Scrum Alliance Certified ScrumMaster Exam CSM Exam Dumps: Updated Questions & Answers (September 2025)

One of the key services aScrum Master provides to the Product Owneris helping them findeffective Product Backlog management techniques. This ensures that the Product Owner can maximize the value of the product and effectively manage the Product Backlog.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the Product Owner by:

Helping the Product Owner find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management.

Facilitating stakeholder collaboration when needed.

Supporting empirical product planning for complex environments.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Assign tasks to the Developers:Tasks are not assigned in Scrum. Developers are self-organizing and responsible for determining how they will complete the work.

B. Write user stories:Writing user stories is a Product Owner responsibility, not the Scrum Master's.

C. Prioritize the backlog:The Product Owner prioritizes the Product Backlog, not the Scrum Master.

The Scrum Master ensures that the Scrum Team is working effectively bycoaching the team in self-management and cross-functionality. This enables the team to take ownership of their work, collaborate effectively, and achieve their goals.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in the following ways:

Coaching team members to improve their practices andself-management skills.

Helping the team become cross-functional so they can deliver complete, Done Increments without relying on external dependencies.

Removing impediments to their progress and facilitating productive Scrum events.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Plan Scrum implementations within the organization:While the Scrum Master supports Scrum adoption across the organization, this is not directly related to the Scrum Team's effectiveness.

B. Facilitate Scrum events:Facilitating events is part of the Scrum Master’s responsibilities, but the larger goal is to enable the team's effectiveness through coaching and guidance.

C. Report all user stories in management meetings:Scrum does not involve reporting to management in this way, as the focus is on delivering value rather than detailed reporting.

TheScrum Valuemost demonstrated when a team completes a task before moving on to the next one isFocus. In Scrum, the team is expected to focus on the work required to meet the Sprint Goal. Completing one task at a time shows that the team prioritizes their attention and energy on delivering work of high quality, avoiding multitasking and distractions.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, focus is one of the five Scrum Values, which include:

Commitment: Dedication to the goals of the team and the Sprint.

Focus: Concentrating on the work at hand to ensure maximum productivity and value.

Respect: Valuing each team member and their contributions.

Courage: Facing challenges and delivering value despite uncertainties.

Openness: Transparency in communication and progress.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Commitment:While commitment is important, the act of completing a task before moving to the next one primarily demonstrates focus rather than commitment to goals.

C. Respect:Respect refers to valuing team members and their contributions, not the practice of completing one task at a time.

D. Courage:Courage involves tackling difficult challenges or speaking up, but it is not directly related to task completion.

TheSprint Backlogis owned solely by theDevelopers, as they are responsible for planning, managing, and executing the work required to meet the Sprint Goal. The Sprint Backlog is ahighly visible, real-time planfor delivering the Increment. It includes:

TheSprint Goal.

The set of Product Backlog items selected for the Sprint.

A plan for delivering the Increment.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Developers:

Have full ownership and accountability over the Sprint Backlog.

Decide how to adapt their work plan daily to achieve the Sprint Goal.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Scrum Master:The Scrum Master facilitates the Scrum process but does not own the Sprint Backlog.

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

D. Scrum Team:While the Sprint Goal is owned by the entire Scrum Team, the Sprint Backlog is specifically managed and executed by the Developers.

ScrumArtifactsrepresent work or value, providing transparency and opportunities for inspection and adaptation. TheSprint Backlogis one of the three primary Scrum Artifacts defined in the2020 Scrum Guide:

Product Backlog: The ordered list of everything that is needed in the product.

Sprint Backlog: The plan for the Sprint, including the Sprint Goal, selected Product Backlog items, and the work plan for delivering the Increment.

Increment: The sum of all work completed during a Sprint that meets the Definition of Done.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Definition of Done:While critical to ensuring quality, the Definition of Done is not an Artifact but rather a standard that applies to the Increment.

C. Sprint Goal:The Sprint Goal is part of the Sprint Backlog but is not a standalone Artifact.

D. Sprint Burndown Chart:This is a complementary tool used for tracking progress but is not an official Artifact in Scrum.

TheScrum Mastershould coach the Developers byexplaining the intent of the Daily Scrum, which is toinspect progress toward the Sprint Goaland adapt the plan as needed. The Daily Scrum is not a status update meeting—it is a collaborative event for the Developers to synchronize their efforts, share progress, and discuss any impediments.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

The Daily Scrum is a15-minute eventwhere the Developers inspect their progress and adapt their plan to achieve the Sprint Goal.

The event belongs to the Developers, and they decide how to structure it, but its purpose must align with the framework’s guidance.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Cancel the Daily Scrum and have status update meetings instead:Status update meetings go against Scrum principles, which emphasize team ownership and collaboration.

C. Reduce the occurrence for this meeting to once a week:The Daily Scrum is adailyevent for inspection and adaptation; reducing its frequency would hinder the team’s ability to remain aligned.

D. Make Daily Scrum an optional meeting for the Developers to attend:The Daily Scrum is mandatory for the Developers to inspect and adapt their plan, and making it optional undermines its importance.

If a Scrum Team becomes too large, the team shouldreorganize into multiple cohesive Scrum Teamsthat share the sameProduct GoalandProduct Backlog. This approach ensures that all teams remain focused on delivering value while maintaining transparency and alignment.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

Theideal sizefor a Scrum Team is small enough to remain nimble (typically 10 or fewerpeople).

When a Scrum Team becomes too large, it should form multiple smaller teams, all working from the same Product Backlog and pursuing the same Product Goal.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Split into sub-teams based on function:Scrum encourages cross-functional teams, so dividing based on function contradicts Scrum principles.

C. Divide into separate teams each with their own Product Owner:A single Product Owner should manage the Product Backlog to ensure alignment and avoid conflicting priorities.

D. Do nothing and focus on delivering a usable product Increment:Not addressing the issue of an oversized team can lead to inefficiencies and reduced team effectiveness.

The Scrum Team must demonstrateCommitmentto achieve the Sprint Goal. Commitment is one of the five Scrum Values, and it reflects the team’s dedication to the Sprint Goal, the work planned in the Sprint Backlog, and to collaborating effectively. Without commitment, the team cannot focus on delivering the Increment or achieving the Sprint Goal.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Values are:

Commitment: Dedication to the team’s goals and delivering value.

Focus: Concentrating on the Sprint Goal and avoiding distractions.

Openness: Being transparent about challenges and progress.

Respect: Valuing each team member and their contributions.

Courage: Facing challenges and making tough decisions.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Completion:This is not a Scrum Value. Commitment drives completion, but "completion" itself is not a value.

C. Agreement:While agreement is important, Scrum does not define it as a core value.

D. Alignment:While alignment is critical to achieving goals, it is not one of the five Scrum Values.

TheScrum Masteris accountable for ensuring Scrum is understood and enacted. They are responsible for coaching the Scrum Team and the organization in adopting Scrum practices and principles. The Scrum Master acts as a servant leader, guiding the team and stakeholders in understanding and applying Scrum effectively to deliver value.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master is accountable for:

Establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide.

Helping everyone understand Scrum theory and practice.

Removing impediments and fostering an environment where Scrum can thrive.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Developers:Developers are accountable for creating the Increment but not for ensuring Scrum is understood across the organization.

B. Product Owner:The Product Owner is responsible for managing the Product Backlog and ensuring value delivery, not for ensuring Scrum adoption.

D. Project Sponsor:There is no role of "Project Sponsor" in Scrum.

TheDaily Scrumis a short, time-boxed event (15 minutes) where Developers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan for the day. It is not intended to solve problems or deep-dive into discussions. If a major technical issue is identified during the Daily Scrum, the team should note it and arrange to discuss and solve itoutside of the Daily Scrum.

According to the2020 Scrum Guide:

The Daily Scrum is focused on progress toward the Sprint Goal, and issues that require detailed discussion or resolution should be handled separately.

The Scrum Master may help facilitate these follow-up discussions if needed.

Why the other options are incorrect:

B. Interrupt the Daily Scrum and solve the problem immediately:The Daily Scrum is not a problem-solving session. Interrupting it for detailed discussions disrupts its purpose and timebox.

C. Escalate it to the Product Owner:Technical issues are typically handled by the Developers, not the Product Owner, who is responsible for managing the Product Backlog and ensuring value delivery.

D. Discuss it during the Sprint Review:Waiting until the Sprint Review to discuss atechnical issue would delay resolution and risk jeopardizing the Sprint Goal.