Scrum SPS Practice Test - Questions Answers

The Nexus Sprint Retrospective is an event where the Nexus, consisting of multiple Scrum Teams, inspects and adapts its processes, tools, interactions, and dependencies to improve its quality and effectiveness 11. The Nexus Sprint Retrospective occurs after the Nexus Sprint Review and before the next Nexus Sprint Planning 11. The Nexus Sprint Retrospective has two parts: a first part where representatives from each Scrum Team identify shared challenges and opportunities, and a second part where each Scrum Team conducts its own Sprint Retrospective 23.

The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Integration Team has the overall responsibility for ensuring the Nexus Sprint Retrospective occurs 11. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the first part of the Nexus Sprint Retrospective, where the representatives from each Scrum Team share their insights and challenges 11. The Nexus Integration Team also participates in the second part of the Nexus Sprint Retrospective, where each Scrum Team reflects on its own performance and improvement actions 11. The Nexus Integration Team helps the Scrum Teams to identify and resolve any cross-team impediments or dependencies that may affect the quality and delivery of the Integrated Increment 11.

The other three answers are not correct because:

The Scrum Master on the Nexus Integration Team. This is answer A. This is not a valid answer because the Scrum Master on the Nexus Integration Team is not the only one responsible for ensuring the Nexus Sprint Retrospective occurs. The Scrum Master on the Nexus Integration Team is a member of the Nexus Integration Team, but not the sole accountable person for the event. The Scrum Master on the Nexus Integration Team helps to facilitate the Nexus Sprint Retrospective, but does not own or control it 11.

Any Scrum Master from the Nexus. This is answer B. This is not a valid answer because any Scrum Master from the Nexus does not have the authority or the responsibility to ensure the Nexus Sprint Retrospective occurs. Any Scrum Master from the Nexus is a member of a Scrum Team, but not a member of the Nexus Integration Team. Any Scrum Master from the Nexus helps to facilitate the Sprint Retrospective of their own Scrum Team, but does not have the visibility or the influence over the other Scrum Teams or the Nexus as a whole 11.

The Developers. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because the Developers do not have the responsibility for ensuring the Nexus Sprint Retrospective occurs. The Developers are the people who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11. The Developers participate in the Nexus Sprint Retrospective, but they do not organize or facilitate it. The Developers provide feedback and suggestions for improvement, but they do not have the accountability or the authority to ensure the Nexus Sprint Retrospective occurs 11.

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key events in the Nexus framework is the Nexus Sprint Planning, which is used to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11.

In Scenario B, the Nexus is developing a complex product with different parts that only certain teams can work on. There are also some highly specialized individuals outside the Nexus that are required for some of the work. In past Sprints, the Nexus encountered challenges dealing with the many dependencies between teams. Dependencies are the relationships between the work items that affect the order, timing, or outcome of the work 22. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality 22. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve dependencies as early and as often as possible 22.

The two strategies that would be most effective in dealing with the dependencies are:

Discover and document dependent work during Cross-Team Refinement of the Product Backlog, so teams are aware of dependencies before Nexus Sprint Planning. This will allow Nexus Sprint Planning to focus on resolving dependencies for the upcoming Sprint. This is answer A. This is a valid strategy because Cross-Team Refinement is an activity where representatives from each team in the Nexus meet to decompose and refine the Product Backlog items into smaller pieces of work that can be delivered by a single team or multiple teams 11. By doing this, the teams can discover and document the dependent work that needs to be done by other teams or external parties 11. This will help the teams to be aware of the dependencies before the Nexus Sprint Planning and to prepare for them 11. This will also allow the Nexus Sprint Planning to focus on resolving the dependencies for the upcoming Sprint, rather than spending time on identifying them 11.

During Nexus Sprint Planning, have appropriate representatives from each team in the Nexus briefly meet to discuss dependencies for the upcoming Sprint. This conversation will help their individual team's Sprint Planning. This is answer C. This is a valid strategy because Nexus Sprint Planning is an event where the Nexus, consisting of the Product Owner and appropriate representatives from each team, meet to plan the Sprint 11. The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11. The result of Nexus Sprint Planning is a Nexus Sprint Goal that aligns with the Product Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog that contains the work to be done by the teams to achieve the Nexus Sprint Goal 11. During Nexus Sprint Planning, the representatives from each team can briefly meet to discuss the dependencies for the upcoming Sprint and how to resolve them 11. This conversation will help their individual team's Sprint Planning, where they can create their own team Sprint Goal and team Sprint Backlog that support the Nexus Sprint Goal and the Nexus Sprint Backlog 11.

The other two answers are not correct because:

Have the Nexus Integration Team order the Nexus Sprint Backlog. They should control and resolve the dependencies. This is answer B. This is not a valid strategy because the Nexus Integration Team is not the owner or the controller of the Nexus Sprint Backlog. The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the teams in the Nexus 1[1][5]. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the Nexus Sprint Planning, but does not order or dictate the Nexus Sprint Backlog 1[1][5]. The Nexus Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Nexus, not by the Nexus Integration Team 1[1][5]. The Nexus Integration Team helps the teams to identify and resolve the dependencies, but does not control or impose them 1[1][5].

Gather all people in the Nexus into a 48-hour Nexus Sprint Planning event. Discover, document, and resolve dependencies during this time. This is answer D. This is not a valid strategy because gathering all people in the Nexus into a 48-hour Nexus Sprint Planning event is not feasible, efficient, or effective. The Nexus Sprint Planning is not meant to be a long and exhaustive event that involves all people in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is meant to be a short and focused event that involves only the Product Owner and appropriate representatives from each team in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is not meant to be the only time to discover, document, and resolve dependencies 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is meant to be the time to coordinate the activities of the teams for the upcoming Sprint and to create a Nexus Sprint Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog 11. The discovery, documentation, and resolution of dependencies should be done continuously throughout the Sprint, not only during the Nexus Sprint Planning 11.

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key artifacts in the Nexus framework is the Integrated Increment, which is the integrated aggregation of all work completed by all the Scrum Teams in a Nexus 11.

In Scenario A, the Nexus Sprint Review is not conducted effectively. The teams are not using a shared environment to demonstrate the Integrated Increment, but rather showing their individual work. This means that the stakeholders cannot see the whole product and how it works together. The teams are also delaying the integration of their work, which can lead to quality issues, technical debt, and increased complexity 11. The stakeholders do not provide much feedback, which means that the Nexus cannot adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the customers and users. The event ends without any clear outcomes or next steps.

What could help this Nexus create a single Integrated Increment for inspection at the Nexus Sprint Review is:

Enforce a Definition of Done across the entire Nexus that includes integration. This is answer B. This is a valid answer because the Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product 11. The Definition of Done is used to assess when work is complete on the product Increment 11. The Definition of Done is defined by the Nexus and applies to all the work done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 11. The Definition of Done should include integration as one of the criteria, which means that the work done by the teams should be integrated frequently and continuously throughout the Sprint 11. By enforcing a Definition of Done that includes integration, the Nexus can ensure that the Integrated Increment is usable and potentially releasable, which means it meets the quality standards and expectations of the stakeholders 11.

The other three answers are not correct because:

Reserve the last few days of the Sprint for testing and integration. This is answer A. This is not a valid answer because reserving the last few days of the Sprint for testing and integration is not a good practice. It implies that the teams are not testing and integrating their work throughout the Sprint, but rather doing it at the end of the Sprint. This can lead to quality issues, technical debt, and increased complexity 11. It also reduces the time available for inspection and adaptation, which are essential for empiricism and agility 11.

Have the Nexus Integration Team integrate all the work as early as possible. This is answer C. This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Integration Team is not the only one responsible for integrating all the work. The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the teams in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the integration of the work, but does not do it for the teams 11. The teams are responsible for integrating their own work and delivering a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11.

Have a Sprint dedicated to integration. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because having a Sprint dedicated to integration is not consistent with Scrum or Nexus. Scrum and Nexus require that the teams deliver a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint 11. Having a Sprint dedicated to integration means that the teams are not delivering any value or receiving any feedback in that Sprint 11. It also means that the teams are accumulating technical debt and complexity that will make integration more difficult and risky 11.

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key events in the Nexus framework is the Nexus Sprint Planning, which is used to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11.

In Scenario C, the Nexus Sprint Planning is not conducted effectively. The representatives from each of the 9-member Scrum Teams identify many dependencies, which makes it hard for them to choose the work they could pull into their individual teams for the next Sprint. No matter how they reorganize the Product Backlog items, they continually find more or new dependencies. Dependencies are the relationships between the work items that affect the order, timing, or outcome of the work 22. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality 22. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve dependencies as early and as often as possible 22.

What should the Scrum Teams do to effectively deal with their dependencies is:

Increase the frequency of Cross-Team Refinement to reduce dependencies. This is answer A. This is a valid answer because Cross-Team Refinement is an activity where representatives from each team in the Nexus meet to decompose and refine the Product Backlog items into smaller pieces of work that can be delivered by a single team or multiple teams 11. By doing this, the teams can reduce the dependencies by breaking down the work into more manageable and independent units 11. The teams can also identify and resolve the dependencies before the Nexus Sprint Planning, which will make the planning easier and more effective 11. By increasing the frequency of Cross-Team Refinement, the teams can ensure that the Product Backlog items are ready and clear for the Nexus Sprint Planning 11.

The other three answers are not correct because:

Merge the two Scrum Teams together that have the most dependencies with each other. This is answer B. This is not a valid answer because merging the two Scrum Teams together that have the most dependencies with each other is not a good solution. It implies that the teams are not able to collaborate and coordinate effectively with each other, and that they need to be in the same team to work on the same product 11. It also increases the size and complexity of the merged team, which can reduce its agility and productivity 11. It also does not address the root cause of the dependencies, which may be related to the product or communication structure 22.

Institute quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams. This is answer C. This is not a valid answer because instituting quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams is not consistent with Scrum or Nexus. Scrum and Nexus require that the teams plan and deliver a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint, which is usually a few weeks long 11. Instituting quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams means that the teams are not planning or delivering any value or receiving any feedback in the Sprints 11. It also means that the teams are not able to adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the customers and users, which are essential for empiricism and agility 11.

All of the above. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because none of the above answers are valid. Therefore, choosing all of them is not a valid answer either.

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key events in the Nexus framework is the Nexus Sprint Planning, which is used to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11.

The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to:

Coordinate the activities of all the Scrum Teams in a Nexus. This is answer A. This is a valid answer because the Nexus Sprint Planning is an event where the Nexus, consisting of the Product Owner and appropriate representatives from each team, meet to plan the Sprint 11. The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning helps the teams to align their work with the Product Goal, identify and resolve dependencies, and create a common understanding of the Sprint 11.

Create a plan for the Sprint. This is answer D. This is a valid answer because the Nexus Sprint Planning is an event where the Nexus creates a plan for the Sprint 11. The result of Nexus Sprint Planning is a Nexus Sprint Goal that aligns with the Product Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog that contains the work to be done by the teams to achieve the Nexus Sprint Goal 11. The Nexus Sprint Backlog is a visualization of the work across the Nexus that has dependencies 11. The Nexus Sprint Goal and the Nexus Sprint Backlog guide the teams throughout the Sprint 11.

The other two answers are not correct because:

Discover all the dependencies between Product Backlog items. This is answer B. This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Sprint Planning is not the only time to discover all the dependencies between Product Backlog items. Dependencies are the relationships between the work items that affect the order, timing, or outcome of the work 22. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality 22. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve dependencies as early and as often as possible 22. The Nexus Sprint Planning is a time to coordinate the activities of the teams for the upcoming Sprint and to create a Nexus Sprint Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog 11. The discovery of dependencies should be done continuously throughout the Sprint, not only during the Nexus Sprint Planning 11. One of the activities that can help the teams to discover dependencies before the Nexus Sprint Planning is the Cross-Team Refinement, where representatives from each team in the Nexus meet to decompose and refine the Product Backlog items into smaller pieces of work that can be delivered by a single team or multiple teams 1[1][6].

Ensure all teams are committing to the right work. This is answer C. This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Sprint Planning is not a time to ensure all teams are committing to the right work. The Nexus Sprint Planning is a time to coordinate the activities of the teams for the upcoming Sprint and to create a Nexus Sprint Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is not a time to impose or dictate the work to the teams, but rather to collaborate and align the work with the Product Goal 11. The teams are self-organizing and autonomous, which means they decide how to do their work and what work to do 1[1][7]. The teams do not commit to the work, but rather forecast the work based on their capacity and understanding 1[1][7].

The purpose of the Nexus Sprint Backlog is to provide a view of dependent Product Backlog items in a Sprint and to make dependencies transparent to the Scrum Teams 15. The Nexus Sprint Backlog is a composite of the Product Backlog items from the Sprint Backlogs of the individual Scrum Teams, and it is used to highlight dependencies and the flow of work during the Sprint. It is updated throughout the Sprint as more is learned 21324354.

The other answers are not correct for the following reasons:

A . To make the work of the Nexus Integration Team transparent. This answer is not accurate because the Nexus Sprint Backlog does not only show the work of the Nexus Integration Team, but also the work of all the Scrum Teams in the Nexus. The Nexus Integration Team is responsible for facilitating the integration and delivery of the work done by the Scrum Teams, but it does not select or assign the work for them 15.

C . To visualize all Product Backlog items. This answer is not true because the Nexus Sprint Backlog does not contain all the Product Backlog items, but only the ones that the developers in the Nexus believe are necessary to achieve the Nexus Sprint Goal. The Product Backlog is the single source of requirements for the product, and it is managed and ordered by the Product Owner 15.

The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to coordinate the activities of all Scrum Teams within a Nexus for a single Sprint 1. To do this effectively, the Nexus needs to have a clear understanding of the dependencies between the teams and the work items, and to communicate and collaborate with each other and any outside experts as needed. Therefore, the best practices for this Nexus are:

A . Ensure all Scrum Teams and outside experts are available during the Nexus Sprint Planning event and have a way of quickly communicating with each other. They should try to be together in the same room or use technology that makes it seem as if they are in the same room. This practice enables the Nexus to have a shared understanding of the Product Backlog, the Product Goal, and the Nexus Sprint Goal, and to resolve any issues or questions that may arise during the planning. It also allows the Nexus to leverage the expertise of the outside specialists who are required for some of the work 2.

D . Visualize the known dependencies in the Product Backlog for all to see. As Scrum Teams select work for the Sprint, they can easily check for any dependent work and communicate with other teams. This practice helps the Nexus to identify and manage the dependencies between the teams and the work items, and to optimize the flow of value delivery. It also supports transparency and alignment within the Nexus 3.

The other two practices are not effective for this Nexus because:

B . Plan one Scrum Team's Sprint at a time before moving on to the next team. This way you can account for time zone differences and can communicate dependencies across all teams. This practice is not optimal because it does not allow the Nexus to plan the Sprint as a whole, and to adjust the work allocation and sequence based on the dependencies and the Nexus Sprint Goal. It also creates delays and inefficiencies in the planning process, and reduces the collaboration and feedback opportunities among the teams 4.

C . Have the Nexus Integration Team select the work for each of the individual Scrum Teams. This allows the Nexus Integration Team to control the dependencies. This practice is not consistent with the Nexus framework, which states that the Nexus Integration Team does not select the work for the Scrum Teams, but rather facilitates the integration and delivery of the work done by the Scrum Teams. It also undermines the self-organization and empowerment of the Scrum Teams, and reduces their ownership and accountability for the work 1.

The best remedy for this situation is to ensure that all Scrum Teams understand the Nexus Sprint Goal. The Nexus Sprint Goal is a commitment that describes the purpose that will be achieved by the Nexus during the Sprint. It aligns with the Product Goal and provides coherence and focus for the work of the Scrum Teams. By understanding the Nexus Sprint Goal, the Scrum Teams can see how their work contributes to the product's progress and value delivery 1234.

The other answers are not effective for this situation because:

A . During Nexus Sprint Planning, have all the teams plan the Sprint together in one room, so they can see what other teams are working on. This answer is not sufficient because it does not address the root cause of the problem, which is the lack of a clear and shared purpose for the Sprint. Having all the teams plan the Sprint together may help them coordinate their work and identify dependencies, but it does not necessarily help them understand how their work relates to the product's progress and value.

C . Ask the Scrum Master to explain to the teams that the Product Owner can choose which features to work on, as she has the final say. This answer is not helpful because it does not foster collaboration and alignment among the Scrum Teams. It also undermines the self-organization and empowerment of the Scrum Teams, and reduces their ownership and accountability for the work. The Product Owner is responsible for managing and ordering the Product Backlog, but the Scrum Teams are responsible for selecting and delivering the work for the Sprint.

D . During Nexus Sprint Planning, ask each Scrum Team to create a Sprint Goal that describes the purpose of the Sprint. This answer is not optimal because it does not ensure that the Scrum Teams have a common objective and direction for the Sprint. Each Scrum Team may have a different Sprint Goal that may or may not align with the Nexus Sprint Goal and the Product Goal. This may lead to confusion, inconsistency, and sub-optimization of the product delivery.

The best answers for this question are:

C . Provides input into each Scrum Team's individual Daily Scrums to help them better plan their days work. This answer is correct because the Nexus Daily Scrum is an event that helps the Scrum Teams in a Nexus to coordinate their work and identify any integration issues or dependencies that may affect their progress toward the Nexus Sprint Goal. The appropriate representatives from each Scrum Team attend the Nexus Daily Scrum and share relevant information and feedback that can help their teams plan their work for the next 24 hours 112233.

E . Is an opportunity to make integration issues transparent. This answer is also correct because the Nexus Daily Scrum is an event that enables the Scrum Teams in a Nexus to inspect the current state of the Integrated Increment and to make any integration issues or newly discovered cross-team dependencies transparent. The Nexus Daily Scrum also provides a forum for the Scrum Teams to collaborate and resolve any integration challenges or impediments that may arise during the Sprint 112244.

The other answers are not correct for the following reasons:

A . Provides a single meeting where all Scrum Teams can update the Sprint Backlog. This answer is not accurate because the Nexus Daily Scrum is not a meeting where all Scrum Teams update the Sprint Backlog, but rather an event where appropriate representatives from each Scrum Team inspect the Integrated Increment and identify integration issues or dependencies. The Sprint Backlog is updated by each Scrum Team during their own Daily Scrum, which is a separate event from the Nexus Daily Scrum 1155.

B . Is the same as a Scrum-of-Scrums. This answer is not true because the Nexus Daily Scrum is not the same as a Scrum-of-Scrums, which is a common practice for coordinating multiple Scrum Teams that is not part of the Scrum framework. The Nexus Daily Scrum is a specific event defined by the Nexus framework, which is a minimal extension of Scrum that enables multiple Scrum Teams to work together on a single product. The Nexus Daily Scrum has a clear purpose, structure, and outcome that differs from a Scrum-of-Scrums 112233.

D . Is only for the Nexus Integration Team to plan their work for the next 24-hours. This answer is not correct because the Nexus Daily Scrum is not only for the Nexus Integration Team, but also for the appropriate representatives from each Scrum Team in the Nexus. The Nexus Integration Team is a special Scrum Team that facilitates the integration and delivery of the work done by the other Scrum Teams, but it does not plan the work for them. The Nexus Daily Scrum is an event that helps all the Scrum Teams in the Nexus to coordinate their work and identify any integration issues or dependencies 1155.