Scrum Updated PSPO-I Exam Questions and Answers by ivor

The concept of a “Release Sprint” is not found in the Scrum Guide or the Professional Scrum Product Owner™ (PSPO I) materials. Scrum does not require a separate Sprint for releasing an Increment. According to Scrum, each Increment must be usable and potentially releasable at the end of every Sprint, which means the product should be in a releasable state irrespective of whether the Product Owner decides to release it or not. The idea of a Release Sprint is not aligned with Scrum’s principle of continuous delivery and the definition of “Done”.

References: The Scrum Guide and the Professional Scrum Product Owner™ (PSPO I) study materials emphasize the importance of the Increment being releasable after every Sprint without the need for an additional Release Sprint12.

The Definition of Done is a shared understanding of what it means for work to be complete, and ensures transparency of the quality of the work done1. A Product Backlog item is considered complete when it meets the Definition of Done, which means that it is usable and potentially releasable, and that it meets the quality standards set by the Scrum Team and the stakeholders2. The other options are not sufficient to determine the completeness of a Product Backlog item, as they may not reflect the actual value and quality of the product.

References:

1: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 13

2: The Scrum Guide, November 2020, p. 6

If the Scrum Team cannot complete its work by the end of the Sprint, the Sprint does not get extended. Instead, the unfinished Sprint Backlog Items go back to the Product Backlog and can be addressed in the following Sprint12. This approach allows the team to get better at estimating and reduces complexity due to the consistency of the Scrum Events2. The Scrum Team continuously learns and adapts12.

 A Product Owner should not measure product value by the increase in the team’s velocity. This is because:

• Velocity is a measure of how much work a Scrum Team can deliver in a Sprint. It is based on the estimation of Product Backlog items that are selected for a Sprint and completed according to the Definition of Done.
• Velocity is not a measure of product value. It does not reflect how well the product meets the needs and expectations of the customers, users, and stakeholders. It does not reflect how much value or impact the product creates in terms of revenue, satisfaction, or social good.
• Velocity is not a goal or a target for a Scrum Team. It is a planning tool that helps them forecast their future work based on their past performance. It is not a metric that should be used to compare or judge teams or individuals.
• A Product Owner should measure product value by using indicators that are relevant, meaningful, and actionable for their product context. These may include metrics such as customer feedback, usage data, market share, return on investment, or social impact.

References:

• [Scrum Guide], page 7, section “Developers”
• [Scrum Guide], page 10, section “Definition of Done”
• [Scrum Guide], page 15, section “Sprint Backlog”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 5, section “Product Value”
• [Professional Scrum Product Owner™ Training], page 9, section “Business Strategy”