The Product Owner can ask the Scrum Master to help the Developers improve their forecasting, and can spend more time with the Developers clarifying the work. Adding people or demanding top performers does not fix the problem.
Exam Question
The Developers have struggled to get all of their forecasted work done during the last three Sprints. As a Product Owner what steps could you take to help the Developers improve their ability to deliver a done Increment?
(choose the best two answers)
A. Ensure that all Developers are top performers.
B. Ask the Scrum Master to help the Developers learn techniques for improving their ability to forecast work.
C. Add more people to the team so they can get more done.
D. The Product Owner can spend more time with the Developers.
Correct Answer
B and D.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Missing the forecast three Sprints in a row suggests the Developers are selecting more than they can finish, or the items are not well understood. The Scrum Master serves the team by coaching and teaching, so asking them to help with forecasting techniques, such as using past performance and smaller items, is a sensible step. The Product Owner also supports the Developers by making sure they understand Product Backlog items. More time together, during refinement and through the Sprint, reduces surprises and rework. Both options improve the team’s ability to deliver a done Increment without changing team makeup or lowering quality.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
A. Ensure all Developers are top performers. This is not something the Product Owner controls, and it treats a system problem as a people problem.
C. Add more people to the team. Adding people often slows a team down at first and adds coordination. It does not fix poor forecasting or unclear items.
Exam Tip
When a team keeps missing its forecast, prefer answers that improve understanding and planning skills over answers that change headcount or blame individuals.
Key Takeaways
- Repeated missed forecasts point to planning or clarity gaps.
- The Scrum Master can teach forecasting techniques.
- Close Product Owner collaboration reduces surprises.
Get ready for the official PSPO II exam
120 PSPO II practice questions, each with an in-depth explanation like the one above.
- Practice Mode: study at your own pace and choose the test length.
- Mock Exam Mode: 40 random questions in 60 minutes, like the real exam.
$29 is ScrumPrep's one-time price. The official PSPO II exam fee is paid separately to Scrum.org.
More PSPO II exam questions
- What is the Product Owner responsible for during the Sprint Retrospective?” (PSPO II)
- Product A is a big revenue producer; it has:
- The most important thing a Product Owner can do is:
- You are the Product Owner for a product with diverse stakeholders with differing opinions that sometimes conflict.
- Your executive leadership team believes that your product can achieve higher market share.