SPS Exam Questions & Answers

Scrum Teams do not have to report back to the Nexus Integration Team right after their individual Daily Scrums. The Nexus Integration Team is a role that consists of the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and other members who are responsible for coordinating, coaching, and supervising the integration of the work done by the Scrum Teams in the Nexus 14. The Nexus Daily Scrum is an event where the Nexus Integration Team and one or two representatives from each Scrum Team meet to inspect the current state of the Integrated Increment and identify any integration issues or dependencies 12. The Nexus Daily Scrum takes place before the individual Daily Scrums of the Scrum Teams 13. The purpose of the Nexus Daily Scrum is to coordinate any challenges and dependencies of the day that all teams should be aware of, not to report back to the Nexus Integration Team 12. The individual Daily Scrums of the Scrum Teams are focused on planning how to fix the integration problems and achieve the Sprint Goal 13. Therefore, the statement is false.

When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on the same product, each team should not maintain a separate Product Backlog. According to the Scrum Guide, the Product Backlog is the single source of truth for the product, and it is owned and managed by the Product Owner 11. Having multiple Product Backlogs for the same product would create confusion, inconsistency, and duplication among the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders. It would also compromise the transparency, the alignment, and the value of the product development.

Instead of having separate Product Backlogs, the Scrum Teams should work from a common Product Backlog that reflects the vision, the goal, and the priorities of the product 22. The Product Owner should collaborate and communicate with the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders to ensure that the Product Backlog is clear, refined, and ordered. The Scrum Teams should coordinate and integrate their work to deliver a single Integrated Increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Product Goal every Sprint 33.

The best way to improve the ability of the Scrum Teams in a Nexus to produce an Increment for the next Sprint is to reduce the amount of work that the teams pull into the Sprint. This will allow the teams to focus on delivering a high-quality and valuable product Increment that meets the Definition of Done and the Product Goal. Reducing the amount of work also reduces the complexity and dependencies among the teams, which makes integration easier and faster.

The other options are not advisable for the following reasons:

Asking the Nexus Integration Team to extend the Sprint to allow more time for integration is not consistent with the Scrum principles and values. The Sprint length should be fixed and consistent throughout the product development, and it should be less than a month. Extending the Sprint would compromise the feedback loop, the transparency, and the adaptability of the Nexus 11.

Reducing the number of Scrum Teams to reduce complexity is not a viable solution, as it would also reduce the capacity and the productivity of the Nexus. The number of Scrum Teams in a Nexus should be based on the size and the scope of the product, and it should not exceed nine teams 11. Reducing the number of teams would also disrupt the existing team dynamics and collaboration.

Adding another Scrum Team to the Nexus to increase capacity is not a good idea, as it would increase the complexity and the dependencies among the teams. Adding another team would also require more coordination and communication, which would consume more time and resources. Moreover, adding another team would not necessarily increase the value or the quality of the product Increment 22.

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 .

The Nexus Sprint Review is an event where the Nexus, consisting of multiple Scrum Teams, presents the Integrated Increment to the stakeholders for inspection and feedback 1. The Integrated Increment is the sum of all the work done by the Scrum Teams in a Sprint that meets the Definition of Done 1. The purpose of the Nexus Sprint Review is to inspect the outcome of the Sprint, discuss the progress toward the Product Goal, discuss any changes in the environment, and collaborate on what to do next 2.

In Scenario A, the Nexus Sprint Review is not conducted effectively. The teams are not using a shared environment to demonstrate the Integrated Increment, but rather showing their individual work. This means that the stakeholders cannot see the whole product and how it works together. The teams are also delaying the integration of their work, which can lead to quality issues, technical debt, and increased complexity 1. The stakeholders do not provide much feedback, which means that the Nexus cannot adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the customers and users. The event ends without any clear outcomes or next steps.

If this pattern continues for multiple Sprints, the effects may be:

Quality will degrade as the teams delay creating a single Integrated Increment. This is answer B. By not integrating their work frequently and continuously, the teams will face more challenges and risks in ensuring that the product is functional, reliable, and usable. The teams will also miss the opportunity to validate their assumptions and learn from the feedback on the Integrated Increment 1.

Ability to adapt will suffer as the stakeholders continue to disengage and not give feedback. This is answer D. By not engaging the stakeholders in a meaningful dialogue and collaboration, the Nexus will lose the insight and direction that the feedback provides. The Nexus will also risk building the wrong product or features that do not meet the needs and expectations of the customers and users. The stakeholders will also lose trust and confidence in the Nexus and the product 2.

The other two answers are not correct because:

There will be more and more work to inspect so teams will need their own individual Sprint Reviews. This is answer A. This is not a valid effect because the Nexus Sprint Review replaces the individual Scrum Team Sprint Reviews 1. The Nexus Sprint Review is not a time for each team to present their work, but rather for the Nexus to present the Integrated Increment. The teams should not need their own Sprint Reviews, but rather focus on integrating their work and delivering a valuable product 1.

Empiricism will suffer as the teams cannot produce a shared velocity. This is answer C. This is not a valid effect because velocity is not a measure of empiricism. Empiricism is the principle of making decisions based on observation, inspection, and adaptation 1. Velocity is a measure of the amount of work done by a team or a Nexus in a Sprint. Velocity is not a mandatory artifact or metric in Scrum or Nexus, and it does not reflect the quality or value of the work done 1.