PSM-I Scrum Professional Scrum Master I Free Practice Exam Questions (2026 Updated)

According to the Scrum Guide, a Scrum Master fulfills a different role from a traditional project manager. A Scrum Master is a servant-leader and a coach for the Scrum Team and the organization, not a manager or a supervisor. A Scrum Master does not assign tasks, set deadlines, or monitor progress, but rather facilitates self-organization, collaboration, and empiricism within the Scrum Team and the organization.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , Product Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity in which Product Backlog items are reviewed and revised. The Developers who will be doing the work are responsible for sizing or estimating it. The Product Owner may influence them by helping them understand and select trade-offs.

According to the Scrum Guide, two intended outcomes of the Daily Scrum are identification of impediments that may prevent the Developers from achieving the Sprint Goal and a shared understanding of the most important work to be undertaken next to achieve the best possible progress toward the Sprint Goal. These outcomes help the Developers to inspect their progress, plan their work, and collaborate effectively. The other options are not intended outcomes of the Daily Scrum, as they are either irrelevant (such as updating a Scrum board) or inappropriate (such as providing a status report or an update of completed tasks).

Two techniques that the Scrum Master could use when the Scrum Team gets caught in an internal disagreement about which agile practices to apply are to involve the complete Scrum Team in making a decision, and to use coaching techniques such as open questions and active listening, as stated in [3]: “The Scrum Master should facilitate a constructive dialogue among the team members and help them reach a consensus on which agile practices to use. The Scrum Master should also use coaching techniques such as open questions and active listening to understand the underlying needs and motivations of each team member and to help them find common ground.”

According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Owner does not make sure that the Developers select enough from the Product Backlog for a Sprint to satisfy the stakeholders. The Developers are responsible for selecting how much work they can do in a Sprint, based on their capacity and past performance. The Product Owner may influence them by ordering and clarifying the Product Backlog items, but does not control their selection.

According to the Scrum Guide, the purpose of a Sprint is to produce a valuable useful Increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Sprint Goal. This means that the Developers work on items from the Product Backlog that deliver value to the stakeholders and align with the product vision. The other option is not valid, as it implies that producing an Increment is not the purpose of a Sprint.

The best answer is C. When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done. This is because the Definition of Done creates transparency and ensures that the product Increment meets the quality standards required for the product 1 . If each Scrum Team has its own Definition of Done, it may lead to inconsistencies, conflicts, and technical debt in the product. Therefore, the Scrum Teams should collaborate and agree on a common Definition of Done that applies to all Product Backlog Items and Increments. This way, the Scrum Teams can deliver a potentially releasable product Increment at the end of every Sprint 2 .

The correct answers are A, C, and E, because these are feedback loops in Scrum. The Sprint Review is a feedback loop that allows the Scrum Team and the stakeholders to inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog. The Sprint Retrospective is a feedback loop that allows the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements. The Daily Scrum is a feedback loop that allows the Development Team to inspect its progress and plan its work for the next 24 hours.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , an Increment is a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. Each Increment is additive to all prior Increments and thoroughly verified, ensuring that all Increments work together. In order to provide value, the Increment must be usable. Multiple Increments may be created within a Sprint. The sum of the Increments is presented at the Sprint Review thus supporting empiricism. However, an Increment may be delivered to stakeholders prior to the end of the Sprint. The Sprint Review should never be considered a gate to releasing value.

The correct answer is C, because the Scrum Guide states that “the Development Team usually starts by designing the system and the work needed to convert the Product Backlog into a working product Increment. Work planned for the first days of the Sprint by the Development Team is decomposed by the end of this meeting, often to units of one day or less. The Development Team self-organizes to undertake the work in the Sprint Backlog, both during Sprint Planning and as needed throughout the Sprint.” Therefore, enough work should be defined during the Sprint Planning event so that the Development Team can create its best forecast of what it can do, and to start the first several days of the Sprint.

Scrum promotes self-management by empowering the Scrum Team to take ownership of their work and processes. The best three answers are:

A. By having the Scrum Master protect the Scrum Team: The Scrum Master plays a key role in shielding the team from external distractions and impediments, allowing the team to focus on self-management and delivering value.

B. By the Scrum Team deciding what work to do in a Sprint: During Sprint Planning, the Scrum Team collaboratively selects and commits to the work they can accomplish within the Sprint, fostering self-organization and decision-making.

C. By being a lightweight framework: Scrum ' s simplicity and minimal structure provide the team with the flexibility to adapt and manage their work, encouraging self-management without imposing rigid controls.

The correct answer is D, because there is no gap between Sprints in Scrum. The Scrum Guide states that “a new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.” Therefore, there is no time required after a Sprint to prepare for the next Sprint.

According to the Scrum Guide, two activities that a Product Owner may engage in during a Sprint are updating management on what is being worked on and answering questions from the Development Team about items in the current Sprint. These activities are part of the Product Owner’s responsibilities to manage and prioritize the Product Backlog, communicate with stakeholders, and collaborate with the Development Team. The other options are not activities that a Product Owner should engage in during a Sprint, as they are either done by the Scrum Master (such as running the Daily Scrum) or by the Development Team (such as prioritizing their work on the Sprint Backlog).

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , the Scrum Master is accountable for establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide. They do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice, both within the Scrum Team and the organization.

According to the Scrum Guide 1 , self-organization is one of the essential characteristics of Scrum Teams. Self-organizing teams choose how best to accomplish their work, rather than being directed by others outside the team. Self-organization enables teams to deliver faster and better results by harnessing their creativity and skills. Some benefits of self-organization are:

Increased creativity, as team members have more freedom and autonomy to explore new ideas and solutions.

Increased self-accountability, as team members take ownership and responsibility for their work and outcomes.

Increased commitment, as team members are more engaged and motivated by having a say in how they work.

The other options are not benefits of self-organization, as they may imply external control or pressure.

A Developer is accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog, and organizing the work required to meet the Sprint Goal, as stated in the Scrum Guide: " Developers are the people in the Scrum Team that are committed to creating any aspect of a usable Increment each Sprint. The specific skills needed by the Developers are often broad and will vary with the domain of work. However, the Developers are always accountable for:

Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog;

Instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done;

Adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal; and,

Holding each other accountable as professionals. "

The correct answer is A, because the Scrum Guide states that “the definition of ‘Done’ is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.” Therefore, non-functional requirements should be part of the definition of ‘Done’ and ensure every Increment meets them.

The correct answers are B and D, because these are the most appropriate responses for the Scrum Master. The Scrum Master should coach the team on why the Daily Scrum is important as an opportunity to update the plan, inspect the progress, and synchronize the activities of the Development Team. The Scrum Master should also learn why the Development Team wants this and work with them to improve the outcome of the Daily Scrum, rather than imposing a decision or accepting their request without question.

A Product Owner releases each Increment when it makes sense, as stated in [2]: “The Product Owner decides when to release an Increment. This can be done at any time during or after a Sprint. The Product Owner may choose to release an Increment when it delivers enough value to customers or users, when it meets a market opportunity, when it reduces risk or uncertainty, or when it aligns with other business goals.”