PSK-I Sample Questions Answers

1.WIP Limits provide a boundary/container in which the Scrum Team self-manages (Option B):

WIP Limits establish clear boundaries within which the Scrum Team can make decisions about how much work they take on. This framework allows the team to self-manage their workflow more effectively, as they must decide collectively how to stay within these limits while delivering value.

2.As part of self-managing, Scrum Teams figure out their own WIP Limits (Option D):

A fundamental principle of Scrum is self-management. The team collectively decides its WIP limits, adjusting them based on empirical evidence and ongoing learning about their capacity, flow, and delivery capabilities. This decision-making process is a key aspect of the team's autonomy and self-management(

Options A and C are incorrect because WIP limits do not inhibit self-management (A); instead, they enable it. Additionally, a Scrum Master does not define WIP limits (C); the Scrum Team decides them.

For teams practicing Professional Scrum with Kanban, the most appropriate metrics to inspect are:

Control Chart:This chart helps visualize process stability and identify any significant deviations from the expected behavior. By tracking key metrics like lead time and cycletime, teams can identify trends and potential issues.

Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD):The CFD provides a visual representation of the flow of work through the system. It helps teams understand bottlenecks, identify areas for improvement, and assess the overall health of their workflow.

Aging Chart:This chart shows the age of work items as they progress through the workflow. It helps teams identify items that are taking too long to complete and prioritize them accordingly.

These metrics are particularly relevant for Kanban teams because they focus on the flow of work and the identification of bottlenecks. By tracking these metrics, teams can make data-driven decisions to optimize their workflow and improve delivery performance.

Options B, C, and D are not the most appropriate metrics for Kanban teams. Story points and historical velocity are more commonly used in Scrum, while t-shirt size is a relative estimation technique that may not be suitable for all Kanban teams.

Supplementing Scrum with Kanban practices encourages team collaboration and swarming. Kanban practices such as visualizing the workflow, limiting WIP, and focusing on flow metrics foster an environment where team members are more likely to collaborate closely to resolve bottlenecks and ensure a steady flow of work. This collaboration, often called "swarming," involves team members working together on fewer items to complete them faster, thereby enhancing team dynamics and efficiency

You always need a Scrum Master when applying Kanban practices in the Scrum framework. The role of the Scrum Master remains crucial, even when Kanban practices are incorporated, as they are responsible for ensuring that the Scrum framework is followed, including all the new practices introduced by Kanban. The Scrum Master helps facilitate the team's understanding and use of flow-based metrics and practices while maintaining the integrity of Scrum events, roles, and artifacts

Throughput, which measures the number of items completed over a specific period, is essential forforecasting future delivery rates. By analyzing historical throughput data, Scrum Teams using Kanban can make informed predictions about how many items they can complete by a given date. References: The Kanban Guide for Scrum Teams​​.

In Professional Scrum with Kanban, the Work in Progress (WIP) limits are set as a policy to maintain a sustainable flow of work. Urgent work emerging does not automatically warrant changing these WIP limits; instead, the team should first discuss how to accommodate the urgent work within the existing constraints. Modifying WIP limits for urgent work could undermine the benefits of a controlled flow, which is why urgent work should not be a reason to change WIP limits during a Sprint

An SLE indicates the expected time frame within which work items should be completed, expressed as a percentage probability over a specific range of days. This helps Scrum Teams using Kanban to establish realistic expectations about delivery timelines. References: The Kanban Guide for Scrum Teams​.

Leading indicators are the most appropriate metrics for Daily Scrum because they provide information about the current state of the work and potential future issues. By tracking leading indicators, the team can identify potential problems early on and take proactive measures to address them.

Here are some examples of leading indicators that can be useful during Daily Scrum:

WIP Limits:Are the WIP limits being adhered to?

Blocked Tasks:Are there any tasks that are blocked or waiting for dependencies?

Task Progress:How much progress has been made on each task?

Team Mood:Is the team morale high or low?

By discussing these leading indicators during the Daily Scrum, the team can identify any impediments and take immediate action to keep the work flowing smoothly.

Lagging indicators, on the other hand, provide information about past performance and are not as useful for identifying and addressing current issues. Examples of lagging indicators include cycle time, lead time, and throughput. While these metrics are important for long-term analysis and improvement, they are not as actionable in the context of the Daily Scrum.

Although WIP limits are central to Kanban, enhancing visualization and communication through Kanban boards can be a way to ease into WIP limits gradually. This alternative fosters transparency and alignment without directly imposing WIP constraints, which can be beneficial for teams adjusting to Kanban practices. References: The Kanban Guide for Scrum Teams​​.

1.The Kanban Board Provides Transparency (Option A):

A Kanban board visualizes the flow of work, making it easy for the Scrum Team to see the status of work items, identify bottlenecks, and inspect and adapt their processes. This visual transparency is a fundamental aspect of both Scrum and Kanban and supports the empirical process control central to Scrum(

2.Kanban Helps Achieve Faster, Healthier Flow (Option D):

By focusing on optimizing flow (e.g., reducing Cycle Time and managing Work in Progress), Kanban helps Scrum Teams achieve a faster, more predictable flow of work. This improvement in flow brings more rapid transparency, allowing for more effective inspection and adaptation during Scrum events such as the Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective(

Option B (Kanban metrics are used in the Sprint Review to allow the Product Owner to inspect Throughput and adapt the Scrum Team's Cycle Time) is not necessarily accurate, as the Sprint Review focuses on the product increment and stakeholder feedback, not directly on Kanban metrics.

Option C (Kanban helps Scrum Teams deal with simple and complicated work where empiricism is not necessary) is incorrect because both Kanban and Scrum rely on empiricism (transparency, inspection, and adaptation) to deal with work complexity

Lagging indicator metrics are metrics that provide information about past performance:

1.Velocity (Option A): This is a measure of the amount of work a Scrum Team completes in a Sprint. It is a lagging indicator because it reflects what has been done rather than predicting future performance.

2.Cycle Time (Option B): This metric measures the time taken to complete a work item from start to finish. It is a lagging indicator because it provides data on how long work items took to complete in the past.

3.Throughput (Option D): This refers to the number of work items completed in a given period. Like Velocity, it reflects past performance and is considered a lagging indicator.

Work in Progress (Option C) and Work Item Aging (Option E) are not lagging indicators:

•Work in Progress (C): is a current state metric that indicates how much work is currently in progress.

•Work Item Aging (E): is a leading indicator, providing insights into how long a work item has been in progress, helping predict delays or bottlenecks

The Scrum framework contains elements that can be treated as explicit policies. For example, Scrum defines specific roles, events, and artifacts, which are treated as rules or guidelines that the team must follow to maintain Scrum's framework. In the context of Scrum with Kanban, additional explicit policies, such as Work in Progress (WIP) limits, may also be established to further optimize flow

When Developers limit Work in Progress (WIP) within a Sprint:

1.Developers Stop Beginning Work and Start Finishing Work (Option A):

Limiting WIP encourages the team to focus on completing work that has already been started rather than starting new tasks. This "stop starting, start finishing" approach helps to reduce multitasking and ensures that tasks are completed more efficiently(

2.Self-management Strengthened Due to Increased Transparency (Option C):

Limiting WIP increases transparency by clearly showing what work is in progress and what remains to be done. This heightened visibility encourages the Developers to self-manage more effectively, as they can see what needs attention and make collective decisions about the next steps(

3.Increased Collaboration/Swarming Between Developers (Option D):

With a limited amount of work in progress, Developers are more likely to collaborate or "swarm" on the tasks that are currently active. This can lead to faster completion of tasks, shared knowledge among team members, and a stronger sense of teamwork(

Option B (The amount of work done by the end of the Sprint would be reduced) is not necessarily correct. Limiting WIP does not inherently reduce the amount of work completed; instead, it aims to improve focus, reduce waste, and ensure more consistent delivery.

The Definition of Done (DoD) still applies even if policies are explicitly stated at each column of your workflow. The DoD is a fundamental concept in Scrum that ensures a shared understanding of what it means for work to be complete. Even with explicit policies at each stage of the workflow, the DoD provides a consistent standard for the team's deliverables, ensuring quality and alignment with stakeholder expectations

The Definition of Workflow includes the agreed-upon points at which the Scrum Team considers work to have started and finished. These points are determined based on the boundaries and scope of the team's workflow. This definition must be clearly understood by the entire team to track Work in Progress (WIP) effectively and manage flow efficiently. It is up to the Scrum Team to define these boundaries to suit their specific context and workflow needs.

The four key flow metrics in Scrum with Kanban are:

•Work in Progress (WIP): The number of items that are currently being worked on.

•Work Item Age: The time that has elapsed since an item started, which helps identify aging work that may need attention.

•Throughput: The number of items completed over a specific period, helping to measure productivity.

•Cycle Time: The total time from when an item starts until it is finished, used to assess how quickly items are moving through the process.

These metrics are essential for understanding and optimizing the flow of work in a Scrum team using Kanban practices

During a flow-based Daily Scrum, the team is likely to review metrics such as Work Item Age and Work in Progress (WIP):

•Work Item Age: Helps to identify items that have been in progress for a longer time than expected, signaling possible impediments or the need for swarming to complete those items.

•Work in Progress (WIP): Indicates the number of items currently being worked on, ensuring that the team is not exceeding the agreed WIP limits, which is crucial for maintaining a steady flow

The best answer is option A, which outlines the core Kanban practices for Scrum:

•Visualizing Flow: Helps the team see the state of work items at a glance.

•Limiting Work in Progress (WIP): Prevents overloading the team and promotes focus on completing work.

•Actively Managing the WIP: Ensures the team continuously monitors and manages the amount of work in progress.

•Inspecting and Adapting the Workflow: Regularly reviewing and adjusting the workflow to improve efficiency and effectiveness