Answering: “Which two things are appropriate for a Scrum Master to do, if the Scrum Team does not have the tools and environment to completely finish each selected Product Backlog item?” (PSPO I)

When the team lacks the tools or environment to finish items, the Scrum Master helps it adopt a Definition of Done it can meet now and coaches it to raise that bar as conditions improve. Calling partial work an Increment or halting Scrum would only hide the problem.

Exam Question

Which two things are appropriate for a Scrum Master to do, if the Scrum Team does not have the tools and environment to completely finish each selected Product Backlog item?
(choose the best two answers)
A. Refocus the current Sprint on establishing the Scrum Team’s environment instead of delivering an Increment.
B. Have the Scrum Team establish a Definition of Done that is actually possible to achieve given the current circumstances.
C. Declare the Scrum Team not ready for Scrum.
D. Encourage the Product Owner to accept partially done Increments until the situation improves.
E. Coach the Scrum Team to improve its skills, tools and environment over time and adjust the Definition of Done accordingly.

Correct Answer

B and E.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

An Increment exists only when work meets the Definition of Done. If the team sets a standard it has no means to reach, it will either fail every Sprint or quietly pretend to be done. Both destroy transparency. Starting with an achievable Definition of Done keeps every Increment honest, and the gap between that and a fully releasable product becomes visible for the Product Owner to manage. From there the Scrum Master coaches the team and works with the organization to get better tools, skills and environments. Each improvement lets the team strengthen its Definition of Done, which is how Scrum Teams grow their quality bar over time.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. Spend the Sprint building the environment instead of an Increment. Scrum expects an Increment every Sprint. Improvements to the environment can be part of the Sprint’s work, but they do not replace delivering value.

C. Declare the team not ready for Scrum. Scrum is how the team will discover and remove these constraints. Waiting for perfect conditions means never starting.

D. Ask the Product Owner to accept partially done Increments. Undone work is not an Increment. Accepting it hides technical risk and misleads stakeholders.

Exam Tip

On the PSPO exam this scenario looks the same as on PSM I. Favor answers that protect transparency now and improve capability later.

Key Takeaways

• Set a Definition of Done the team can actually meet.
• Improve tools, skills and environment over time.
• Raise the Definition of Done as capability grows.