The Scrum Guide Flashcards
Who developed Scrum
Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland
What is Scrum
A process framework used to manage complex product development
What is empiricism
That knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is known.
What are the three pillars of empirical process control
Transparency
Inspection
Adaptation
By the empirical process, what is transparency
Significant aspects of the process must by visible to those responsible for the outcome (with a common standard)
By the empirical process, what is inspection
Frequently inspect artifacts and progress towards a spring goal (should not get in the way of work)
By the empirical process, what is adaptation
When an inspector finds that the process is not acceptable, the process must be changed to stop further deviation
In Scrum, what are the 4 (5?) formal events for inspection and adaptation
Sprint Planning Daily Scrum Sprint Review Sprint Retrospective (The Sprint its self)
What are the five values of Scrum
Focus (on the work of the Sprint), Openness (about work and challenges), Respect (each other to be capable), Courage (to do the right thing), Commitment (to achieving the goals)
What does the Scrum Team consist of
A Product Owner,
the Development Team,
and a Scrum Master
What are the two attributes of a Scrum Team
Self-organizing,
Cross-functional
Define self-organizing, by means of Scrum
Self-organizing teams choose how to best accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside of the team
Define cross-functioning, by means of Scrum
Cross-functional teams have all competencies needed to accomplish the work without depending on others not part of the team
What is the team model in Scrum designed for
To optimize…
Flexibility,
Creativity,
Productivity
What is the Product Owner responsible for
Maximizing the value of the product,
The work of the Development Team
The Product Owner is the sole person responsible for
Managing the Product Backlog
What is included with Product Backlog management
Clearly expressing Product Backlog items;
Ordering the items in the Product Backlog to best achieve the goals and missions;
Optimizing the value of the work the Development Teams performs;
Ensuring that the Product Backlog is visible, transparent, and clear to all, and shows what the Scrum
Team will work on next;
Ensuring the Development Team understands items in the Product Backlog to the level needed
Who is accountable for the Product Backlog?
The Product Owner
True or False: The development team is allowed to work on items not in the Product Backlog?
False
The Development Team consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a …
potentially releasable Increment of “Done” product at the end of each Sprint
Development Teams are structured and empowered by the organization to …
organize and manage their own work
List the characteristics of a Development Team
They are self-organizing. No one (not even the Scrum Master) tells the Development Team how to turn Product Backlog into Increments of potentially releasable functionality;
Development Teams are cross-functional, with all of the skills as a team necessary to create a product Increment;
Scrum recognizes no titles for Development Team members other than Developer, regardless of the work being performed by the person; there are no exceptions to this rule;
Scrum recognizes no sub-teams in the Development Team, regardless of particular domains that need to be addressed like testing or business analysis; there are no exceptions to this rule;
Individual Development Team members may have specialized skills and areas of focus, but accountability belongs to the Development Team as a whole.
Optimal Development Team size is …
small enough to remain nimble and large enough to complete significant work within a Sprint
Smaller Development Teams (less than 3) may encounter …
skill constraints during the Sprint, causing the Development Team to be unable to deliver a potentially releasable Increment
What is the Scrum Master responsible for
Ensuring Scrum is understood and enacted (and helps those outside the Scrum Team understand which of their interactions with the Scrum Team are helpful and which aren’t)
The Scrum Master is a _______ for the Scrum Team
Servant-leader
What is the Scrum Masters service to the Product Owner
Finding techniques for effective Product Backlog management;
Helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items;
Understanding product planning in an empirical environment;
Ensuring the Product Owner knows how to arrange the Product Backlog to maximize value;
Understanding and practicing agility;
Facilitating Scrum events as requested or needed.
What is the Scrum Masters service to the Development Team
Coaching the Development Team in self-organization and cross-functionality;
Helping the Development Team to create high-value products;
Removing impediments to the Development Team’s progress;
Facilitating Scrum events as requested or needed;
Coaching the Development Team in organizational environments in which Scrum is not yet fully adopted and understood.
What is the Scrum Masters service to the Organization
Leading and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption;
Planning Scrum implementations within the organization;
Helping employees and stakeholders understand and enact Scrum and empirical product development;
Causing change that increases the productivity of the Scrum Team;
Working with other Scrum Masters to increase the effectiveness of the application of Scrum in the organization.
What is the usefulness in prescribed events in Scrum
To create regularity and to minimize the need for meetings not defined in Scrum
What is a time-boxed event and is each event time-boxed
An event that has a maximum duration and yes, every event in Scrum is time-boxed
When may a time-boxed event end
Whenever the purpose is achieved, ensuring an appropriate amount of time is spent without allowing waste in the process.
What is a Sprint
A container for all other events, it is time-boxed to no longer than one month during which a “Done”, usable, and potentially releasable product Increment is created.
When does a sprint start
Immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint
What does the Sprint contain and consist of
Sprint Planning Daily Scrums The development work Sprint Review Sprint Retrospective
Can changes me made during a sprint that endanger the Sprint Goal?
No
Can quality goals change during a Sprint
No
Can the scope be re-negotiated during a Sprint
Yes, Scope can be clarified and re-negotiated between the Product Owner and Development Team as more is learned
What is the benefit to limiting a Sprint to one month or less
Sprints enable predictability by ensuring inspection and adaptation of progress toward a Sprint Goal at least every calendar month. Sprints also limit risk to one calendar month of cost.
Can a Sprint be canceled
Yes
Who may cancel a Sprint
Only the Product Owner
Why would a Sprint be canceled
Because the Spring Goal has become obsolete
What happens to the Product Backlog if a Sprint is canceled
Any completed and “Done” Product Backlog items are reviewed. If part of the work is potentially releasable, the Product Owner typically accepts it. All incomplete Product Backlog Items are re-estimated and put back on the Product Backlog.
In what event is the work to be performed in the Sprint decided
Sprint Planning
Who is involved in Sprint Planning
The entire Scrum team
What is the (monthly) time-box size for Sprint Planning
8 hours
What two things are achieved in Sprint Planning
What can be delivered in the Increment resulting from the upcoming Spring;
How will the work needed to delver the increment be achieved
What is the input for Sprint Planning
The Product Backlog, the latest product Increment, projected capacity of the Development Team during the Sprint, and past performance of the Development Team
During Sprint planning, the number of items selected from the Product Backlog for the Sprint is solely up to…
The Development Team
What is a Sprint Goal
An objective that will be met within the Sprint through the implementation of the Product Backlog; it provides guidance to the Development Team on why it is building the Increment.
What is the daily time-box for the Daily Scrum
15 minutes
What is the Daily Scrum used for?
It is used to synchronize activities and inspect the work since the last Daily Scrum to the next day
Why is the Daily Scrum held in the same location each day
To reduce complexity
During the Daily Scrum, the Development Team members explain…
What did I do yesterday that helped the Development Team meet the Sprint Goal?
What will I do today to help the Development Team meet the Sprint Goal?
Do I see any impediment that prevents me or the Development Team from meeting the Sprint Goal?
What does the development team use the daily scrum for
To inspect progress towards the Sprint Goal and to inspect how progress is trending toward completing the work in the Sprint Backlog
What are the benefits of the Daily Scrum
Improves communications, eliminates other meetings, identifies impediments to development for removal, highlights and promote quick decision-making, and improves the Development Team’s level of knowledge
Why is Sprint Review held at the end of the sprint
To inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if needed
Is Sprint Review a formal meeting?
No, the Sprint Review is an informal meeting to get feedback and collaboration
What is the time-box (monthly) for Sprint Review
4 hours
List the elements of a Sprint Review
Attendees include the Scrum Team and key stakeholders invited by the Product Owner;
The Product Owner explains what Product Backlog items have been “Done” and what has not been “Done”;
The Development Team discusses what went well during the Sprint, what problems it ran into, and how those problems were solved;
The Development Team demonstrates the work that it has “Done” and answers questions about the Increment;
The Product Owner discusses the Product Backlog as it stands. He or she projects likely completion dates based on progress to date (if needed);
The entire group collaborates on what to do next, so that the Sprint Review provides valuable input to subsequent Sprint Planning;
Review of how the marketplace or potential use of the product might have changed what is the most valuable thing to do next;
Review of the timeline, budget, potential capabilities, and marketplace for the next anticipated release of the product.
What is the overall goal of a Sprint Review
A revised Product Backlog that defines the probable Product Backlog items for the next Sprint
Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to
Inspect itself and plan improvements for the next Sprint
When does Sprint Retrospective occur
After Sprint Review and before the next Sprint Planning
What is the time-box (monthly) for Sprint Retrospective
3 hours
What is the purpose of the Sprint Retrospective
To inspect how the last Sprint went with regards to people, relationships, process, and tools;
To identify and order the major items that went well and potential improvements;
To create a plan for implementing improvements to the way the Scrum Team does its work.
During each Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team plans ways to increase product quality by
Adapting the definition of “Done” as appropriate
By the end of the Sprint Retrospective, the Scrum Team should
Have identified improvements that it will implement in the next Sprint
Implementing Sprint Retrospective improvements in the next Sprint is the ________ to the ________ of the Scrum Team itself.
Adaptation, Inspection
What is a Scrum Artifact
Representations of work or value to provide transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation
What are the three Scrum Artifacts
Product Backlog
Sprint Backlog
Increment
What is the Product Backlog
An ordered list of everything that might be needed in the product
When is a Product Backlog complete
Never
The Product Backlog constantly changes to identify what the product needs to be
Appropriate
Competitive
Useful
Product Backlog items have the attributes of
Description
Order
Value
Estimate
Changes in what may cause changes in the Product Backlog
Business requirements
Market conditions
Technology
Can multiple teams work on the same Product Backlog
Yes
What is Product Backlog Refinement
The review and revise of items
Product Backlog refinement is the act of adding ______ to items in the Product Backlog
Detail
Estimates
Order
Who is involved in Product Backlog refinement
Product Owner
Development Team
Higher ordered Product Backlog items are usually more or less detailed than lower ordered items
More detailed
When is a Product Backlog item deemed “Ready”
When the Development Team determines that the item can be “Done” within one sprint
What is a Sprint Backlog
The set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint
Plus a plan for delivering the increment and meeting the Sprint Goal
The Sprint Backlog has enough detail that changes can be understood which meeting
The Daily Scrum
The Sprint Backlog is a highly visible, real-time picture of
The work that the Development Team plans to accomplish during the Sprint
Who owns the Sprint Backlog
The Development Team
What is the Increment
The sum of all Product Backlog items completed during a Sprint and the value of the increments of all previous Sprints.
The Increment must be ________ regardless of whether the Product Owner decides to actually release it.
In useable condition
Decisions to optimize value and control risk are made based on
The perceived state of the artifacts
The Scrum Master’s job is to work with the Scrum Team and the organization to increase the _______ of the artifacts
Transparency
A Scrum Master can detect incomplete transparency by
Inspecting the artifacts
Sensing patterns
Listening closely to what is being said
Detecting differences between expected and real results
What is the definition of “Done”
To have a shared understanding of what it means for work to be complete
When does the development team deliver product functionality
Every Sprint
If there are multiple Scrum Teams working on a prodcut, do they each get their own definition of “Done”
No. The development teams on all Scrum Teams must mutually define the definition of “Done”
Can the definition of “Done” change
Yes. As a product matures so should the definition of “Done”
