8 CSM Practice Questions That Mirror the Real Exam
Here are 8 multiple-choice questions designed to mirror the difficulty, style, and content domains of the actual Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) exam. The questions focus on the Scrum Guide, the role of the Scrum Master, and practical application of Agile principles, avoiding trick questions in favor of testing applied knowledge.
Instructions: Select the single best answer for each question. These questions cover the core concepts of the Scrum framework, including roles, events, artifacts, and the underlying empirical process control. Want to go further? 10 PMP Practice Questions That Mirror the Real Exam is a good next step.
Q1. A Development Team is consistently completing all its Sprint Backlog items, but the Increment is not released because the Product Owner is concerned about a specific feature's user interface. What is the most appropriate action for the Scrum Master?
A. Facilitate a discussion between the Product Owner and the Development Team to clarify the Definition of Done and the meaning of "Done."
B. Instruct the Product Owner to accept the Increment as-is, as the team met their commitment.
C. Ask the Development Team to work overtime to fix the UI issue within the current Sprint.
D. Extend the Sprint by a few days to allow the team to address the Product Owner's concerns.
Answer: A
Explanation: The Scrum Master is a servant-leader who facilitates stakeholder collaboration. The issue likely stems from an ambiguous Definition of Done or a misunderstanding of the Increment's readiness. The SM should coach the PO and Team to align on the definition of "Done" to prevent future conflicts, rather than forcing a release or extending the timebox.
Q2. During the Daily Scrum, a developer mentions a significant technical problem that will likely delay their task. The team begins a deep, 20-minute technical discussion. What should the Scrum Master do?
A. Allow the discussion to continue, as it is important for the team's progress.
B. End the Daily Scrum immediately and schedule a separate meeting for the detailed discussion.
C. Solve the technical problem for the team to save time.
D. Ask the developer to report the issue to the Product Owner after the meeting.
Answer: B
Explanation: The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute timeboxed event for the Development Team to inspect progress and adapt its plan for the day. Detailed problem-solving is not the purpose of this event. The SM must enforce the timebox and suggest a follow-up conversation with the relevant parties after the stand-up, keeping the Daily Scrum focused.
Q3. A stakeholder asks the Scrum Master to add a critical new requirement to the current Sprint. The Sprint Goal is at risk. What is the correct response?
A. Accept the change and add it to the Sprint Backlog immediately.
B. Tell the stakeholder to wait until the next Sprint Planning meeting.
C. Ask the stakeholder to discuss the request with the Product Owner.
D. Cancel the Sprint and start a new one with the new requirement. Looking for more detail? See 10 PRINCE2 7 Foundation Practice Questions That Mirror the Real Exam.
Answer: C
Explanation: The Development Team owns the Sprint Backlog, but the Product Owner is the sole authority responsible for managing the Product Backlog and optimizing value. The Scrum Master should coach the stakeholder to work directly with the Product Owner, who can decide whether to replace an existing item or defer the new requirement to a future Sprint.
Q4. In Scrum, what is the primary purpose of the Sprint Retrospective?
A. To review the work completed and demonstrate the Increment to stakeholders.
B. To identify, quantify, and prioritize defects found during the Sprint.
C. To inspect how the last Sprint went regarding people, relationships, process, and tools.
D. To assign tasks for the upcoming Sprint to individual team members.
Answer: C
Explanation: The Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted in the next Sprint. Option A describes the Sprint Review. Option B is a partial activity but not the primary purpose. Option D is part of Sprint Planning.
Q5. A Scrum Team has been working together for three Sprints. The Product Owner is often unavailable to answer questions, and the team is making assumptions about requirements. What is the Scrum Master's best first step?
A. Take over the Product Owner duties to ensure the team is unblocked.
B. Coach the Product Owner on their responsibility to be available and actively engaged.
C. Have the Development Team document all assumptions and proceed.
D. Recommend the team use a longer Sprint to accommodate the PO's schedule.
Answer: B
Explanation: The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring Scrum is understood and enacted, which includes coaching the Product Owner on their accountabilities. The PO must be available to the team to clarify requirements and maximize value. The SM should facilitate this understanding rather than stepping in or bypassing the role.
Q6. Which statement best describes the relationship between the Product Owner and the Development Team?
A. The Product Owner manages the team's velocity and task assignments.
B. The Development Team decides how to turn the Product Backlog items into an Increment. You might also find How Hard Is CSM, Really? An Honest Difficulty Rating helpful.
C. The Product Owner must be present at all Daily Scrums to answer questions.
D. The Development Team is accountable for the final value of the product.
Answer: B
Explanation: The Development Team is self-organizing and decides the "how" of the workâthe technical approach and task breakdown. The Product Owner decides the "what" (Product Backlog order) and the "value." The PO is not a project manager and does not dictate technical execution.
Q7. A team is using a velocity of 30 story points per Sprint. During Sprint Planning, the team commits to 38 points. What is the most likely outcome, and what should the Scrum Master emphasize?
A. The team will likely succeed; the SM should praise their ambition.
B. The team will likely fail to meet the forecast; the SM should coach them on using historical data (velocity) to make realistic forecasts.
C. The team will be fine if they work overtime; the SM should support this.
D. The team should change the Sprint length to accommodate the extra work.
Answer: B
Explanation: Velocity is a key metric for forecasting. Committing to significantly more than historical velocity ignores empirical data and sets the team up for failure. The SM should coach the team to use their past performance as a guide for sustainable forecasting and to inspect the scope of the items they are pulling in.
Q8. At the end of a Sprint, the Definition of Done is not met for several Product Backlog items. The team wants to show the work in the Sprint Review. What should the Scrum Master advise?
A. Allow the team to demonstrate the unfinished work, as it is a good learning opportunity.
B. Only allow items that meet the Definition of Done to be presented as "Done" in the review.
C. Cancel the Sprint Review and hold an extra-long Retrospective instead.
D. Move the unfinished items to the next Sprint and present the Sprint Goal as met.
Answer: B
Explanation: The Sprint Review is for inspecting the Increment, which is the sum of all Product Backlog items completed during the Sprint plus the value of previous Increments. If work does not meet the Definition of Done, it cannot be considered part of the Increment and must be returned to the Product Backlog. Transparency requires that only "Done" work is presented as such.
These questions reflect the core principles of the Scrum framework. Remember that the CSM exam tests your understanding of the rules of Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide, as well as the practical application of the Scrum Master's role as a facilitator and coach.
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