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PSM I — Practice Question

Scrum Master's Guide: Improving Product Owner-Developer Collaboration

Question

The Product Owner is not collaborating with the Developers during the Sprint. What are two valuable actions for a Scrum Master to take? (choose the best two answers)

Answer

  • A. Coach the Product Owner in the values of Scrum and incremental delivery.
  • B. Bring up the problem in the Sprint Retrospective.

Explanation

As a Scrum Master, when the Product Owner is not collaborating with the Developers during the Sprint, two valuable actions to take are: 1) Coach the Product Owner on Scrum values and principles to emphasize the importance of cross-functional collaboration, and 2) Bring up the issue during the Sprint Retrospective to identify ways to improve team dynamics and ensure the successful delivery of valuable increments. These steps help align the team on Agile best practices and foster a collaborative environment essential for Scrum's effectiveness.

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Show Detailed Analysis
A. Coach the Product Owner in the values of Scrum and incremental delivery. This action is crucial because the Product Owner plays a key role in ensuring that the Scrum Team delivers value effectively. By coaching the Product Owner, the Scrum Master helps them understand the importance of collaboration, transparency, and the iterative nature of Scrum, which can lead to improved communication with the Developers. B. Bring up the problem in the Sprint Retrospective. This is an appropriate action as the Sprint Retrospective is the designated time for the Scrum Team to reflect on their processes and interactions. Addressing the lack of collaboration during this meeting allows the team to identify root causes and develop actionable steps to enhance teamwork in future Sprints. Both answers focus on fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, which is fundamental to Scrum's success.
Why Other Options Are Wrong
{'options': {'C': "Ask the Developers to ignore the Product Owner's input. This option is incorrect as it undermines the role of the Product Owner and can lead to misalignment in priorities and project goals. It disregards the collaborative nature of Scrum by creating a divide between the Developers and the Product Owner.", 'D': "Start a new Sprint with a focus on the Developers' work. This is not an appropriate action because it avoids addressing the core issue of collaboration. Instead of resolving the problem, it simply pushes it aside and can lead to further disconnect between the Product Owner and the Development Team, which is counterproductive to Scrum principles."}}
Real-World Application
In a Scrum team, the Product Owner often prioritized features without discussing them with Developers, leading to confusion during the Sprint. The Scrum Master facilitated a workshop where they coached the Product Owner on Scrum values, enhancing collaboration. In the next Sprint Retrospective, the team openly discussed how improved communication led to better alignment on priorities and a more successful Sprint outcome.
Common Pitfalls

Students often confuse the roles of the Product Owner and Developers, thinking that the Developers can unilaterally decide to exclude the Product Owner. Additionally, they may overlook the importance of the Sprint Retrospective as a platform for addressing collaboration issues.

Expert Insights

Scrum Guide Reference

Scrum Guide 2020, Section: The Scrum Team

Expert Author

SC

Sarah Chen

Certified Scrum Master & Agile Coach

Sprint ceremonies, team facilitation, impediment removal

Key Concepts

Product Owner Responsibilities Collaboration in Scrum Sprint Retrospective Scrum Values Incremental Delivery

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