GAQM CASPO-001 Exam Questions

Sprint length in Scrum is a critical decision that impacts the team's ability to deliver value and adapt. The Scrum Guide states that Sprints are fixed in length (typically one month or less) to create consistency and enable regular inspection and adaptation. While it doesn't explicitly list factors, practical application and Scrum principles suggest:

A (The ability to go to market with a product release): Shorter Sprints allow faster feedback and releases, aligning with Scrum's focus on delivering value frequently.

D (The level of uncertainty over the technology to be used): High uncertainty may warrant shorter Sprints to mitigate risk and validate assumptions, a key aspect of empirical process control.

E (The risk of being disconnected from the stakeholders): Shorter Sprints ensure frequent stakeholder engagement (e.g., via Sprint Reviews), reducing this risk.

Option B is incorrect because Scrum does not require uniform Sprint lengths across an organization---each team can choose what works best. Option C is irrelevant, as team formation changes are not tied to Sprint length in Scrum. Thus, A, D, and E are the best factors.

The Sprint Retrospective is an event for the entire Scrum Team, including the Scrum Master, to inspect and improve their processes. The Scrum Guide explicitly states that the Scrum Master participates as a peer: 'The Scrum Master participates as a peer team member in the Sprint Retrospective from the accountability over the Scrum Team's effectiveness.' This ensures a collaborative review of the Sprint, including the Scrum Master's facilitation role.

A: True---the Scrum Master is a full participant.

B: False---exclusion contradicts Scrum's team focus.

Exact Extract from Scrum Guide: 'The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint... The Scrum Master participates as a peer team member in the Sprint Retrospective from the accountability over the Scrum Team's effectiveness.' (Section: 'Sprint Retrospective')

Thus, A is correct.

The Sprint Backlog is collectively owned by the Developers, not assigned to individuals. The Scrum Guide defines it as: 'The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers... It is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work that the Developers plan to accomplish during the Sprint.' Self-organization means the Developers decide who does what, without fixed ownership of items.

A, B: Individual assignment isn't mandated; it's a team effort.

C: Correct---the Developers as a whole own it.

D: The Product Owner manages the Product Backlog, not the Sprint Backlog.

Exact Extract from Scrum Guide: 'The Sprint Backlog is a plan by and for the Developers. It is composed of the Sprint Goal (why), the set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint (what), as well as an actionable plan for delivering the Increment (how).' (Section: 'Sprint Backlog')

Thus, C is correct.

Scrum does not mandate specific tools like burndown charts; it focuses on outcomes (e.g., a 'Done' Increment) rather than prescriptive practices. The Scrum Guide mentions progress tracking as optional: 'Various practices exist to forecast progress, like burn-downs, burn-ups, or cumulative flows. While proven useful, these do not replace the importance of empiricism.'

A: False---burndown charts are optional.

B: Correct---no mandate exists.

Exact Extract from Scrum Guide: 'Various practices exist to forecast progress, like burn-downs, burn-ups, or cumulative flows. While proven useful, these do not replace the importance of empiricism. In complex environments, what will happen is unknown.' (Section: 'Scrum Artifacts')

Thus, B is correct.

The Sprint Retrospective is a key Scrum event focused on continuous improvement. The Scrum Guide defines its purpose explicitly as an opportunity for the Scrum Team (Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers) to reflect on the past Sprint and identify actionable ways to enhance their effectiveness and quality in the next Sprint. Option C---'Inspect how the last Sprint went and plan improvements for the next Sprint'---accurately captures this intent, aligning with Scrum's empirical pillars of inspection and adaptation. Let's evaluate all options:

A (Review stories planned for the next Sprint and provide estimates): This pertains to Sprint Planning or Product Backlog refinement, not the Retrospective. The Retrospective focuses on past performance, not future planning of specific stories or estimation.

B (Demonstrate completed User Stories to the Product Owner): This describes the Sprint Review, where the Increment is showcased to stakeholders, not the Retrospective, which is an internal team event.

C: Correct---the Retrospective is about inspecting the last Sprint (e.g., processes, interactions, tools) and adapting by planning improvements, making it the best answer.

D (The Product Owner): This is incomplete and nonsensical as a purpose; it likely resulted from an OCR error in the original document. The Product Owner participates but isn't the purpose.

The original document's incomplete option C was a typo or truncation error (ending at 'This study wou'). By restoring the intended meaning based on Scrum principles, C becomes the clear and correct choice.

Exact Extract from Scrum Guide: 'The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done. Inspected elements often vary with the domain of work. Assumptions that led them astray are identified and their origins explored. The Scrum Team discusses what went well during the Sprint, what problems it encountered, and how those problems were (or were not) solved... The Sprint Retrospective concludes the Sprint.' (Section: 'Sprint Retrospective')

This extract confirms that the Retrospective's purpose is inspection and improvement planning, precisely matching option C.