Answering: “If necessary, who is responsible for removing the Developer from the Scrum Team?”

The Scrum Team is responsible. Scrum Teams are self-managing, so decisions about how the team works, including membership problems like this one, start with the team itself.

Exam Question

A new Developer is having continuing conflicts with existing members of the Scrum Team, which is impacting the delivery of the Increment. If necessary, who is responsible for removing the Developer from the Scrum Team? (choose the best answer)

• A. The Scrum Master is responsible, they remove impediments.
• B. The Scrum Team is responsible.
• C. The hiring manager is responsible, they hired the Developer.
• D. The Product Owner is responsible, they control the return on investment (ROI).

Correct Answer

B. The Scrum Team is responsible.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Scrum Guide describes Scrum Teams as “self-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how.” Ongoing conflict that hurts delivery is a problem for the whole team to inspect and resolve, ideally first through honest conversation and the Sprint Retrospective. The Scrum Master helps by coaching the team in self-management and facilitating difficult conversations, and the organization may need to support the outcome, but neither one takes the decision away from the team.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. The Scrum Master, because they remove impediments. The Scrum Master causes impediments to be removed, often by helping the team resolve them itself. Removing people unilaterally is not part of the role.

C. The hiring manager, because they hired the Developer. Managers can support the team, but in Scrum the self-managing team decides how it works.

D. The Product Owner, because they control ROI. The Product Owner is accountable for value and the Product Backlog, not for team membership.

Exam Tip

Questions about team conflict usually favor the self-managing Scrum Team, with the Scrum Master in a coaching and facilitating role.

Key Takeaways

• Scrum Teams are self-managing, including how they handle conflict.
• The Scrum Master coaches and facilitates rather than decides.
• Neither managers nor the Product Owner own team membership in Scrum.