Scrum Flashcards
What happens if you change the core design or ideas of scrum, leaving out elements, or not following the rules of scrum?
Covers up problems and limits the benefits of Scrum, potentially even rendering it useless.
What is the definition of Scrum?
Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems.
What does Scrum specifically require the Scrum Master to foster in regard to the environment?
In a nutshell, Scrum requires a Scrum Master to foster an environment where:
1. A Product Owner orders the work for a complex problem into a Product Backlog.
2. The Scrum Team turns a selection of the work into an Increment of value during a Sprint.
3. The Scrum Team and its stakeholders inspect the results and adjust for the next Sprint.
4. Repeat
Is Scrum a complete framework with detailed instructions?
The Scrum framework is purposefully incomplete, only defining the parts required to
implement Scrum theory. Scrum is built upon by the collective intelligence of the people using it.
Rather than provide people with detailed instructions, the rules of Scrum guide their relationships and interactions.
What two ideas of thought is Scrum founded on?
Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking.
Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed.
Lean thinking reduces waste and focuses on the essentials.
Lean is a way of thinking about creating needed value with fewer resources and less waste. And lean is a practice consisting of continuous experimentation to achieve perfect value with zero waste
Why do Scrum employ an iterative and incremental approach?
Scrum employs an iterative, incremental approach to optimize predictability and to control risk.
What are the three scrum pillars (TIA)?
Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation
What is Transparency?
The emergent process and work must be visible to those performing the work as well as those receiving the work. With Scrum, important decisions are based on the perceived state of its three formal artifacts. Artifacts that have low transparency can lead to decisions that diminish value and increase risk.
Transparency enables inspection. Inspection without transparency is misleading and wasteful.
What is Inspection?
The Scrum artifacts and the progress toward agreed goals must be inspected frequently and diligently to detect potentially undesirable variances or problems. To help with inspection, Scrum provides cadence in the form of its five events.
Inspection enables adaptation. Inspection without adaptation is considered pointless. Scrum events are designed to provoke change.
What is Adaptation?
If any aspects of a process deviate outside acceptable limits or if the resulting product is unacceptable, the process being applied or the materials being produced must be adjusted. The adjustment must be made as soon as possible to minimize further deviation.
Adaptation becomes more difficult when the people involved are not empowered or self-managing. A Scrum Team is expected to adapt the moment it learns anything new through inspection.
What are the five Scrum values (CFORC) that people must become more proficient in to successfully use Scrum?
Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, and Courage
What is Commitment (Value)?
The Scrum Team commits to achieving its goals and to supporting each other.
What is Focus (Value)?
Their primary focus is on the work of the Sprint to make the best possible progress toward these goals.
Which scrum values and scrum pillars does scrum artifacts promote?
Transparency and focus - Each artifact contains a commitment to ensure it provides information that enhances transparency and
focus against which progress can be measured
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Inspection and adaption
Which scrum artifacts exists?
Product backlog
Sprint backlog
Increment
What is Openness (Value)?
The Scrum Team and its stakeholders are open about the work and the challenges.
What is Respect (Value)?
Scrum Team members respect each other to be capable, independent people, and are respected as such by the people with whom they work.
What is Courage (Value)?
The Scrum Team members have the courage to do the right thing, to work on tough problems.
Which commitments are there to the scrum artifacts?
Product goal
Sprint goal
Definition of done
What does a scrum artifact represent?
Work or value
What is the product backlog?
The Product Backlog is an emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product. It is the
single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team.
What is product backlog refinement?
the act of breaking down and further defining Product Backlog
items into smaller more precise items.
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This is an ongoing activity to add details, such as a description,
order, and size
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Developers who will be doing the work are responsible for the sizing
What is an important outcome when the Scrum Values are embodied by the Scrum Team and the people they work with?
The empirical Scrum pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation come to life
building trust.
Can there be sub-teams or hierarchies in a Scrum team?
No.
Within a Scrum Team, there are no sub-teams or hierarchies.
It is a cohesive unit of professionals focused on one objective at a time, the Product Goal.
What is the product goal?
The Product Goal is in the Product Backlog
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The Product Goal is the long-term objective for the Scrum Team. They must fulfill (or abandon) one objective before taking on the next.
What is the sprint backlog?
The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers. It is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work
that the Developers plan to accomplish during the Sprint in order to achieve the Sprint Goal.
Who decides who does that, when, and how?
The team is self-managing - meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how.
What is the sprint backlog compose of? (think why, what, how)
composed of the Sprint Goal (why), the set of Product Backlog items selected for
the Sprint (what), as well as an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how)
What is the sprint goal?
The Sprint Goal is the single objective for the Sprint. Sprint Goal is a commitment by the
Developers
What is the benefit of working in sprints at a sustainable pace?
It improves the Scrum Team’s focus and consistency.
Which scrum value does the sprint goal promote?
Focus - encouraging the Scrum Team to work together rather than on separate
initiatives
Who in the team is accountable for creating a valuable, useful increment every Sprint?
The entire team.
What are the Developers main accountabilities?
Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint.
● Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog;
● Instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done;
● Adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal; and,
● Holding each other accountable as professionals.
Where is the sprint goals created and where does it “stand” afterwards?
Sprint Goal is created during the Sprint Planning event and then added to the Sprint Backlog.
What happens if the work turns out to be different than expected?
they collaborate with the Product Owner to negotiate the scope of the Sprint Backlog within the Sprint without affecting the Sprint Goal
Should the sprint goal be very concrete and specific or should it be broad?
Sprint goal should be broad so the scope can be changed without affecting the sprint goal
What are the product owner accountable for? Can he delegate responsibility to others?
The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.
The Product Owner is also accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes:
● Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal;
● Creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items;
● Ordering Product Backlog items; and,
● Ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible and understood.
The Product Owner may do the above work or may delegate the responsibility to others. Regardless, the Product Owner remains accountable.
What is an increment?
An Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each Increment is additive to all
prior Increments and thoroughly verified, ensuring that all Increments work together.
What does an increment need to be in order to create value?
In order to provide value, the Increment must be usable.
Can the PO be a committee?
The Product Owner is one person, not a committee.
Can anyone change the product backlog?
The Product Owner may represent the needs of many stakeholders in the Product Backlog. Those wanting to change the Product Backlog can do so by trying to convince the Product Owner.
When is an increment presented?
presented at the Sprint Review thus supporting empiricism. However, an Increment may be delivered to stakeholders
prior to the end of the Sprint
What requirements needs to be fulfilled for the work to be a part of the increment?
Work cannot be considered part of an Increment unless it meets the Definition of Done
What is the scrum master accountable for?
The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.
The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. They do this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices, within the Scrum framework.
What is the definition of done?
The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product
Who do the Scrum Masters serve?
The Scrum Team and the larger organization.
When a product backlog item meets the definition of done, what happens?
an Increment is born
How do the scrum master serve the scrum team?
● Coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality;
● Helping the Scrum Team focus on creating high-value Increments that meet the Definition of Done;
● Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum Team’s progress; and,
● Ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive, and kept within the timebox.
Which scrum pillar does the definition of done promote?
The Definition of Done creates transparency by providing everyone a shared understanding of what
work was completed as part of the Increment.
How do the scrum master serve the product owner in several ways?
● Helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management;
● Helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items;
● Helping establish empirical product planning for a complex environment; and,
● Facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed.
How do the scrum master serve the organization?
● Leading, training, and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption;
● Planning and advising Scrum implementations within the organization;
● Helping employees and stakeholders understand and enact an empirical approach for complex work; and,
● Removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.
What happens if a product backlog item does not meet the definition of done?
it cannot be released or even presented at the Sprint Review. Instead, it returns to the Product Backlog for future consideration
What happens if the definition of done is standardized in the organization?
all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum.
What happens if there are multiple scrum teams working together on the same product in relation to the definition of done?
they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done
What are the scrum events a formal opportunity to?
Inspect and adapt Scrum artifacts.
These events are specifically designed to enable the transparency required.
Events are used in Scrum to create regularity and to minimize the need for meetings not defined in Scrum.
What is sprint retrospective
The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness
What time and place are the events held to reduce complexity?
Optimally, all events are held at the same time and place to reduce complexity.
What happens at sprint retrospective?
Assumptions that led them astray are identified and their origins explored. The Scrum Team discusses
what went well during the Sprint, what problems it encountered, and how those problems were (or
were not) solved.
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The Scrum Team identifies the most helpful changes to improve its effectiveness. The most impactful
improvements are addressed as soon as possible
What defines a sprint?
They are fixed length events of one month or less to create consistency.
A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.
Can changes be made during a sprint?
Yes, but no changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal;
What happens during a sprint?
All the work necessary to achieve the Product Goal, including Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective, happen within Sprints.
During the Sprint:
● No changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal;
● Quality does not decrease;
● The Product Backlog is refined as needed; and,
● Scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned.
How long can a sprint retrospective take for a one month sprint?
3 hours
Which scrum pillars are mostly used in sprint retrospectives?
Inspection, Adaptation
How do sprints enable predictability?
Sprints enable predictability by ensuring inspection and adaptation of progress toward a Product Goal at least every calendar month.
What happens when a Sprint’s horizon is too long?
When a Sprint’s horizon is too long the Sprint Goal may become invalid, complexity may rise, and risk may increase.
What are the benefits of shorter sprints?
Shorter Sprints can be employed to generate more learning cycles and limit risk of cost and effort to a smaller time frame. Each Sprint may be considered a short
project.
Who can cancel a Sprint and why?
A Sprint could be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint.
What is sprint review?
The purpose of the Sprint Review is to inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations
Which scrum pillars are relevant for sprint review?
Inspection, Adaptation
What happens at sprint review?
The Scrum Team presents the results of their work to key stakeholders and progress
toward the Product Goal is discussed
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what has changed in their environment
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attendees collaborate on what to do
next. The Product Backlog may also be adjusted to meet new opportunities.
What practices can be used to forecast progress?
Burn-downs, burn-ups, or cumulative flows.
While proven useful, these do not replace the importance of empiricism. In complex environments, what will happen is unknown. Only what has already happened may be used for forward-looking decision making
Who creates the sprint plan?
The resulting plan is created by the collaborative work of the entire Scrum Team.
What is the PO’s role leading up to the sprint planning?
The Product Owner ensures that attendees are prepared to discuss the most important Product Backlog items and how they map to the Product Goal.
Is sprint review a presentation? If not what is it then?
The Sprint Review is a
working session and the Scrum Team should avoid limiting it to a presentation
What three topics does the sprint planning address?
Topic One: Why is this Sprint valuable?
Topic Two: What can be Done this Sprint?
Topic Three: How will the chosen work get done?
What is the max time for a sprint review of 1 month sprints
4 hours
What is daily scrum?
The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint
Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work
What is the definition of topic one of sprint planning? (Topic One: Why is this Sprint valuable?)
The Product Owner proposes how the product could increase its value and utility in the current Sprint.
The whole Scrum Team then collaborates to define a Sprint Goal that communicates why the Sprint is valuable to stakeholders. The Sprint Goal must be finalized prior to the end of Sprint Planning.
Who defines the sprint goal?
The whole Scrum Team then collaborates to define a Sprint Goal that communicates why the Sprint is valuable to stakeholders. The Sprint Goal must be finalized prior to the end of Sprint Planning.
Which scrum pillars are relevant for daily scrum?
Inspection, Adaptation
How long is daily scrum?
15 min
Where and when is daily scrum facilitated?
To reduce complexity, it is
held at the same time and place every working day of the Sprint
Who selects what can be done in the sprint? (Topic Two: What can be Done this Sprint?)
Through discussion with the Product Owner, the Developers select items from the Product Backlog to include in the current Sprint. The Scrum Team may refine these items during this process, which increases understanding and confidence.
Who plan the work necessary to create an Increment from the product backlog items? (Topic Three: How will the chosen work get done?)
For each selected Product Backlog item, the Developers plan the work necessary to create an Increment that meets the Definition of Done.
This is often done by decomposing Product Backlog items into smaller work items of one day or less. How this is done is at the sole discretion of the Developers.
No one else tells them how to turn Product Backlog items into Increments of value.
Can the product owner and scrum master participate in daily scrum
Theoretically no, If the Product Owner or Scrum Master are actively working on items in the Sprint Backlog, they participate as Developers. However, the scrum master might participate to inspect group dynamics and interactions.
What is the format and structure of daily scrum and who decides it?
The Developers can select whatever structure and techniques they want, as long as their Daily Scrum
focuses on progress toward the Sprint Goal and produces an actionable plan for the next day of work
What scrum value does daily scrum promote?
It creates focus (and improves self-management)
What constitutes the Sprint Backlog?
The Sprint Goal, the Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint, plus the plan for delivering them are together referred to as the Sprint Backlog.
What does daily scrum provide the team?
improve communications, identify impediments, promote quick decision-making, and
consequently eliminate the need for other meetings
Is daily scrum the only time developer meet and adjust their plans?
No, they often meet
throughout the day for more detailed discussions about adapting or re-planning the rest of Sprint’s
work.
