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PSM I — Practice Question

Scrum Sprint Planning: Adjusting Workload for Success

Question

As the Sprint Planning progresses, the Developers realize that the workload may be greater than their capacity to complete the work. Which two are valid actions? (choose the best two answers)

Answer

  • C. The Developers ensure that the Scrum Team is aware, start the Sprint, and monitor progress.
  • D. Remove or change selected Product Backlog items.

Explanation

During Sprint Planning, if the Scrum Development Team realizes the workload may exceed their capacity, they should take transparent and proactive actions. The valid steps are to ensure the entire Scrum Team is aware of the situation, and to remove or change selected Product Backlog items to align the work with the team's capacity. This promotes transparency, effective workload management, and adherence to core Agile and Scrum principles like self-organization and continuous improvement.

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Show Detailed Analysis
C. The Developers ensure that the Scrum Team is aware, start the Sprint, and monitor progress. This is a proactive approach that emphasizes transparency, which is a core principle of Scrum. By informing the Scrum Team of their concerns regarding workload, the Developers foster collaboration and enable the team to support each other in achieving the Sprint Goal. D. Remove or change selected Product Backlog items. This is also a valid action, as it allows the Developers to adjust their commitments based on their capacity. The Scrum Team can engage in a discussion with the Product Owner to prioritize and modify the scope, ensuring that the most valuable items are addressed without overcommitting. Both options reflect the essence of Scrum, which is to adapt and respond to changing circumstances effectively.
Why Other Options Are Wrong
{'option_a': 'A. Ignore the concern and proceed with the original plan. This is an ineffective choice as it goes against the principle of transparency in Scrum. Ignoring concerns can lead to burnout and jeopardize the Sprint Goal. B. Extend the Sprint duration to accommodate the workload. This option is also incorrect because extending the Sprint duration is not permitted in Scrum. Sprints are fixed in time, and the focus should be on managing the workload within the established timeframe rather than altering the Sprint structure.'}
Real-World Application
In a recent Sprint Planning session, a Scrum team discovered that the planned user stories were too ambitious given their available development capacity. They communicated this to the Scrum Master and Product Owner, who collaboratively decided to prioritize the most critical stories and remove a few lower-priority items, leading to a more manageable Sprint backlog.
Common Pitfalls

Students often mistakenly believe that once the Sprint Planning is completed, changes cannot be made to the backlog items. They may also overlook the importance of communication within the Scrum Team when workload concerns arise.

Expert Insights

Scrum Guide Reference

Scrum Guide 2020, Section 3.1: The Sprint Planning

Expert Author

SC

Sarah Chen

Certified Scrum Master & Agile Coach

Sprint ceremonies, team facilitation, impediment removal

Key Concepts

Transparency Collaboration Adaptability Sprint Planning Product Backlog Management

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