Agile Scrum For Beginners Scrum Master Certification Preparation

[UNOFFICIAL] Learn Scrum, understand the Agile principles & prepare for your Agile/Scrum Master certification in 2022.

Last updated 2022-01-10 | 4.7

- Prep for a Scrum Master certification [UNOFFICIAL].
- Prep for an Agile certification [UNOFFICIAL].
- Test your Scrum understanding with prep questions

What you'll learn

Prep for a Scrum Master certification [UNOFFICIAL].
Prep for an Agile certification [UNOFFICIAL].
Test your Scrum understanding with prep questions
Ask questions in the Q&A section
Get exam tips that can really make a difference
How to deal with hard exam questions
Understand the Agile mindset
Learn about burn-down charts
technical debt
velocity
Have a good understanding of the Scrum framework

* Requirements

* No prior knowledge is required.

Description

"Professional Scrum Master" and "PSM" are registered trademarks of Advanced Development Methods (Scrum .org) and this course is not licensed, endorsed, or affiliated with Advanced Development Methods (Scrum .org) in any way.

This course and practice exams are neither endorsed by, nor in partnership, nor affiliated with Scrum .org or any other organizations.


This UNOFFICIAL course will introduce you to Agile and Scrum and help you prepare for your Scrum Master or Agile certification based on the Scrum Guide™ v2020. The cost of the exam you take is NOT included in the price of the course.


This course will NOT help you prepare for the Scrum Master Certified (SMC®) exam from ScrumStudy.

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This UNOFFICIAL course will take you from zero and prepare your Scrum Master certification. No previous experience with Scrum is needed.

In this UNOFFICIAL course you will:

  • learn about the Scrum framework and Agile

  • understand the contents of the Scrum Guide

  • Practice what you have learned with quizzes

  • Get exam tips

  • Exam simulation with the help of mock exam questions


== What is Scrum? ==

Scrum is a framework in which people can deal with complex problems while delivering valuable products. Scrum is straightforward to understand but very difficult to master. Scrum has been used for managing work on complex products since the early 1990s. Many people think that Scrum is a methodology. It is not. Scrum is a framework.


== The Scrum Master role ==

The Scrum Master helps everybody to understand Scrum values, rules, and theory. It is the person coaching the Scrum Team on how to use the Scrum framework.

Many people new to Agile and Scrum aspire to become Scrum Masters. A Scrum certification can help show what you have the understanding needed.


== Do I need to be a Scrum Master? ==

This UNOFFICIAL course is for those who are interested in working within an Agile/Scrum team.

You can be an aspiring Business Analyst, Project Manager, Product Owner, or Developer. You don't need to be a Scrum Master or have the desire to become one. A Scrum certification will just certify your Scrum know-how.


== Frequent questions ==

On which version of the Scrum Guide is this UNOFFICIAL course based?

This course is compliant with the 2020 version of the Scrum Guide™. The Scrum Guide is NOT updated yearly and currently this is the latest version.

Does this UNOFFICIAL course include everything I need to pass a Scrum Master certification?

Yes, all the information you need and the materials you can use are included in the course. You don't need to worry about searching for other resources or courses.

Can I earn PMI PDUs (Professional Development Units) by taking this UNOFFICIAL course?

By attending this course you can claim PMI PDUs.


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The statements made and opinions expressed herein belong exclusively to the creator of this course and are not shared by or represent the viewpoint of Scrum .org.  This training does not constitute an endorsement of any product, service or point of view.  Scrum .org makes no representations, warranties or assurances of any kind, express or implied, as to the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, availability or currency of the content contained in this presentation or any material related to this presentation.  In no event shall Scrum .org, its agents, officers, employees, licensees or affiliates be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of profits, business information, loss of information) arising out of the information or statements contained in the training.  Any reliance you place on such content is strictly at your own risk. 

Scrum .org, Professional Scrum Master ® are trademarks of Scrum .org and may be registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.”

Who this course is for:

  • Anyone who want to get a basic understand on what Scrum it
  • Anyone preparing for Scrum or Agile certifications
  • Better apply Scrum and Agile principles in their organization
  • Want to get a job as Scrum Master

Course content

15 sections • 125 lectures

Welcome to the course Preview 05:13

Legal Disclaimer Preview 01:35

Download study materials Preview 00:20

The most important resource behind the PSM I exam is the Scrum Guide. Make sure you read the Scrum Guide multiple times. Additionally, consult the Scrum Glossary and see if you are familiar with all the Scrum terms. Many of the Scrum terms from the Scrum Glossary will appear in the Scrum exam.

Meet the team Preview 01:42

This lecture introduces the imaginary company selling organic products and the team designated to create a new e-commerce solution using the Scrum framework.

Agile manifesto and the birth of SCRUM Preview 04:32

What is Agile and what where does it come from?

Most of the time Agile in software development describes a way under which business requirements and potential solutions emerge through the joint effort of cross-functional, self-organizing teams and their customers or end-users.

The term Agile, used in this context, comes from the Manifesto for Agile Software Development.

Overview of the SCRUM framework (2020) Preview 04:07

Scrum is a framework for dealing with complex work, such as new product development.

What Scrum does is to a bit of all the steps required to develop a product (such as requirements, analysis, design, development, testing) and to put them in a fixed-length iteration called a sprint. So a sprint combines all aspects of the work.

Scrum defines three accountabilities: Product Owner,  Scrum Master, and Developers all being part of the Scrum Team.

What is the agile mindset? Preview 00:33

An example of agile product development Preview 00:00

What is the agile mindset? (continued) Preview 00:45

Why take a Scrum certification? Preview 01:39

Many organizations see a Scrum or agile certification as a requirement or at least as a nice to have when applying for many positions.

Which Scrum certification to take? Preview 09:28

Overview of the entire certification process Preview 02:49

How to prepare for the exam Preview 01:52

First of all, in order to successfully pass the PSM 1 certification, you need to invest some time in studying the Scrum Guide. And trust me, there is no way around it. Now I know that the Scrum Guide is rather dry and can be at times confusing.

I have broken it down in small sections so that it is easier for you to read and digest. I just wanted to point out that you need to read and understand the in and outs of the Scrum guide - just watching the video lectures might not be enough to have the understanding needed.

You generally need to go over the course once to have an overview of Scrum and then come back and watch some parts of the course again.

Print the Scrum guide and underline any parts that you consider relevant. Additionally, I would recommend that you create your own summary of the Scrum Guide, so that you can easily review the most important aspects when needed.

What are Scrum Artifacts? (2020) Preview 02:39

Artifacts in Scrum represent work or value. They provide transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation.

The Scrum Guide defines three Scrum artifacts:

  • Product Backlog

  • Sprint Backlog

  • Increment

Organizational goals Preview 05:43

What is a Backlog? Preview 05:07

Product Backlog in Scrum (2020) Preview 04:32

In Scrum, the Product Backlog is an artifact, designed to provide transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation.

The Product Backlog is made up of an ordered list of everything that is needed in the product. It a list of requirements that can be new features or improvements, fixes, or any other changes that need to be done on the Product. As long as the Product exists, so will its Product Backlog.

How to use the Scrum Guide Preview 03:43

Defining the Product Goal and Product Backlog (in practice) Preview 01:38

User Stories (2020) Preview 05:36

How a Product Backlog Item is described it is left to the Scrum Team. The Scrum Guide does not offer any templates or make any recommendations regarding the format itself. In practice, it is quite common for Scrum Teams to use the User Stories. It is actually so common that the Product Backlog items are simply referred to as stories.

Managing the Product Backlog using Jira Preview 01:55

The Scrum Guide does not impose a specific way of managing the Product Backlog, in terms of how the Product Backlog Items should be written.

Scrum Guide does not make any suggestions regarding this. Scrum Teams are usually free to decide what they prefer to use. And this can be simple sticky notes, arranged on board so that they are transparent for everybody and to facilitate planning and discussions or a software-based solution.

In organizations that already practice agile methodologies, such software tools are already available. Using a software tool for this task can also make it easier to adapt to the content.

It is common for organizations nowadays to use a digital Product Backlog and a Scrum Board. While there are many tools out there, many companies use Jira, created by Atlassian to manage their Agile projects, including Scrum and Kanban.

This video shows how to create a Product Backlog in Jira.

Product Backlog Refinement in Practice (2020) Preview 06:31

Now the Stories (Product Backlog Items) have a description, a test description, and an order. As you can notice, the Story is not complete yet. The next step would be to take this Product Backlog Item written as a User Story and discuss it with the Team to clarify the details, add order, and to get an estimate.

This collaboration between the Product Owner and the Developers happens during the Product Backlog Refinement meeting.

How to add estimates / value points to Product Backlog Items / User Stories Preview 02:41

After the Development Team has estimated a Story, the Product Owner can enter that estimation in the software tool used for managing the Product Backlog, in our case Jira.

The Product Owner can also define a scale and use Value Points. In this way, each User Story will also have a number of value points assigned.

My job is to annoy you! Preview 00:58

Product Backlog Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Product Backlog.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Product Backlog

- Product Owner

Additionally, search for "Product Backlog" in the Scrum Guide and see where the term appears.

Heads up! Most of the questions are designed to trick you. Please read them carefully before making your choice. I have done this on purpose to train your attention, and better prepare you for the exam.

Sprint Backlog (2020) Preview 03:46

The Sprint Backlog makes transparent all the work that the Developers deems as necessary to reach the Sprint Goal.

You can view the Sprint Backlog as a temporary artifact that exists only during the Sprint. The Sprint Backlog is the responsibility of the Developers.

The Developers will modify the Sprint Backlog throughout the Sprint. It is a decomposition of each Product Backlog Item in smaller units of work that allow the Team to build the increment.

How to create the Sprint Backlog by pulling Items from the Product Backlog? Preview 04:27

The Sprint Backlog is created during the Sprint Planning meeting. The Development Team will pull Product Backlog Items from the Product Backlog into the Sprint Backlog.

This video shows how to create a Sprint Backlog in Jira.

Sprint Scope vs. Sprint Goal Preview 04:15

Sprint Backlog Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Sprint Backlog.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Sprint Backlog

- Sprint Planning

Additionally, search for "Sprint Backlog” in the Scrum Guide and see where the term appears.

Increment & Definition of Done (2020) Preview 03:31

The Increment (or Product Increment) is represented by all the Product Backlog Items completed during a Sprint and integrated with all previous Increments.

It is solely the decision of the Product Owner if and when to release the Increment, but it needs to be in useable condition.

When a Product Backlog Item is considered complete or "done", everyone must understand what done means.

In order to make it easier for everybody to understand that, the Scrum Team should create a Definition of Done which can be used to assess if the work performed is in accordance with the definition.

So each Sprint will create a Product Increment that needs to adhere to the Definition of Done.

As the Scrum Team gains more experience, it is expected that the Definition of Done will contain more strict criteria that ensure higher quality.

By the end of each Sprint, the Increment must be "done", according to the Definition of Done.


The Definition of Done for Jack & Mary Organic Farm Preview 07:11

This is an example of a Definition of Done for a software product. Each Scrum Team or development organization may formulate the Definition of Done in a different may.

When is the Definition of Done created? Preview 01:46

Definition of Done vs. Acceptance criteria Preview 03:00

A common topic of confusion is regarding the Definition of Done vs. Acceptance criteria. Let's fix this.

Increment Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Increment.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Increment

- Developers

Additionally, search for "Increment" in the Scrum Guide and see where the term appears.

Scrum Artifacts summary Preview 03:10

This is the end of this section, and it is time to recap some of the most important aspects in regards to the Scrum artifacts.

What are the Scrum Events Preview 02:47

Scrum uses prescribed events (or Scrum meetings or Scrum ceremonies) to create a routine and to reduce the need for other meetings that are not defined in Scrum.

At the heart of Scrum is the Sprint, which acts as a container for all the events. All events inside Scrum are time-boxed.

Scrum defined the following events:

  • Sprint Planning (where the work to be performed in the Sprint is planned)

  • Daily Scrum (which is held every day of the Sprint)

  • Sprint Review (which is held at the end of the Sprint to review the Increment)

  • Sprint Retrospective (which is an opportunity improve the process)

All events that are a formal opportunity to inspect and adapt.


Scrum Events download materials Preview 00:02

What is a time-box? Preview 03:09

In Scrum, the time-box indicates the maximum duration of an event.

The Sprint Preview 06:08

A Sprint has a time-box of one month or less in which a potentially shippable Product Increment is created. A Sprint will contain all the prescribed Scrum events, a flexible plan on how to build the Product Increment and, of course, the development work needed.

A new Scrum Sprint starts immediately after the previous Sprint has ended. There is no gap between Sprints and nothing happens between the Sprints.


Sprint Planning Preview 02:53

The Sprint Planning meeting is time-boxed to a maximum of eight hours for a one-month Sprint.

During this event, the Scrum will agree on a Sprint Goal and discuss which Product Backlog Items from the Product Backlog will be added to the Sprint Backlog.

Once the Sprint Goal has been defined and the Product Backlog Items for the Sprint selected, the Developers discuss how the functionality will be built into a Product Increment.

Work planned for the first days of the Sprint is decomposed by the end of this meeting, often to units of one day or less. Because work emerges during the Sprint, this meeting cannot identify all the work that needs to be done in advance. It is just a plan with enough detail so that the development work can begin.

The Developers should be able to explain to the Product Owner and Scrum Master how they plan to accomplish the Sprint Goal and to create the forecasted Product Increment.


Sprint Planning - Why is this Sprint valuable? Preview 04:03

Sprint Planning - What can be Done this Sprint? Preview 06:21

Sprint Planning - How will the chosen work get done? Preview 03:04

Sprint Planning - Who attends the meeting? Preview 02:36

Sprint Planning - Recap Preview 01:33

Sprint Planning Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Sprint Planning event.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Sprint Planning

- Sprint Backlog

Additionally, search for the term "Sprint Planning" in the Scrum Guide and see where this term appears.

Daily Scrum Preview 05:27

The Daily Scrum is a timeboxed event, held at the same time and place each day to reduce complexity. The Daily Scrum is held every day during the Sprint and it is an event intended for the Development Team.

The Daily Scrum helps the Developers inspect progress toward completing the work in the Sprint Backlog and reaching the Sprint Goal.

Regardless of the size of the team, the Daily Scrum is a 15-minute time-boxed event.

During the Daily Scrum the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, or other parties are not present. This is an internal meeting for the Developers.


Scrum Board Preview 02:28

A Scrum Board is a tool that helps the Developers make Sprint Backlog items transparent.

The board can be a simple whiteboard with post-its for each task or digital board. Please note that the Scrum Guide does not mention the term "Scrum Board" in the Scrum Guide.

The Scrum Board is constantly updated by the Developers and shows all the work in typically three columns: TODO, In Progress, Done.

A short break Preview 00:05

Daily Scrum quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Daily Scrum event.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Daily Scrum

- Sprint Backlog


Additionally, search for "Daily Scrum" in the Scrum Guide and see where this term appears.

What happens during the Sprint? Preview 02:09

Sprint Review Preview 06:24

By the end of the Sprint, the Scrum Team should have created a potentially shippable Product Increment.

The Sprint Review is held at the end of the Sprint to inspect the Product Increment and adapt the Product Backlog if needed.

The Product Owner owns this meeting and will invite the key Stakeholders to this event. Also taking part are the Developers and the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master's role is to facilitate this meeting and to make sure it is held within the timebox.

The Sprint Review is an informal meeting, not a formal status meeting. The demonstration of the Increment is done in order to obtain feedback and encourage collaboration on what needs to be done next.

What happens with incomplete Product Backlog Items?

So what happens with Product Backlog items that have not been done yet or that are not fully done (for example some functionality has been built but more is needed or testing is not completed yet)? First of all, they will not be demonstrated during this meeting and they should not be part of the Product Increment. They will be put back in the Product Backlog.


Sprint Review Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Sprint Review event.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Sprint Review

- Increment

- The Product Owner

Additionally, search for "Sprint Review" in the Scrum Guide and see where the term appears.

Sprint Retrospective Preview 04:43

The Sprint Retrospective is the very last event in the Sprint, right after the Sprint Review but prior to the next Sprint Planning. The goal of the Sprint Retrospective is to inspect and adapt the development process.

The Sprint Retrospective is an internal Scrum Team event where no external parties are involved.

The Sprint Retrospective is, as implied, a time-boxed event. For a one month sprint, the maximum duration is of 3 hours.

Sprint Retrospective in practice Preview 05:30

The Scrum Guide does not go into many details when it comes to the Sprint Retrospective and only explains the rules, purpose, and desired outcome. While the Scrum Guide does not make it explicit, the Scrum Master is typically the one who can plan and organize this meeting.

Typically retrospectives made use of post-it notes and pens, and there should be plenty of them available.

The Sprint Retrospective meeting will usually start with an icebreaker or warmup exercise. This step is to kick off the meeting, helps with team building, and to get the group interaction started.

Next, the Retrospective meeting can smoothly proceed with a simple check-in to see how everybody is feeling. One exercise is to draw a smiley face on a post-it and to put it somewhere on the board. This can express, for example, how the last Sprint went.

Next comes the core part of the event. The idea behind the next activity is to gather data about the Sprint. Typically a timebox is set in which each Scrum Team member reflects back on the Sprint and writes down ideas.

Next, the team will try to discuss the most important topics within a timebox. The goal of the meeting is to identify improvements. So the team will discuss the issues that they encountered during the Sprint and will think about possible solutions.

The Retrospective may include a final activity in which the improvements, decisions, or action points identified are clarified.


Sprint Retrospective Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Sprint Retrospective event.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Sprint Retrospective

- Scrum Master

- Increment

Additionally, search for "Sprint Retrospective" in the Scrum Guide and see where the term appears.

Special Sprints Preview 03:19

Cancelling a Sprint Preview 01:48

Canceling a Sprint before the time-box expires is a very very rare occurrence. I actually never encountered this. But you need to be aware of this possibility as well.

The Scrum Team Preview 03:14

The Scrum Team consists of a Product Owner,  a Scrum Master, and Developers.

What is important to remember is that Scrum Teams are self-managing and cross-functional.

Scrum Team Size Preview 02:00

How big should the Scrum Team be?

If the Scrum Team is too small it may encounter skill constraints during the Sprint. Having too many team members is also not a good idea.

The Product Owner Preview 04:12

Is the Product Owner the Project Manager? The main responsibility of the Product Owner is to maximize the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.

So the Product Owner is the sole person accountable for managing the Product Backlog.

What is VALUE? Preview 02:33

Product Owner Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Product Owner's accountability in the Scrum Team.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Product Owner

- The Sprint

- Sprint Planning

Additionally, search for "Product Owner" in the Scrum Guide and see where the term appears.

The Developers Preview 04:55

The Developers are specialists who have all the skills in order to do the work needed. Their goal is to create a potentially releasable Product Increment at the end of each Sprint.

Developers Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

The Scrum Master Preview 02:59

The Scrum Master assists the Scrum Team is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum within the organization - you can see the Scrum Master as a "Scrum coach". The Scrum Master is doing this by helping everyone understand the Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values.


How is the Scrum Master serving the Scrum Team Preview 03:10

How is the Scrum Master serving the Scrum Team?

The Scrum Master has to defend the empowerment that the Scrum Team has and to coach it regarding self-management and cross-functionality.

The Scrum Master is successful if the Scrum Team is successful.

What is an impediment in Scrum? Preview 03:34

Not every issue that the Scrum Team encounters is an Impediment. But what is an impediment that the Scrum Master needs to handle?

How is the Scrum Master serving the Product Owner Preview 02:03

How is the Scrum Master serving the Product Owner?

The Scrum Master coaches the Product Owner to better understand and practice agility and Scrum. This means that the Scrum Master should coach the Product Owner to understand and apply the benefits and best practices of Agile and Scrum.

How is the Scrum Master serving the Organization Preview 01:55

How the Scrum Master is serving the Organization

The Scrum Master is leading and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption and is planning Scum implementations.

The Scrum Master in real-life Preview 00:05

Scrum Master Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Scrum Master's accountability in the Scrum Team.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Scrum Team

- Scrum Master

Additionally, search for "Scrum Master" in the Scrum Guide and see where the term appears.

Who is the Business Analyst? Preview 05:26

What is Scrum? Preview 05:17

Scrum is a process framework used to manage work on complex products, not only in software development.

Using the framework helps people address complex adaptive problems, while productively and creatively delivering products of the highest possible value.

Waterfall Model Preview 04:59

To better understand where Scrum is coming from, it is important to understand what has happened before Scrum was introduced. A lot of software development in the past has been done and is still done using the waterfall model.

Uses of Scrum Preview 02:21

Scrum is widely adopted in the software development industry but Scrum is not only used for developing software.

Scrum Theory Preview 06:18

Scrum is based on empiricism (the empirical process control theory). This means that knowledge comes from the past experience and decisions are made based on what is known. Scrum is never about knowing or planning everything in advance.

How to understand empiricism Preview 01:47

Scrum Values Preview 01:58

The Scrum Values are commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect. Scrum is based on three pillars: transparency, inspection, and adaptation.

The most important ideas regarding the Scrum framework Preview 00:32

Introduction to the Agile and Scrum Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the Agile principles and the Scrum theory.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Purpose of the Scrum Guide

- Scrum Definition

- Scrum Theory

- Scrum Values

- End Note

If the previous lectures contain any resources, please read/watch them as well.

Introduction to Scaling Scrum Preview 02:34

Scrum.org provides another framework for dealing with how to scale the Scrum framework. This additional framework is called the Nexus Framework and is described within the Nexus Guide.

Remember that the content of the Nexus Guide is not part of the exam. The Nexus Guide introduces many other terms that will confuse you, so for that reason, I don’t necessarily recommend it.

In this section, we will go over the most important aspects that are relevant for the exam and explain to you all the rules you need to know.

What happens when multiple Scrum Teams work on the same Product? Preview 02:34

The most important rule you need to remember when multiple teams work on the same Product.

1 Product = 1 Product Backlog = 1 Product Owner

It is important to remember that there is only one Product Backlog. There will not be separate Backlogs for each team.

Impact on velocity when scaling Scrum Preview 03:25

When multiple Scrum Teams start working on the same Product, different challenges arise.

The key concern, in this case, is to reduce as much as possible dependencies between the teams.

Integrated Product Increments Preview 01:54

Scrum Teams working on the same Product must integrate their work to produce working and releasable Increments.

The Definition of Done when multiple teams work on the same Product Preview 01:30

Scrum Teams must define a common Definition of Done that all teams must respect.

Must the Sprints be aligned? (same length, same start/end) Preview 01:55

Scrum does not have a requirement that states that the Scrum Sprints be aligned. The only requirement is that the work should be integrated by the end of the Sprint. If all teams have the same Sprint duration and start/end dates, this is a bit easier to manage.

If the Scrum Teams have different Sprint lengths (so the Sprints are not aligned), this process will be harder but still within the Scrum rules.

How many Product Owners are there? Preview 02:16

It is important to have a single person responsible for the end results.

If one person is involved, it is clear which person is responsible for the results. When multiple persons are involved and things don't work well, it can be an elaborate process figuring out what did not work.

There are no Chief Product Owners (CPO) or Proxy Product Owners (PPO) in Scrum.

Feature teams vs Component teams Preview 03:14

The exam may include questions that talk about Feature teams and Component teams. As with many other terms the exam tries to test some practical knowledge but, the Scrum Guide does not mention them.

Conclusion - Scaling Scrum recap Preview 01:18

Scaling Scrum Quiz (Scrum Guide v2020)

This quiz tests your understanding of the basic ideas around Scaling Scrum.

Before attempting this quiz, make sure you read again (at least two times) the following sections from the Scrum Guide:

- Scrum Team

- Product Owner

- Increment

If the previous lectures contain any resources, please read/watch them as well.

The Velocity of the Scrum Team Preview 03:11

The Velocity of the Scrum Team (or simply Velocity) is a measure of the amount of work the Scrum Team can handle during a typical Sprint.

We typically use the average velocity. This is calculated by averaging the amount of work performed in the previous Sprints and can be used to get an idea of what is possible to accomplish in a Sprint.

Remember that this is an optional metric and intended only for the Scrum Team. Moreover, there are no commitments in Scrum (for example for the selected Product Backlog Items) and nobody gets punished if the estimate proves to be inaccurate.

Burndown charts Preview 02:54

A burndown chart is a graphical representation of work (usually represented in time or story points) left to do versus time. The outstanding work usually on the vertical axis, with time along the horizontal.

This chart is used to estimate when all of the work in a Sprint will be completed. While burndown charts can be used in agile projects, they can also be applied to any project containing measurable progress over time.

Burnup charts Preview 00:26

The Burn-up Chart provides a visual representation of a Sprint's completed work related to its total scope, which is represented by the number of selected Product Backlog Items (or Stories).

It is quite similar to the Burn-down chart with the difference that any added work will be visible in a change of the scope.

The "cone of uncertainty" Preview 00:14

The term Cone of Uncertainty is used in software development where the technical and business environments are constantly evolving.

Technical debt Preview 05:12

One or two questions in the real exam could contain a reference to the term technical debt. While technical debt is a term that does not appear in the Scrum Guide it is mentioned in the Glossary.

Generally speaking, technical debt is something that should be constantly dealt with and not postponed. It is part of the development process and it is a continuous process (similar to the architecture of the product which is constantly being worked on and improved).

It is tightly coupled with the quality of the product and the Scrum Team should constantly work to keep the technical debt manageable.

Engineering standards Preview 00:12

Engineering standards refer to a set of rules and conventions within the development organization that applies to all the Product being developed.

Sustainable pace Preview 00:46

Some exam questions may reference the term sustainable pace. When doing development work, it is important to be able to have a constant output.

Functional and non-functional requirements Preview 04:34

A functional requirement is a requirement that can be easily understood by the Product Owner, Stakeholders, and the users of the Product. A functional requirement describes a function of the Product.

Non-functional requirements describe qualities, behaviors, attributes, and constraints of the Product and can be placed into multiple categories: performance, security, availability, and usability, to name just a few examples.

Review the Scrum Glossary

Take a few moments to look over the Scrum Glossary and review any terms you do not know.

Tools that could help a new practitioner Preview 00:23

Is documentation mandatory in Scrum? Preview 03:28

Who creates the Definition of Done? Preview 01:19

Who creates the Definition of Done?

There are two possible options:

  • The development organization

  • The Scrum Team

What happens if there is no Increment and/or the Sprint Goal is not reached? Preview 00:09

What happens with incomplete Sprint Backlog items? Preview 00:13

About the practice tests Preview 02:00

Practice test #1 (Scrum Guide 2020)

This quiz is focused on learning and testing your understanding.

Before attempting this practice test, watch the entire course content up to this point and read the Scrum Guide 2020.

About this practice test:

- This quiz contains a set of 80 questions.

- Each question has only one correct answer.

- You will get the answer immediately.

- There is no time-box for you to finish the test.


These are NOT real exam questions.


Here are some tips:

- Read the explanation even if you have selected the correct answer.

- Identify the areas which are still unclear and study them.

- Retry the test until you get a perfect or near-perfect score.

- Limit your number of retries.

- Don’t memorize questions and answers. Understand the concepts.

Reminder about the importance of the Scrum Guide Preview 00:17

How to approach Scrum questions Preview 05:49

This lecture explains the most important strategies for dealing with exam questions.

Scrum Open assessment

Take this online Scrum Open assessment from scrum.org to test your skills.

Practice test #2 (Scrum Guide 2020)

This is a full exam simulation but these are NOT real exam questions. Try finishing in 40 minutes or less. Pay close attention to the question and the answers.

Just like the real exam, many questions are designed to trick you.

== What to do after the exam simulation ==

Read all explanations even if you have selected the correct answer.

Read the Scrum Guide and retry the test until you get a perfect or near-perfect score.

Memorizing questions and answers does NOT help!

Identify the areas which are still unclear. Rewatch the videos and study the respective parts of the Scrum Guide.

Ask in the Q&A section if something is unclear. I am here to help you. All questions and answers are random. Please include the full question, not just the number.

Pay attention to questions from other sources Preview 03:35

Practice test #3 (Scrum Guide 2020)

This is a full exam simulation but these are NOT real exam questions.

The duration of this practice test has been reduced on purpose.

During the exam, you will run out of time much quicker than when doing practice tests.

Just like the real exam, many questions are designed to trick you.

== What to do after the exam simulation ==

Read all explanations even if you have selected the correct answer.

Read the Scrum Guide and retry the test until you get a perfect or near-perfect score.

Memorizing questions and answers does NOT help!

Identify the areas which are still unclear. Rewatch the videos and study the respective parts of the Scrum Guide.

Ask in the Q&A section if something is unclear. I am here to help you. All questions and answers are random. Please include the full question, not just the number.

Help, I am getting low scores Preview 00:54

Product Owner Open Assessment

Take this online Product Owner Open Assessment from scrum.org to test your skills. Most of the questions are still related to the contents of the Scrum Guide. They are just more focused on the Product Owner role.

ScrumQuiz.org Scrum Master practice test

Take this online preparation quiz from ScrumQuiz.org to test your Scrum skills. These are practice questions and NOT real exam questions.

Exam registration Preview 03:06

When should you register for your Scrum exam?

Tips for the exam Preview 09:01

Some final exam tips for successfully passing the exam.

Exam tips for non-native English Speakers Preview 00:09

Your exam result Preview 00:42

Let me know your exam result.

How to claim PMI PDU points Preview 00:32

Your next certification Preview 00:10

Bonus Lecture Preview 00:20