Scrum Fundamentals (Scrum Foundations)

Pick your seat

Scrum Master

Leave able to say what you are accountable for, and what you are not.

Product Owner

Leave able to explain why the Product Backlog and Product Goal are yours to order.

Developer

Leave able to say what you commit to in a Sprint, and what makes work Done.

Manager or leader

Leave knowing what Scrum asks of you, and what to stop doing to the team.

Check what you know (3 minutes)

Ten questions from the 2020 Scrum Guide. No email needed. You get a score, the objectives to review, and a suggested next step.

1. What is the maximum length of a Sprint? Two weeks One month or less Six weeks As long as the Product Owner decides

2. Which are the three pillars of empirical process control in Scrum? Planning, Execution, Review Transparency, Inspection, Adaptation Commitment, Focus, Openness Roles, Events, Artifacts

3. Who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team? The Scrum Master The Developers The Product Owner The stakeholders

4. Who attends the Daily Scrum as a required participant? The Developers The whole Scrum Team plus stakeholders The Scrum Master, who runs it The Product Owner, who assigns tasks

5. What is the purpose of the Sprint Review? To approve the work for release To inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations To report status to management To plan the next Sprint's tasks

6. Which commitment belongs to the Increment? Product Goal Sprint Goal Definition of Done Velocity

7. Can the Sprint Goal change during the Sprint? Yes, whenever the Product Owner wants Yes, if the team agrees No. The Sprint Goal stays fixed; the scope can be renegotiated Only on the last day

8. What happens if a team uses only parts of Scrum? Nothing, Scrum is a menu It still works, but slower It can cover up problems and limit the benefits It is automatically a different framework with the same results

9. Which three things make up the Sprint Backlog? Sprint Goal, selected Product Backlog Items, and a plan to deliver the Increment Velocity, burndown, and the task board The roadmap, release plan, and budget Requirements, design, and test cases

10. Who is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide? The Product Owner The Developers The Scrum Master The sponsor

0 of 10 answered

The objectives, in plain answers

These are the Scrum Alliance Foundations learning objectives (2022) behind CSM and CSPO classes. Each answer links to the exact place in the Interactive Scrum Guide. Each section ends with something to do this week.

1. Scrum Theory

Scrum is founded on empiricism and lean thinking. It employs an iterative, incremental approach to optimize predictability and control risk. Read this in the guide

1.1 Define Scrum.: Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps people, teams and organizations generate value through adaptive solutions for complex problems. Guide →
1.2 List the five Scrum values.: Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, and Courage. Guide →
1.3 Define empiricism.: Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes from experience and making decisions based on what is observed. Guide →
1.4 List the three empirical Scrum pillars.: Transparency, Inspection, and Adaptation. Guide →
1.5 List at least three benefits of an iterative and incremental approach.: Benefits can include creating a cohesive unit of professionals, focusing on one objective at a time, having all the skills necessary to create value. Think of words like "nimble, productive, empowered, responsible, and accountable." Guide →
1.6 Describe at least two disadvantages that could occur if Scrum is only partially implemented.: Scrum exists only in its entirety and functions well as a container. If only partially implemented it could cause lack of learning, reduced communication, and worse results. Basically it's the negative side of the advantages listed in 1.5. Guide →
1.7 Describe how Scrum is aligned with the values and principles of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development.: Scrum fully implements and aligns with the four values and twelve principles of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development (2001). Guide →

Do this week: Pick one decision your team made last week. Write down what evidence it was based on.

2. The Scrum Team

The Scrum Team is an accountable and cohesive unit of professionals focused on the Product Goal. It consists of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner, and Developers. Read this in the guide

2.1.1 Product Owner interactions: The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. Guide →
2.1.2 Developer interactions: Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint. Guide →
2.1.3 Scrum Master interactions: The Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. Guide →
2.2 Identify at least three benefits of a cross-functional, self-managing Scrum Team.: This allows for having all the skills necessary to create a Product Increment and for the team to choose how best to accomplish work (rather than being directed by others outside the team). Think about the concepts of: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Guide →

Do this week: Ask each person on your team to say, in one sentence, what they are accountable for. Compare the answers.

3. Scrum Events and Activities

Scrum has 4 events (contained within the Sprint): Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. Read this in the guide

3.1 Explain at least three benefits of using a timebox.: Can include better focus, early completion, and clear goal-setting. Guide →
3.2 Define the purpose and maximum duration of a Sprint.: The purpose of a Sprint is to consistently turn ideas into value. The maximum duration is one month or less. Guide →
3.3 Explain how to determine a suitable duration of a Sprint.: Take into consideration: frequency of events, stakeholder availability, complexity of the product and technology, maturity of the team, and inspection / adaptation. Guide →
3.4.1 Sprint Planning (event 1 of 4): The purpose of Sprint Planning is to lay out the work to be performed for the Sprint. Participants include the entire Scrum Team and should last no longer than eight hours for a one month Sprint. Guide →
3.4.2 Daily Scrum (event 2 of 4): The purpose of the Daily Scrum is to inspect progress and adapt as necessary. Participants include Developers and should last no longer than 15 minutes daily. Guide →
3.4.3 Sprint Review (event 3 of 4): The purpose of the Sprint Review is to inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptation. Participants include the entire Scrum Team (and stakeholders). It should last no longer than four hours for a one month Sprint. Guide →
3.4.4 Sprint Retrospective (event 4 of 4): The purpose of Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. Participants include the entire Scrum Team and should last no longer than three hours for a one month Sprint. Guide →
3.5 List at least three activities that may occur as part of Product Backlog refinement.: Add description, order, and size to Product Backlog Items. Guide →
3.6 Repeat at least two reasons why the Scrum Team dedicates time for Product Backlog refinement.: This allows for the entire Scrum Team to gain context and get higher ordered Product Backlog Items ready for the Developers to pull into an upcoming Sprint. This can increase understanding and confidence for the Scrum Team Members. Guide →

Do this week: For each event on your calendar, write its purpose in one line. If you cannot, that event is your first conversation.

4. Scrum Artifacts and Commitments

These include the Product Backlog [with a Product Goal], the Sprint Backlog [with a Sprint Goal], and an Increment [with a Definition of Done]. Read this in the guide

4.1.1 Product Backlog (artifact 1 of 3): The purpose of the Product Backlog is to be the single source of work undertaken by the Scrum Team. Attributes include being an emergent and ordered list of what is needed to improve the product. Guide →
4.1.2 Sprint Backlog (artifact 2 of 3): The purpose of the Sprint Backlog is a picture of the work to be accomplished by the Developers during the Sprint. Three attributes include the Sprint Goal (why), Product Backlog Items selected for the Sprint (what), and an actionable plan for delivering the increment (how). Guide →
4.1.3 Increment (artifact 3 of 3): The purpose of the Increment is to help meet the Product Goal. Attributes include being additive to all prior Increments, thoroughly verified, and providing usable value. Guide →
4.2 Explain why the Product Backlog is an emergent list of what is needed to improve the product.: This helps establish empirical product planning in a complex environment, allows the Scrum Team to inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations. The Product Backlog may be adjusted to meet new opportunities based on new information and collaboration with the Scrum Team and Stakeholders to help decide what to do next. Guide →
4.3 List at least three attributes of a Product Backlog item.: Description, Order, and Size. Guide →
4.4 Discuss how the Sprint Backlog can be changed without endangering the Sprint Goal.: The Daily Scrum is an opportunity for Developers to discuss impediments with the Product Owner. Guide →
4.5 Explain how multiple Increments may be created during a Sprint.: Each Increment needs to fulfill the Definition of Done. Guide →
4.6.1 Product Goal: commitment to the Product Backlog: The Product Goal is a long term objective for the Scrum Team (and must be completed, or abandoned, before moving onto the next Product Backlog). Guide →
4.6.2 Sprint Goal: commitment to the Sprint Backlog: The Sprint Goal is the single objective for the Sprint, is created during Sprint Planning and added to the Sprint Backlog. Guide →
4.6.3 Definition of Done: commitment to the Increment: The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product. Guide →
4.7 Describe why the Sprint Goal does not change during a Sprint.: The Sprint Goal is the single objective for the Sprint; this also creates coherence and focus, encouraging the Scrum Team to work together rather than on separate initiatives. Guide →
4.8 Explain how the Definition of Done evolves over time.: Possible reasons could include findings during a Sprint Retrospective, new organizational standards, and adjustments made during any Scrum event. Guide →
4.9 Identify at least two reasons why multiple teams working on the same Product Backlog have a shared and consistent Definition of Done.: This allows for a shared standard and ensures better integration of increments between each Scrum Team. Guide →

Do this week: Write your current Sprint Goal and Definition of Done on one page. Ask the team whether it matches what they would say.

Prefer to read it all in one place, with audio clips and videos? Open the full Study Guide and Refresher (a Google Doc I keep updated).

What next?

Still learning the basics

Read or listen to the 2020 Scrum Guide, free.

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