Great Scrummasters - Answers: Part 1 - Description of Twelve Scenarios

Great
ScrumMasters | Answers
This document conatis three parts:
1. Part 1 – Description of twelve scenarios
2. Part 2 – Answers to the twelve scenarios
3. Part 3 – Scenarios and answers put together one by one
Part 1 – Description of twelve scenarios

SCENARIO 1
The CEO of the company appears in the middle of the Sprint, and says to you: one of our
clients has a special request which if we can complete it, we will win $1 million in business.
SCENARIO 2
The product owner says that he's not going to be available to attend the Sprint planning
meeting, but he doesn't mind if the team goes ahead and does it without him.
SCENARIO 3
In the middle of the Sprint, one of the team members manager comes and says she needs to
pull him off the project for a couple days, to work on something else.
SCENARIO 4
It's halfway through the Sprint, and the team is way behind on progress. It looks like
there's no way it's going to finish what it committed to during the Sprint.
SCENARIO 5
One member of the team looks really unhappy. He seems very distracted, and he's way
behind on the tasks that he committed to complete.
SCENARIO 6
One of the team members comes to you and tells you that the product owner just asked her
to add an item to the current Sprint. Right now, the team is a third of the way through the
Sprint.
SCENARIO 7
One member of the team speaks up and says he thinks the retrospective is a waste of time;
several other members of the team murmur in agreement, and someone else suggests that
the team stop doing the retrospective.
SCENARIO 8
The team appears to be very stressed out. They are having to work late most nights of the
week, and they even have to work Saturdays every now and again, in order to meet their
Sprint goals. You hear comments like scrum is awful it forces us to work so hard.
SCENARIO 9
The Team has encountered problems three Sprints in a row and has been forced to
decrease scope all three Sprints.
Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

SCENARIO 10
One team member does not want to sit with the rest of the team, but rather have a work
place of his own.
SCENARIO 11
The Team and the Product Owner can not agree upon definition of Done.
SCENARIO 12
A team member refuses to go with a simpler solution that will meet the sprint goal because
his line manager has told him that he wants a more advanced solution to enable the
migration to a new version of a certain software.
Part 2 – Answers to the twelve scenarios

Answer 1
According to Scrum, even a CEO is a stakeholder. One of the responsibilities of the
Product Owner is to represent the stakeholders. The Product Owner is also
responsible for maximizing Return On Investment (ROI)
What a great ScrumMaster should do in this scenario is help the CEO find the
Product Owner and then let the Product owner decide and thus represent the
stakeholder.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Product Backlog
(https://sites.google.com/a/scrumplop.org/published-patterns/product-
organization-pattern-language/emergency-procedure)
Answer 2
The idea behind the Sprint Planning meeting is for the Product Owner to help the
Development fully understand the items on top of the product Backlog before
deciding how many of these to select for the Sprint.
This will become harder if the Product Owner is not present.
We want the Product Owner to participate in the Sprint Planning meeting. The
abovementioned reason is one. The fact that we want the Product Owner and the
development team to decide upon a sprint goal is another valid reason for the
Product Owner to attend.
In a case where it is not possible at all, a good Product Owner and a good
development team can find ways to deal with the situation in a practical way.
If the Product Owner wants to stay out of the meeting often, or if it is the first
Sprint Planning meeting, the ScrumMaster should not allow it.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Sprint Planning
(https://sites.google.com/a/scrumplop.org/published-patterns/value-
stream/sprint-planning)
Answer 3
A great Scrummaster should say no to such a request. The resason is that the
ScrumMaster should shield the development team so that the development team
gets an opportunity to meet their Sprint goal and to implement what they have
selected for the Sprint.
It’s recommended that the ScrumMaster informs the Product Owner of the request.

Answer 4
First of all: Ask the team!
Since it looks like the development team is way behind, it may be a misconception.
Therefore first ask the team and check with them.
If the development team agrees that they are behind, the ScrumMaster should ask
the to declare emergency and go through the emergency procedures.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Emergency Procedure
Answer 5
This scenario is included to illustrate that as ScrumMasters we may face situations
where Scrum does not giv eus any guidance. In this case a ScrumMaster needs to
use common sense and then inspect and adapt.
The part of this scenario which is related to Scrum is the fact that the team
member is behind on more than one task. This implies that he is working on more
than one task at the time and thus not focusing as we want. In a talk between four
eyse, the ScrumMaster should point this out to the teammember. Helping him to
understand that Scrum is about teamwork, not about putting all burden on your
own shoulder.
When talking to the teammeber, the ScrumMaster may also try to understand the
reason or reasons behind the situation and deal with it accordingly.
Answer 6
A great ScrumMaster should note that the Product Owner makes two things wrong
in this scenario, and point them out to the Product Owner. Firstly, the Product
Owner is addressing an individual teammember, not the entire development team.
Secondly, the Product Owner ties to add to the Sprinmt Backlog, which is only
possible for the development team to do. The Product Owner has two options in
this scenario. Number one is to put the new item to the product backlog. Number
two is to terminate the current Sprint and to plan a new one based on the current
product backlog including the new item.
The ScrumMaster should praise the development team member for informing
about the behavior by the Product Owner.
Answer 7
In Scrum, the Retrospective meeting is mandatory. A great ScrumMaster should be
proactive and never let this situation arise. Ways to be proactive are to constantly
evaluate each retrospective, to run retrospectives in different ways to avoid
complacency and to allow different perspectives to be addressed. A ScrumMaster
can also be proactive by teaching the purpose of retrospectives to the development
teammembers, emphasizing that the purpose is manyfold: to leran from history, to
plan better for the future, to reach closure and to create community.
If this scenario happes, it may be a criticism of the Scrummaster. In that case it may
be beneficial to ask someone else to facilitate the next retrospective.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Sprint Retrospective
stream/sprint/sprint-retrospective)

Answer 8
This development team has probably misunderstood Scrum. The ScrumMaster
should not allow this to happen at all. Instead the development team should act
upon the information present and dwcide how to best deal with it instead of
working overtime.
By working overtime the developemnt team may be covering the real reasons for
their problems.
Answer 9
A great ScrumMaster should advice the development team to make a smaller
commitment for the next Sprint.
It may also be approriate to analyse the possible reasons for the scope decreases. It
may be one reason and it may be several different reasons. In any case the advice is
appropriate.
The Scrum patterns relevant for this scenario are Yesterday’s Weather
stream/estimation-points/yesterday-s-weather) and Teams that Finish early
Accelerate Faster (https://sites.google.com/a/scrumplop.org/published-
patterns/retrospective-pattern-language/teams-that-finish-early-accelerate-
faster)
Answer 10
Scrum does not state clearly that the development team should be colocated. Many
teams find it highly beneficial.
In this scenario a great ScrumMaster should ask the team, and keep the following
Scrum pattern in mind: Collocated Team
organization-pattern-language/development-team/collocated-team)
Answer 11
The Definition of Done id agreed upon between the development team and the
Product Owner and is owned by the Scrum Team.
A great ScrumMaster should support the development team and the Product
Owner to reach a joint agreement. The ScrumMaster can act as a mediator and
possibly try to identify the least common denominator.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Defintion of Done
stream/definition-of-done)
Answer 12
This is similar to scenario 1 and have the same mechanics. According to Scrum, a
line manager is a stakeholder. One of the responsibilities of the Product Owner is
to represent the stakeholders. The Product Owner is also responsible for
maximizing Return On Investment (ROI)
What a great ScrumMaster should do in this scenario is help the line manager find
the Product Owner and then let the Product owner decide and thus represent the
stakeholder.
The ScrumMaster should also help the team member understand that the Product
Owner is the only one deciding upon what shall be developed.

Part 3 – Scenarios and answers put together one by one

SCENARIO 1
The CEO of the company appears in the middle of the Sprint, and says to you: one of our
clients has a special request which if we can complete it, we will win $1 million in business.
Answer 1
According to Scrum, even a CEO is a stakeholder. One of the responsibilities of the
Product Owner is to represent the stakeholders. The Product Owner is also
responsible for maximizing Return On Investment (ROI)
What a great ScrumMaster should do in this scenario is help the CEO find the
Product Owner and then let the Product owner decide and thus represent the
stakeholder.
SCENARIO 2
The product owner says that he's not going to be available to attend the Sprint planning
meeting, but he doesn't mind if the team goes ahead and does it without him.
Answer 2
The idea behind the Sprint Planning meeting is for the Product Owner to help the
Development fully understand the items on top of the product Backlog before
deciding how many of these to select for the Sprint.
This will become harder if the Product Owner is not present.
We want the Product Owner to participate in the Sprint Planning meeting. The
abovementioned reason is one. The fact that we want the Product Owner and the
development team to decide upon a sprint goal is another valid reason for the
Product Owner to attend.
In a case where it is not possible at all, a good Product Owner and a good
development team can find ways to deal with the situation in a practical way.
If the Product Owner wants to stay out of the meeting often, or if it is the first
Sprint Planning meeting, the ScrumMaster should not allow it.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Sprint Planning
stream/sprint-planning)
SCENARIO 3
In the middle of the Sprint, one of the team members manager comes and says she needs to
pull him off the project for a couple days, to work on something else.
Answer 3
A great Scrummaster should say no to such a request. The resason is that the
ScrumMaster should shield the development team so that the development team

gets an opportunity to meet their Sprint goal and to implement what they have
selected for the Sprint.
It’s recommended that the ScrumMaster informs the Product Owner of the request.
SCENARIO 4
It's halfway through the Sprint, and the team is way behind on progress. It looks like
there's no way it's going to finish what it committed to during the Sprint.
Answer 4
First of all: Ask the team!
Since it looks like the development team is way behind, it may be a misconception.
Therefore first ask the team and check with them.
If the development team agrees that they are behind, the ScrumMaster should ask
the to declare emergency and go through the emergency procedures.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Emergency Procedure
SCENARIO 5
One member of the team looks really unhappy. He seems very distracted, and he's way
behind on the tasks that he committed to complete.
Answer 5
This scenario is included to illustrate that as ScrumMasters we may face situations
where Scrum does not giv eus any guidance. In this case a ScrumMaster needs to
use common sense and then inspect and adapt.
The part of this scenario which is related to Scrum is the fact that the team
member is behind on more than one task. This implies that he is working on more
than one task at the time and thus not focusing as we want. In a talk between four
eyse, the ScrumMaster should point this out to the teammember. Helping him to
understand that Scrum is about teamwork, not about putting all burden on your
own shoulder.
When talking to the teammeber, the ScrumMaster may also try to understand the
reason or reasons behind the situation and deal with it accordingly.
SCENARIO 6
One of the team members comes to you and tells you that the product owner just asked her
to add an item to the current Sprint. Right now, the team is a third of the way through the
Sprint.
Answer 6
A great ScrumMaster should note that the Product Owner makes two things wrong
in this scenario, and point them out to the Product Owner. Firstly, the Product
Owner is addressing an individual teammember, not the entire development team.
Secondly, the Product Owner ties to add to the Sprinmt Backlog, which is only
possible for the development team to do. The Product Owner has two options in
this scenario. Number one is to put the new item to the product backlog. Number
two is to terminate the current Sprint and to plan a new one based on the current
product backlog including the new item.

The ScrumMaster should praise the development team member for informing
about the behavior by the Product Owner.
SCENARIO 7
One member of the team speaks up and says he thinks the retrospective is a waste of time;
several other members of the team murmur in agreement, and someone else suggests that
the team stop doing the retrospective.
Answer 7
In Scrum, the Retrospective meeting is mandatory. A great ScrumMaster should be
proactive and never let this situation arise. Ways to be proactive are to constantly
evaluate each retrospective, to run retrospectives in different ways to avoid
complacency and to allow different perspectives to be addressed. A ScrumMaster
can also be proactive by teaching the purpose of retrospectives to the development
teammembers, emphasizing that the purpose is manyfold: to leran from history, to
plan better for the future, to reach closure and to create community.
If this scenario happes, it may be a criticism of the Scrummaster. In that case it may
be beneficial to ask someone else to facilitate the next retrospective.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Sprint Retrospective
stream/sprint/sprint-retrospective)
SCENARIO 8
The team appears to be very stressed out. They are having to work late most nights of the
week, and they even have to work Saturdays every now and again, in order to meet their
Sprint goals. You hear comments like scrum is awful it forces us to work so hard.
Answer 8
This development team has probably misunderstood Scrum. The ScrumMaster
should not allow this to happen at all. Instead the development team should act
upon the information present and dwcide how to best deal with it instead of
working overtime.
By working overtime the developemnt team may be covering the real reasons for
their problems.
SCENARIO 9
The Team has encountered problems three Sprints in a row and has been forced to
decrease scope all three Sprints.
Answer 9
A great ScrumMaster should advice the development team to make a smaller
commitment for the next Sprint.
It may also be approriate to analyse the possible reasons for the scope decreases. It
may be one reason and it may be several different reasons. In any case the advice is
appropriate.
The Scrum patterns relevant for this scenario are Yesterday’s Weather
stream/estimation-points/yesterday-s-weather) and Teams that Finish early
Accelerate Faster (https://sites.google.com/a/scrumplop.org/published-

patterns/retrospective-pattern-language/teams-that-finish-early-accelerate-
faster)
SCENARIO 10
One team member does not want to sit with the rest of the team, but rather have a work
place of his own.
Answer 10
Scrum does not state clearly that the development team should be colocated. Many
teams find it highly beneficial.
In this scenario a great ScrumMaster should ask the team, and keep the following
Scrum pattern in mind: Collocated Team
organization-pattern-language/development-team/collocated-team)
SCENARIO 11
The Team and the Product Owner can not agree upon definition of Done.
Answer 11
The Definition of Done id agreed upon between the development team and the
Product Owner and is owned by the Scrum Team.
A great ScrumMaster should support the development team and the Product
Owner to reach a joint agreement. The ScrumMaster can act as a mediator and
possibly try to identify the least common denominator.
The Scrum pattern relevant for this scenario is Defintion of Done
stream/definition-of-done)
SCENARIO 12
A team member refuses to go with a simpler solution that will meet the sprint goal because
his line manager has told him that he wants a more advanced solution to enable the
migration to a new version of a certain software.
Answer 12
This is similar to scenario 1 and have the same mechanics. According to Scrum, a
line manager is a stakeholder. One of the responsibilities of the Product Owner is
to represent the stakeholders. The Product Owner is also responsible for
maximizing Return On Investment (ROI)
What a great ScrumMaster should do in this scenario is help the line manager find
the Product Owner and then let the Product owner decide and thus represent the
stakeholder.
The ScrumMaster should also help the team member understand that the Product
Owner is the only one deciding upon what shall be developed.

Great Scrummasters - Answers: Part 1 - Description of Twelve Scenarios

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Part 1 – Description of twelve scenarios

Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

Part 2 – Answers to the twelve scenarios

Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

Part 3 – Scenarios and answers put together one by one

Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

Created by Arne Åhlander | arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se | www.aqqurite.se

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