Answering: “A Scrum Team has been working together for nine Sprints. A new Product Owner comes in, unsure about his responsibilities. As the Scrum Master you have observed how the functional and business insights of the Developers have grown over the past Sprints. The Product Owner however is relatively new to the company and to the product. What are two activities you would direct the new Product Owner towards focusing on?”

Direct the new Product Owner to build relationships with stakeholders and to work closely with the knowledgeable Developers and stakeholders on the Product Backlog. Daily scope changes and upfront analysis phases are the wrong focus.

Exam Question

A Scrum Team has been working together for nine Sprints. A new Product Owner comes in, unsure about his responsibilities. As the Scrum Master you have observed how the functional and business insights of the Developers have grown over the past Sprints. The Product Owner however is relatively new to the company and to the product. What are two activities you would direct the new Product Owner towards focusing on? (choose the best two answers)

• A. You advise the Product Owner to start building a good relationship with the stakeholders of the product. On-going interaction with them is important to regularly align with changing organizational or market expectations. The Product Owner is also expected to invite the best-placed stakeholders to the Sprint Review.
• B. You inform the Product Owner that, in today’s highly competitive markets, it is important that the Developers are updated on changing business priorities on a daily basis. It is why Scrum has this daily meeting. At this Daily Scrum the Developers can adapt to the changes in scope without delay.
• C. You tell the Product Owner to make sure that there are no ambiguities or possible misunderstandings in the items on the Product Backlog when they are handed over to the Scrum Team. This is best done by capturing the functional requirements during an analysis phase, resulting in documents that are considered as the working product of such analysis Sprints.
• D. You advise the Product Owner to rely on others in the Scrum Team and the stakeholders to formulate the Product Backlog, as they are the ones that are up to speed. By questioning them and working with them the Product Owner will quickly be most productive.

Correct Answer

A and D.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

A new Product Owner is still accountable for maximizing product value, but lacks product and company knowledge. Option A addresses the outside view. Regular contact with stakeholders keeps the Product Owner aligned with market and organizational changes, and helps decide who should attend the Sprint Review. Option D uses the team’s grown insight. The Scrum Guide allows the Product Owner to delegate Product Backlog work and says “Regardless, the Product Owner remains accountable.” Questioning and working with the Developers and stakeholders is a fast way to learn the product while keeping ownership of decisions.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

B. Update the Developers on changing priorities daily at the Daily Scrum. The Daily Scrum is for the Developers to plan their day, not for scope changes. Changing scope daily would endanger the Sprint Goal.

C. Remove all ambiguity in items through an analysis phase and documents. This is a waterfall analysis phase. Scrum relies on ongoing refinement and conversation, not handed-over documents from analysis Sprints.

Exam Tip

PSM II scenario questions about a new Product Owner reward answers that connect them to stakeholders and to the team’s knowledge. Process-heavy or control-heavy options are distractors.

Key Takeaways

• A new Product Owner should invest in stakeholder relationships.
• Delegating backlog work is allowed, but accountability stays with the Product Owner.
• Daily scope changes and analysis phases do not fit Scrum.