The Scrum Master can coach the Product Owner on raising the stakeholder’s quality concern with the Developers, and encourage the Product Owner to put quality specifications on the Product Backlog. Waiting, passing it to testers or saying it is purely the Developers’ call misses the chance to act now.
Exam Question
Several Sprints into a project, the Product Owner tells the Scrum Master that a key stakeholder just started using the product. The stakeholder is unhappy with the quality of the product. What are two good options for the Scrum Master? (choose the best two answers)
- A. Coach the Product Owner on how to talk with the Developers about this concern.
- B. Explain to the Product Owner that it’s up to the Developers to decide on acceptable quality standards.
- C. Encourage the Product Owner to put quality specifications on the Product Backlog and express the stakeholder’s concern to the Developers.
- D. Wait to bring this up until the Sprint Retrospective.
- E. Bring the concern to the testers to improve how the Product is verified.
Correct Answer
A and C.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner, including by “facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed.” Coaching the Product Owner on how to bring this concern to the Developers helps the team respond quickly. Quality issues that need specific work belong on the Product Backlog, where they are visible and ordered, and broader standards may lead the team to strengthen the Definition of Done. Either way, the whole Scrum Team is accountable for a valuable, useful Increment, so a stakeholder’s quality concern is everyone’s business.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
B. Say acceptable quality is purely the Developers’ decision. The Developers instill quality, but the Product Owner and stakeholders are entitled to raise concerns. Value includes quality users care about.
D. Wait until the Sprint Retrospective. A stakeholder concern about the product should be made transparent now, not saved for a later event.
E. Take the concern to the testers. Scrum has no separate tester role. Quality is the whole team’s concern, and the Developers include anyone who tests.
Exam Tip
When a stakeholder raises a product concern, look for options that make it transparent to the Scrum Team quickly through the Product Owner and the Product Backlog.
Key Takeaways
- The Scrum Master coaches the Product Owner on stakeholder concerns.
- Quality work can be made visible on the Product Backlog.
- Product concerns should be raised right away, not saved for later.
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