Answering: “A Project Manager working with your Scrum Team has raised concerns about progress and money spent. What are the two best responses?” (PSM I)

Respond with transparency: give the project manager access to the Product Backlog, and talk with them about current impediments and the Sprint forecast. Ignoring them or reaching for traditional reports misses the point of Scrum’s artifacts.

Exam Question

A Project Manager working with your Scrum Team has raised concerns about progress and money spent. What are the two best responses?
(Choose the best two answers)
A. Scrum does not have Project Managers so disregard their concerns.
B. Promote transparency by sharing the Product Backlog and ensuring the Project Manager has access.
C. Show the Earned Value Analysis (EVA) report.
D. Have a discussion with the Project Manager, share the current impediments and forecast for the Sprint.
E. Share the last stakeholder briefing document prepared by the Product Owner.

Correct Answer

B and D.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

Scrum’s artifacts exist to make progress visible. The Scrum Guide says they are “designed to maximize transparency of key information,” so that everyone inspecting them has the same basis for adaptation. Sharing the Product Backlog shows what is planned and in what order, and a direct conversation about impediments and the Sprint forecast gives an honest picture of where things stand. The Scrum Master also serves the wider organization by helping people outside the team understand how to work with it.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. Scrum has no project managers, so disregard their concerns. Scrum has no project manager role inside the Scrum Team, but people with that title still exist in many organizations and are stakeholders. Ignoring a stakeholder damages trust and transparency.

C. Show the Earned Value Analysis report. Earned value assumes a fixed plan and measures progress against it. Scrum measures progress through working Increments and the Product Backlog, so an EVA report adds overhead without reflecting real progress.

E. Share the last stakeholder briefing document. A briefing document is a snapshot that ages quickly. The live Product Backlog and a conversation give current, accurate information.

Exam Tip

Questions about worried managers or stakeholders usually reward answers built on transparency and conversation, and penalize both dismissal and traditional status reporting.

Key Takeaways

• People outside the Scrum Team are still stakeholders worth serving.
• The Product Backlog and the Increment are the real progress reports.
• The Scrum Master helps the organization understand how to engage with Scrum.