Answering: “Which of the following are appropriate topics for discussion during a Sprint Retrospective?” (PSM I)

Identifying high priority process improvements and looking at how the team collaborates are the right Sprint Retrospective topics. Ordering the Product Backlog and writing acceptance criteria belong to refinement and the Product Owner’s work.

Exam Question

Which of the following are appropriate topics for discussion during a Sprint Retrospective? (choose the best two answers)

• A. Identifying high priority process improvements for the next Sprint.
• B. How the team collaborates.
• C. The order of items in the Product Backlog.
• D. Documenting acceptance criteria for items in the next Sprint.

Correct Answers:
A. Identifying high priority process improvements for the next Sprint.
B. How the team collaborates.

Let’s break down why these are the best answers and delve into the significance of the Sprint Retrospective.

Correct Answer

A and B.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Scrum Guide says the purpose of the Sprint Retrospective “is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness.” The team inspects how the last Sprint went across individuals, interactions, processes, tools and the Definition of Done, then picks the most helpful changes. Process improvements are the main output of the event. How the team collaborates is a direct look at interactions. Both are about how the team works, which is exactly what this event is for.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

C. The order of items in the Product Backlog. Ordering is the Product Owner’s accountability and is handled through refinement and the Sprint Review, not the Sprint Retrospective.

D. Documenting acceptance criteria for next Sprint’s items. Clarifying items is refinement work. It is about the product, not about the team’s way of working.

Exam Tip

If a retrospective option is about product content, such as backlog order or item details, it is a distractor. The event looks inward at the team.

Key Takeaways

• The Sprint Retrospective is about how the team works.
• Process improvements and collaboration are core topics.
• Backlog ordering and item details belong to refinement.