Backlog and helping the Developers are all acceptable within a Sprint. -
The output of Sprint Planning is, at minimum:
Correct answer: A. By the end of Sprint Planning, the Developers should have a Sprint Goal, the set of items selected for the Sprint, and a plan for delivering them. A contract, a year-long release plan, and a stakeholder list are not the output. -
Scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner during the Sprint as:
Correct answer: D. As the Developers learn more during the Sprint, scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner. It is not driven by stakeholder demands, budget changes, or Scrum Master instructions. -
How does the Scrum Team measure progress in Scrum?
Correct answer: C. Progress is assessed empirically by inspecting artifacts and the remaining work against the relevant goal (Sprint Goal or Product Goal). Hours worked, meeting counts, and stakeholder mood are not Scrum measures of progress. -
Which statement about the Scrum Master role is correct?
Correct answer: B. The Scrum Master is a true leader who serves the Scrum Team and the larger organisation. They do not boss the Developers, own the Product Backlog (the Product Owner does), or have to write code.
Practice questions FAQ
- Are these real PSM I 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.