Ask the Scrum Teams how they want to handle Phil’s limited availability, then help them carry out their choice. Self-managing teams are best placed to solve their own dependency problems.
Exam Question
You are the Scrum Master for four teams working from the same Product Backlog. Several of the developers come to you complaining that work identified for the upcoming two Sprints will require full time commitment from Phil, an external specialist. As the Scrum Master what should you do to solve this upcoming problem? (choose the best answer)
- A. Prepare the Sprint Backlogs each day for the teams so Phil can spend some time in each team.
- B. Allocate Phil to one team per Sprint, so that over four Sprints every team will have had the support it requires.
- C. Consult with the Scrum Teams on how they want to handle this problem, and help them implement their preferred solution.
- D. Ask Phil for a plan to hire and train additional people in his domain, and in the meantime work with the Product Owner and the Scrum Teams to re-prioritize the work so that tasks not depending on Phil can be done first.
Correct Answer
C. Consult with the Scrum Teams on how they want to handle this problem, and help them implement their preferred solution.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The Scrum Guide says the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by “coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality” and by “causing the removal of impediments.” The teams understand the work and the dependency on Phil far better than any single person, and they might pair with Phil to spread his knowledge, reorder work with the Product Owner, or share his time in a way that suits them. The Scrum Master’s job is to bring the problem to them and support what they decide, not to solve it on their behalf.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
A. Prepare the Sprint Backlogs daily so Phil can spend time in each team. The Sprint Backlog belongs to the Developers. A Scrum Master preparing it for them undermines self-management.
B. Allocate Phil to one team per Sprint. This is a top-down decision made for the teams, and it may leave three teams blocked every Sprint.
D. Ask Phil for a hiring plan and reprioritize work. Some of these ideas may be useful, but they are decided by the Scrum Master alone instead of by the teams and the Product Owner.
Exam Tip
On PSM II, the Scrum Master who facilitates and lets the teams decide usually beats the Scrum Master who designs the solution.
Key Takeaways
- The Scrum Master coaches self-management rather than imposing fixes.
- Dependencies on specialists are solved best by the teams themselves.
- The Sprint Backlog belongs to the Developers.
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More PSM II exam questions
- You have just been hired as a Scrum Master by a company new to Scrum. The company wants to use Scrum to build a new product that was conceived by the product management department. You will be the Scrum Master of two new teams that will build a first version of the product. The product management department assigns two new Product Owners, but wants more advice about the required participation with the new Scrum Teams. Which two suggestions would you offer?
- A Scrum Team is struggling over the fact that not all Developers work full time and that other Developers regularly work from home. To solve the difficulties in aligning daily, at the Sprint Retrospective two Developers suggest having the Daily Scrum every three days, when everyone is in the office.
- You are a Scrum Master helping to establish five Scrum Teams that will be building a product. You discuss with them the high level of integration that the product Increment will require by the end of their first Sprint. It is a highly anticipated product, both by consumers and by the organization. Of the options raised by the future Scrum Team members, which option do you encourage?
- Which way of creating Scrum Teams is consistent with Scrum’s values?
- True or False: When scaling Scrum it is important to have multiple Scrum Teams working from one Product Backlog.