Answering: “True or False: The Product Owner makes sure the right stakeholders are invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They might have important instructions for team improvements.” (PSM I)

False. The Product Owner does not invite stakeholders to the Sprint Retrospective to give improvement instructions. The Retrospective belongs to the Scrum Team.

Exam Question

True or False: The Product Owner makes sure the right stakeholders are invited to the Sprint Retrospective. They might have important instructions for team improvements.
A. True
B. False

Correct Answer

B. False

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Scrum Guide describes the Sprint Retrospective as the event where the Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went “with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done.” Its purpose is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. It is for the Scrum Team, which is self-managing. Stakeholders give input on the product at the Sprint Review, not on the team’s way of working at the Retrospective. Having outsiders hand down instructions would also hurt the openness and safety the team needs to discuss problems honestly.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. True This makes the Retrospective a place for outside direction. The Scrum Team decides its own improvements, and stakeholders take part in the Sprint Review instead.

Exam Tip

Know which events involve stakeholders. The Sprint Review is the event for stakeholder input. The Sprint Retrospective is for the Scrum Team only.

Key Takeaways

• The Sprint Retrospective is for the Scrum Team.
• Stakeholders give input at the Sprint Review.
• Outside instructions undermine a self-managing team.