PSM 1 Question on Interactions w/ Non-Scum Team Members
I'm currently studying for the PSM 1 and need help understanding who/when interactions take place with people outside of the scrum team.
My current understanding:
- The PO can invite stakeholders to sprint review for purposes of sharing progress and soliciting feedback
- The SM is a servant/leader helping to coach the org and scrum team members on best practices, etc.
However, while taking a practice exam from another website, there was a question:
"The customer doesn’t spend enough time collaborating with the team and it’s making problems for the project. Who’s responsible for fixing this problem?"
And the correct answer was: "The SM. The Scrum Master is responsible for solving problems inside the team, and even outside it."
I do not understand why it's the SM and not the PO. The PO seems like the one who has the most interaction and responsibility discussing the product with stakeholders. No?
Thanks for any guidance!
As a follow-up adding to my confusion, another Q:
"Which is NOT a Development Team responsibility?"
The correct answer is: "Explaining the meaning of Sprint Backlog items to the customer" because "This is the responsibility of the Product Owner to ensure every Product Backlog item (and Sprint Backlog item) is clearly understood by the team members and the customer."
So why is it the SM's responsibility to fix problem above?
These do seem like problems that are mentioned from time to time in context of trial exams from third-party websites, which may not always be 100% Scrum :)
If you really wanted me to make theories why that answer about SM is correct, I could say that SM should notice the problem and start working on it, for example by highligting it to the PO so that he can spend more time with the stakeholder in question.
The PO seems like the one who has the most interaction and responsibility discussing the product with stakeholders. No?
Yes.
The customer doesn’t spend enough time collaborating with the team and it’s making problems for the project.
The product owner focuses on the value of the product and ensures the stakeholder's return on investment.
The Scrum Master focuses on the process, ensuring that all people understand and follow Scrum.
Do you think this problem is related to the value of the product? Or is it related to the scrum process?
To put it simply:
The Product Owner: Do the right Things - an useful product
The Development team: Do the things right - an usable product
The Scrum Master: Removing impediments - a smooth process