Answering: “When many Scrum Teams are working on the same product, should all of their Increments be integrated every Sprint?” (PSPO I)

Yes. When several Scrum Teams build one product, their work must be integrated every Sprint so everyone can inspect what is truly done. Saving integration for a hardening Sprint hides risk.

Exam Question

When many Scrum Teams are working on the same product, should all of their Increments be integrated every Sprint?
(choose the best answer)
A. No, that is far too hard and must be done in a hardening Sprint.
B. No, each Scrum Team stands alone.
C. Yes, but only for Scrum Teams whose work has dependencies.
D. Yes, in order to accurately inspect what is done.

Correct Answer

D. Yes, in order to accurately inspect what is done.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Scrum Guide says each Increment “is additive to all prior Increments and thoroughly verified, ensuring that all Increments work together.” When teams work on the same product there is only one product Increment, so the pieces must come together to be useful and inspectable. Without integration, nobody can be sure the parts work together, and the Sprint Review would inspect something that does not really exist.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. No, it’s too hard and must be done in a hardening Sprint. Scrum has no hardening Sprints. Every Sprint should produce a usable Increment. Integration that is hard is a reason to improve practices, not to postpone it.

B. No, each Scrum Team stands alone. Teams on the same product share a Product Goal, Product Backlog and Product Owner, so their work cannot stand alone.

C. Only for teams whose work has dependencies. All teams contribute to one product, so all of their work forms a single Increment, whether or not their items depend on each other.

Exam Tip

Any option mentioning release, stabilization or hardening Sprints is wrong on Scrum.org exams.

Key Takeaways

• Multiple teams on one product produce one integrated Increment each Sprint.
• Integration is what makes the Increment inspectable at the Sprint Review.
• Hardening Sprints are not part of Scrum.