Scrum Scaled Professional Scrum SPS Exam Practice Test

Answer : A, D

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.

Answer : B, C

The best option for how Product Ownership might be structured in a company with five products is to have one Product Owner responsible for each product or one Product Owner responsible for all five products. Both of these options are consistent with the Scrum Guide, which states that the Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team 11. The Product Owner may delegate work as needed, but they remain accountable for the value delivered. The Product Owner also provides clarity to the team about the product vision, goal, and backlog 11.

The other options are not advisable for the following reasons:

Assigning as many Product Owners as needed to communicate expectations and requirements to the Scrum Team is not a good idea, as it would create confusion, inconsistency, and conflict among the Product Owners and the Scrum Team. The Scrum Guide states that the Product Owner is one person, not a committee 11. Having multiple Product Owners for one product would compromise the transparency, the alignment, and the decision-making of the Scrum Team.

Having one primary Product Owner and one Product Owner for each product is also not a good idea, as it would create a hierarchy and a dependency among the Product Owners. The primary Product Owner would have too much authority and responsibility, while the Product Owners for each product would have too little. This would undermine the accountability, the collaboration, and the empowerment of the Product Owners and the Scrum Teams.

Answer : B

Creating a communication plan is not enough to fully address the coordination challenges that arise when many Scrum Teams work on the same product. A communication plan is a document that outlines the objectives, methods, channels, and frequency of communication among the stakeholders of a project or product 1. While a communication plan is useful for ensuring clarity, transparency, and alignment among the Scrum Teams and other parties involved, it does not address other aspects of coordination, such as integration, dependency management, alignment of goals and vision, and cross-team collaboration 2.

To effectively coordinate multiple Scrum Teams working on the same product, a communication plan should be complemented by other practices and frameworks, such as:

Nexus: Nexus is a framework for scaling Scrum that consists of three to nine Scrum Teams working together to deliver an Integrated Increment every Sprint 3. Nexus provides roles, events, artifacts, and rules that help the Scrum Teams coordinate, integrate, and align their work, while maintaining the Scrum values and principles 4.

Scrum of Scrums: Scrum of Scrums is a technique for scaling Scrum that involves a regular meeting of representatives from each Scrum Team to share progress, identify dependencies, resolve issues, and align on the product vision and goal . Scrum of Scrums helps the Scrum Teams communicate and collaborate effectively, while minimizing the overhead and complexity of coordination .

Communities of Practice: Communities of Practice are groups of people who share a common interest, skill, or domain, and who meet regularly to exchange knowledge, ideas, and best practices . Communities of Practice help the Scrum Teams learn from each other, improve their skills, and foster a culture of continuous improvement .

Answer : B, C, D

Self-managing Scrum Teams are teams that internally decide who does what, when, and how, rather than being directed by others outside the team 11. Self-managing Scrum Teams have the following benefits:

Increased self-accountability: Self-managing Scrum Teams are accountable for delivering a potentially releasable product Increment every Sprint that meets the Definition of Done and the Product Goal 22. They are also accountable for following the Scrum values and principles, and for inspecting and adapting their work and process 33. By being accountable for their own decisions and actions, self-managing Scrum Teams are more responsible, transparent, and quality-oriented.

Increased creativity: Self-managing Scrum Teams have the autonomy and the empowerment to choose how best to accomplish their work, rather than being constrained by predefined methods or instructions 44. They also have the opportunity to experiment, learn, and innovate, as they are encouraged to try new ideas and approaches to solve complex problems [5]. By having the freedom and the support to be creative, self-managing Scrum Teams are more productive, adaptive, and valuable.

Increased commitment: Self-managing Scrum Teams have the ownership and the involvement in their work, as they are part of the planning, execution, and review of the product development [6]. They also have the trust and the collaboration among the team members, as they share a common goal and vision, and respect each other's skills and abilities [7]. By having the sense of belonging and the teamwork, self-managing Scrum Teams are more motivated, engaged, and satisfied.

Answer : B

When multiple Scrum Teams work from the same Product Backlog, they should choose the Product Backlog items that they can deliver as part of an Integrated Increment, which is the combined work of all the Scrum Teams that meets the Nexus Sprint Goal 11. The Developers, who are the people in the Scrum Teams who are accountable for creating and delivering the Increment, should pull work in agreement with the Product Owner, who is the person who is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and the work performed and integrated by the Scrum Teams 11. The Developers and the Product Owner should collaborate to select the Product Backlog items that are most valuable, feasible, and aligned with the Nexus Sprint Goal 2233. Therefore, statement B is the correct answer.

Statement A is incorrect because it implies that the Scrum Teams choose the Weighted Shortest Job First, which is a prioritization technique that ranks Product Backlog items based on their value and cost 44. However, the Scrum Guide does not prescribe any specific technique for ordering the Product Backlog, and the Product Owner is the sole person responsible for managing the Product Backlog [5]. Statement C is incorrect because it suggests that each Scrum Team takes an equal number of items, which may not reflect the value, complexity, or dependencies of the items 1122. Statement D is incorrect because it assumes that the Scrum Team with the highest velocity pulls Product Backlog items first, which may not be the best way to optimize the value delivery and integration across the Nexus 1122. Statement E is incorrect because it proposes that the Product Owner should provide each team with its own Product Backlog, which would create confusion, inconsistency, and duplication of work. Having multiple Product Backlogs would also undermine the transparency and alignment that are essential for scaling Scrum 1122.

Answer : C, D

According to the Nexus Guide1, the Nexus Sprint Review is an event where the Nexus presents the Done Integrated Increment that was built over the Sprint and collects feedback from the stakeholders. The Integrated Increment is the combined work of all the Scrum Teams in the Nexus that meets the Definition of Done. The Nexus Guide also states that the Nexus Integration Team is a specialized Scrum Team that provides services and guidance to the Scrum Teams in the Nexus to ensure that the Integrated Increment is produced every Sprint.

In the scenario, the teams are not using a shared environment, which implies that they are not integrating their work frequently and effectively. This means that there is no single Integrated Increment that can be inspected and adapted by the stakeholders. This also suggests that the Nexus Integration Team is lacking or nonexistent, or that it is not fulfilling its role of facilitating integration and resolving dependencies. Without a Nexus Integration Team and a shared environment, the Nexus cannot deliver a valuable product Increment that meets the Product Goal.

The Sprint length and the integration phase are not relevant to the scenario. The Sprint length is determined by the Nexus based on the complexity and uncertainty of the product, and it should be less than a month. The integration phase is not a separate phase in Nexus, but a continuous activity that happens throughout the Sprint. Therefore, A and B are not correct answers.

Answer : A, B

The Nexus Sprint Review is an event that occurs at the end of the Sprint where the Nexus, which is a group of approximately three to nine Scrum Teams working on the same product, presents the Integrated Increment to the stakeholders and collects feedback 12. The Integrated Increment is the combined work of all the Scrum Teams in the Nexus that meets the Definition of Done and the Nexus Sprint Goal 1. The purpose of the Nexus Sprint Review is to inspect the Integrated Increment and adapt the Product Backlog based on new learnings 1. Therefore, statement A is correct.

The Nexus Sprint Review replaces individual Scrum Team Sprint Reviews because the focus is on the entire Integrated Increment rather than the work of each team 12. The Nexus Sprint Review is not a container for each individual Scrum Team's Sprint Review, nor is it when individual Scrum Teams demo their work. These statements imply that the Nexus Sprint Review is a collection of separate Sprint Reviews, which is not the case. The Nexus Sprint Review is a single event that involves all the Scrum Teams and stakeholders in the Nexus 12. Therefore, statement B is also correct, and statements C and D are incorrect.