Passed PSM I just now with 98.8%

Congratulations !!

I passed the PSMI with 98,75% score (79 out of 80 points).

I would like to share my tips with others how to achieve the high score in PSMI exam. I passed the exam for The Professional Scrum Master™ level I (PSM I), with a very good result, meaning that I answered only one question wrong. I hope that my article will help both those who took it several times unsuccessfully as well as those who are preparing for it for the first time.

General information

• The cost of PSM I is $150 USD. Assessment passwords are valid for one attempt, do not expire and remain valid until used.
• The certificate is valid indefinitely.
• To pass the test, at least 85% of the questions must be answered correctly.
• The grades are sent by e-mail immediately after the exam and the certificate is available on the scrum.org profile.

More information on the page below:

https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-master-i-certification

How to prepare for the exam

Scrum doesn’t seem too difficult at first glance. A simple diagram, only 3 roles, 3 artefacts, 5 events (some give 6, including Sprint Retrospective among the other five- Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective, The Sprint), 3 Pillars, 5 Scrum Values. But as it is with any topic (see the Dunning-Kruger effect chart), the more you engage with it, the more complicated it becomes. Eventually, you come to this cool moment, where everything becomes clear. The same is with the Scrum Framework.

So how do you go about it?

1. Prepare in English

It is important to prepare for the exam in English from the very beginning. Why?

First of all, because the exam can be passed only in this language. You get used to certain terminology and phrases from the beginning.

Secondly, some terms are difficult to translate into another language: e.g. in Polish words "attend" and "participate" mean the same, but for the purposes of Scrum taught in English these words have two different meanings (more on this subject below, point 5).

Thirdly, remember that the exam is in American English.

In addition, you can install the "Google Translate" extension to translate your question during the exam. However, it is not a perfect translation. I used this option once during the exam. If you haven't used this extension, test it beforehand.

2. How to read the Scrum Guide

I will not be original here, but in fact, the Scrum Guide should be read several times. Make sure that you read it a few times with understanding and each time concentrating on a different aspect.

At the beginning, we read Scrum Guide cover to cover to familiarise ourselves with the topic. Do not be deceived by the small number of pages; in the Scrum Guide every word is carefully chosen and may appear in the exam in various contexts.

When reading, it helps having a Scrum diagram in front of you to imagine which place you are in, what roles are now active and responsible, what artefacts are being described, etc. 

Then try to study the Scrum Guide for example from the Scrum Master's point of view (i.e. in addition to the chapter "The Scrum Master", I also read about it in other parts of the text), then, for example from the artefacts’ point of view, etc. Despite the fact that the Scrum Guide is divided into themed sections, remember that specific pieces of information relevant for the exam are often spread across different sections and can be hidden in other parts of Scrum Guide.

Eventually, I recommend returning to the Scrum Guide for answers to specific questions found for example on the scrum.org forum and other quizzes that are available on the internet.

3. Where to find example questions

3a. The Open Assessments on scrum.org and Mikhail Lapshin quiz

If you already feel that you know what the Scrum Framework is and how it works, I suggest you start practising the questions.

Online tests should be done on the websites:

https://www.scrum.org/open-assessments/scrum-open

https://mlapshin.com/index.php/scrum-quizzes/

Scrum.org Open Assessment consists of 30 questions randomly selected from a larger pool. This means that the questions change every time we take a test. However, the number of questions is limited, so if you do the test several times, at some point the questions will start repeating. The Open Assessment simulates the original exam. Of course, there are fewer questions and less time to complete the test, but it's worth seeing what the actual exam looks like.

Mikhail Lapshin test will simply help you to understand certain specific situations. It is worth reading the explanations for the answers and understanding them.

Both tests should be repeated until 100% of the questions are answered correctly. Pay attention especially to practicing the Open Assessment, as some of those questions will be repeated in the actual exam. It will save you time during exam to think about more complicated questions, that you never had seen before.

While practising, I adopted a strategy of doing the same test twice. After doing the test for the first time I returned to the failed questions to analyse and understand where the error came from.

Sometimes I made a small mistake e.g. not noticing negation in the sentence (NOT). On other occasions I had to rethink the core of the question entirely. It meant that I had to go back to the Scrum Guide (for example: cross-functional Team does not mean cross-functional member of the Team).

There is also a blog on Mikhail Lapshin's website, where people asked him to comment on the questions they encountered in an exam or while working in the Scrum environment.

https://mlapshin.com/index.php/blog/scrum-questions/

I like that there is also an explanation for each question. I personally trust that the answers on Mikhail Lapshin's website are correct. Why am I mentioning this? Because, as I wrote earlier, you can find many quizzes with incorrect answers on the internet.

3b. Other questions and tests

I suggest looking for other available tests and quiz websites. Unfortunately, often the answers provided are incorrect, so they need to be verified, which is of course also a good way to learn.

I was looking for difficult questions with which I had not dealt with before or a topic that I wanted to understand better. On these websites, answers are not always correct! If you are not convinced of the answer to the question or the explanation of the topic is not convincing, very good. This is an opportunity to practice and understand. Go back to the Scrum Guide.

So when you come across an answer which doesn’t seem right, invest time to research the topic. First of all, go back to the Scrum Guide and try to find the answer yourself, understand the problem.

If you are convinced that your answer is right but a different answer or explanation is repeated on other websites, then consider investigating why it is so.

Often a single word such as "all", "always", "never", "only" will affect the answer. Scrum is a framework and rather does not use these distinct and clear adverbs. However, the Scrum Guide occasionally includes such concrete statements. As an example "The Sprint Backlog is a highly visible, real-time picture of the work that the Development Team plans to accomplish during the Sprint, and it belongs solely to the Development Team."

Working out difficult questions is the most effective and best way of understanding Scrum rules in order to use them in future practice. Having an exam in mind, the most important thing is to understand what to look for in a question and to analyze the reasons for the correct answer. It is a time-consuming, but rewarding process.

3c. Simple Questions

There are always easy questions on the exam, such as: how many members does ScrumTeam have, who is part of the Scrum Team, Time Boxes, etc. So let's prepare a mind map with this information. You will probably learn it quickly when preparing for the exam, but it is worth making a poster or a note to avoid stressing about it during the exam.

4. Additional source materials

From my point of view, there is no need to overload yourself with material sources before the exam. Of course, in order to get acquainted with the topic, it helps looking for interesting content on the internet, browsing the scrum.org blog and forum, seeing what others are struggling with (because the theory is a theory, but practice often gives a different picture), but it may also lead to greater confusion. In my opinion, the experience of others, shared on forums, may be useful mainly once you work in the Scrum environment. Remember that exam PSM I only tests your basic knowledge within this field.

I also recommend reading the Glossary of Scrum Terms https://www.scrum.org/resources/scrum-glossary

5. Scrum A - Z

Pay special attention to terminology, statements and problems:

A. Scrum

Scrum is a framework (NOT methodology)within which complex products in complex environments are developed.

The Scrum framework consists of Scrum Teams and their associated roles, events, artefacts, and rules.

Each component within the framework serves a specific purpose and is essentialto Scrum’s success and usage. The rules of Scrum bind together the events, roles, and artefacts, governing the relationships and interaction between them.

Scrum is founded on the empirical process control theory or empiricism.

B. Sprint

The purpose of a Sprint is to have a working increment of productdone before the Sprint Review.

Sprints contain and consist of the Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, the development work, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective.

The maximum lengthof a Sprint should not be so long that the risk is unacceptable to the Product Owneror so long that other business events can’t be readily synchronized with the development work, and no more than one calendar month.

Once a Sprint begins, its duration is fixedand cannot be shortened or lengthened.

The next Sprint begins immediatelyafter the conclusion of the previous Sprint.

During the Sprint:

• no changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal;
• quality goals do not decrease; and,
• the scope may be clarified and re-negotiated between the Product Owner and Development Team as more is learned.

Cancel a Sprin - It's done by the Product Owner when the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete.

C. value, priority, risks, and dependencies

D. Non-functional features// non-functional requirements 

are about the way functional features work, not about our goals for Sprints.

• Some of them can be added to the Product Backlog e.g. something related to the performance of a certain part of the software.
• Some of them can be added to the Definition of Donee.g. security, scalability, maintainability
• Ensure every Increment meets them.

E. Just enough

The Product Backlog has "just enough" detail. Provides just enough information to enable the developers to design the product. But it's not so high-level that it can tolerate all changes.

F. Formal meetings and formal opportunities

• Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective are "formal opportunities for inspecting and adapting", and are considered "feedback loops".
• "Formal meeting", which means a meeting where people approve something and exchange signatures. In that sense, none of the events is formal meetings.

G. Self-organization

H. A cross-functional team

A cross-functional team is one that has all types of expertise that is required to develop the product. Note that this is about the team as a whole, not individual team members.

I. High priority process improvement

To ensure continuous improvement, the Sprint Backlog rather than the Product Backlog includes at least one high priority process improvement identified in the previous Sprint Retrospective meeting.

J. Potentially releasable

Scrum requires an Increment to be releasable. Usable for end-users = potentially shippable = potentially releasable = Done based on the Definition of Done

The product increment should be usable and potentially releasable at the end of every Sprint, but it does not have to be released.

K. Performance

• The performance of the project is measured at least once per Sprint (by the Product Owner).
• And the Sprint performance is measured daily (by the Development Team).

L. Multiple teams are working on a project

When there are n teams in one project, there are:

• 1 Product Backlog
• n Sprint Backlogs each Sprint
• one or more Definitions of Done, as long as they are compatible with each other, Scrum Teams must mutually define the definition of “Done”
• 1 integrated Increment each Sprint
• 1 Product Owner
• n Scrum Master roles which can be occupied by 1 or more Scrum Masters

M. Time-Boxes

• Sprint - Maximum 1 month
• Daily Scrum - 15 minutes
• Sprint Planning - 8 hours in a one-month Sprint, and normally shorter proportionally for shorter Sprints
• Sprint Review - 4 hours in a one-month Sprint, and normally shorter proportionally for shorter Sprints
• Sprint Retrospective - 3 hours in a one-month Sprint, and normally shorter proportionally for shorter Sprints

N. Sprint Goal

During Sprint Planningthe Scrum Teamcrafts/prepare a Sprint Goal.

O. Definition of Done

If the definition of “done” for an increment is part of the conventions, standards or guidelines of the development organization, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum. If “done” for an increment is not a convention of the development organization, the Development Team of the Scrum Teammust define a definition of “done” appropriate for the product.

If there are multiple Scrum Teams working on the system or product release, the development teams on all of the Scrum Teams must mutually definethe definition of “Done.”

P. The input to the Sprint Planning is

• The Product Backlog.
• The latest product Increment.
• The projected capacity of the Development Team during the Sprint.
• And the past performance of the Development Team.

R. Sprint Planning

answers the following:

• What can be delivered in the Increment resulting from the upcoming Sprint?
• How will the work needed to deliver the Increment be achieved?

S. Daily Scrums

• Improve communications.
• Eliminate other meetings.
• Identify impediments to development for removal.
• Highlight and promote quick decision-making.
• Improve the Development Team’s level of knowledge.

T. The result of the Sprint Review is

• A revised Product Backlog that
• Defines the probable Product Backlog items for the next Sprint.

U. The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to:

• Inspect how the last Sprint went with regards to people, relationships, process, and tools.
• Identify and order the major items that went well and potential improvements; and.
• Create a plan for implementing improvements to the way the Scrum Team does its work.

W. The following may be done in the Sprint Retrospective meeting:

• Discuss the Definition of Done.
• Discuss the relationship with the customer and the way user acceptance testing is done.
• Discuss the timeboxed duration of Sprints.
• Discuss tools used to communicate with remote team members.
• Discuss techniques used to facilitate the Sprint Retrospective meeting.
• Methods of communication.
• The way the Scrum Team does Sprint Planning.
• Skills needed to improve the Development Team’s ability to deliver.
• Identifying high priority process improvements for the next Sprint.
• How the team collaborates.

X. Product Backlog Refinement is the act of:

• Adding detail.
• Estimates.
• Order to items in the Product Backlog.

Y. attending and participate

Difference between attending and participate e.g. Daily Scrum is for the Developers; only they "participate" (=talk). Others can "attend" (=watch).

Z. Terms such as always, never, only etc.

 

6. Last but not least

Scrum framework compatible is with:

• Every Sprint should produce a done increment (does not have to be released).
• Done = potentially shippable / releasable.
• Change is always welcome.
• Rely on empiricism.
• Foster collaboration and self-organization.
• Control and reduce risk using Scrum.
• Give forecasts.
• Be transparent – make information accessible for everyone.
• Improve constantly.

Incompatible with the SCRUM framework is:

• Release Sprints doesn‘t exist!!
• NO!! Sprint zero, hardening Sprint, release Sprint, integration Sprint.
• NO!! Project and Product Manager in Scrum Team.
• Nothing should be baselined in Scrum.
• Scrum Masters don't order people, they teach and convince people to do the right thing.
• Scrum is a framework, not a methodology.

Before the exam:

• When paying for the exam, make sure to give correct personal details.
• Prepare a piece of paper and a pen/pencil (prepare a spare one).
• Prepare a mind map with basic information such as roles, figures, time box, etc.
• Have alternative access to the internet (the exam cannot be interrupted).
• Install and test the Google Translate extension.
• Take the exam when the US is sleeping :)
• Rest well before the exam.
• Find a quiet place to take the exam in uninterrupted atmosphere.
• Use the bathroom before starting the test ;-)

During the exam:

• Read the questions carefully.
• Elimination is a good method when you don't know the answer. Sometimes you eliminate a certain answer right away (e.g. when the question includes a role that does not exist), it is easier to choose from fewer.
• Write down the questions that are difficult and come back to them at the end of the exam. Do not stay with them too long, because you will be stressed that time is running out and you are stuck. You can come back to the questions. At the end of the test, there is an option to skip to a specific question and luckily you don't need to click back through all the questions.
• It is worth having an open link to the scrum guide on this particular website, as it is easy to search on it and the navigation panel on the left is useful https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html
• If you do not understand the particular question, run the Google Translate extension and return to English when you’re ready for the next question. I used this option once during my exam.
• Pay attention to negatives in the questions (NOT).
• Pay attention to how many correct answers there are.

Some of you might want to learn Scrum for practical purposes. I recommend reading scrum.org forum and attending Meet Ups. These are useful, but not mandatory for the exam purposes.

I believe that my tips will help you pass your exam. I wish you success! I will be grateful for comments, remarks, and of course for sharing my article with your contacts.

Maybe you also have experience with this exam and would like to add something? I am happy to get any feedback.

 

PS. If any of you reading this text works in a company (preferably based in Berlin) where you work in accordance with using the Scrum framework and would like to offer me the opportunity to verify my knowledge in practice (e.g. through an internship), please contact me :) I believe that theoretical knowledge only becomes important when it is tested in practice. "Just do it" is a great slogan, despite the history of its creation :) Do you know this story??

 

Ewa Siegel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ewa-siegel-80bb3626/