Free Scrum PSPO II practice questions

10 free Scrum PSPO II practice questions with the correct answer and a full explanation for each, taken from the CertStash pack of 94 questions. Work through them, then open each answer to check your reasoning.

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Question 1

Your product’s nearest competitor has lower market share, but has higher customer satisfaction, though they lack some key features of your product. You are losing market share to them as customers discover them. They release 3 times faster than you, which is helping them to win customers.

What should you do first in response?

  1. Lower your product’s price to make it more attractive to new and existing customers
  2. Find new markets for your product that your competitor is not yet in
  3. Improve your time-to-market and rate of innovation to improve your responsiveness
  4. Add features to your next release that you think will retain and win customers
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. Improve your time-to-market and rate of innovation to improve your responsiveness

improve your responsiveness The core problem is that the competitor is releasing 3 times faster, which directly enables them to win market share despite having fewer features. Addressing the root cause, your slow time-to-market, is the most strategic first response. Improving your release velocity and innovation rate will allow you to respond to market needs, retain customers, and compete on responsiveness. While price reductions, new markets, and additional features may eventually be needed, they do not address the fundamental competitive disadvantage that is driving customer defection.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Price reduction does not address why customers are choosing the competitor; satisfaction and features matter more than cost in this scenario.
  • B. Finding new markets avoids the core issue and does not help you retain existing customers who are switching to the competitor.
  • D. Adding more features perpetuates the slow release cycle that is already losing you market share.

Question 2

Which of the following practices might help the Product Owner minimize waste in developing and sustaining the Product Backlog? (Choose all that apply.)

  1. Only fully describe the Product Backlog items near the top of the Product Backlog since they are more likely to be selected during Sprint Planning.
  2. Maintain newly gathered Product Backlog items in a separate Product Backlog until they are fully understood to avoid distracting the Developers.
  3. Write Product Backlog items with clearly expressed expected outcomes.
  4. As Product Owner ask the Developers to refine several important Product Backlog items.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A, C, D

A. Only fully describe the Product Backlog items near the top of the Product Backlog since they are more likely to be selected during Sprint Planning. C. Write Product Backlog items with clearly expressed expected outcomes. D. As Product Owner ask the Developers to refine several important Product Backlog items. Option A minimizes waste by avoiding over-refinement of items unlikely to be selected soon. Option C reduces ambiguity and rework by ensuring clear expected outcomes. Option D leverages Developer input during refinement to create better backlog items and reduce waste during Sprint Planning and execution. Option B is incorrect because maintaining a separate backlog creates organizational waste and delays, rather than minimizing it; items should flow through a single, prioritized backlog.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. A separate backlog creates process waste and delays integration of work into the main flow rather than minimizing waste.

Question 3

Choose the two measurements which provide the best indicator to the Product Owner that value is being delivered. (Choose two.)

  1. Frequency of feature use
  2. On-time release trends
  3. Customer satisfaction
  4. Scope implemented
  5. Velocity
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A, C

A. Frequency of feature use C. Customer satisfaction Frequency of feature use (A) directly indicates whether delivered features are creating value for customers. Customer satisfaction (C) is the ultimate measure of whether value is being perceived and realized. On-time release trends (B) measure predictability, not value. Scope implemented (D) measures output, not outcome. Velocity (E) measures team capacity, not value delivered to customers.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. On-time delivery is a process metric, not a value indicator.
  • D. Scope delivered measures quantity of work, not whether that work creates value.
  • E. Velocity is a team capacity measure and says nothing about whether delivered features are valuable.

Question 4

Which are properties of the Daily Scrum? (Choose four.)

  1. It consists of the Scrum Master asking the Developers the three questions
  2. It is for the Developers; the Product Owner and Scrum Master are not required to attend
  3. It is facilitated by the team lead
  4. It is a 15-minute event
  5. It is free form and designed to promote conversation
  6. A Product Owner or Scrum Master actively working on Sprint Backlog items participate as Developers
  7. Its location and time should remain consistent
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B, D, F, G

B. It is for the Developers; the Product Owner and Scrum Master are not required to attend D. It is a 15-minute event F. A Product Owner or Scrum Master actively working on Sprint Backlog items participate as Developers G. Its location and time should remain consistent The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event held at the same time and place every working day of the Sprint to reduce complexity, which covers D and G. It is the Developers' event: the Product Owner and Scrum Master attend only when they are actively working on Sprint Backlog items, and then they take part as Developers, which covers B and F. The Scrum Master ensures the event takes place and stays within the timebox, while the Developers decide how to run it.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. No one asks the Developers a prescribed set of three questions; the Developers choose whatever structure helps them inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal.
  • C. Scrum defines no team lead role, and the Daily Scrum is held by the Developers themselves.
  • E. The Developers may pick their own format, but the event has a fixed purpose, inspecting progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapting the Sprint Backlog, so calling it free form misstates it.

Question 5

You started measuring product feature usage in your last release. You are surprised to learn that a sizable percentage of the features you thought were very important are never or rarely used.

Which of the following actions could you take to further evaluate this unexpected result? (Choose all that apply.)

  1. Spend more time talking to users to identify the impact they seek
  2. Disable the features that have never been used and listen for feedback
  3. Run experiments to increase your understanding of what customers find valuable
  4. Examine whether the rarely used features solve the intended problem
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A, C, D

A. Spend more time talking to users to identify the impact they seek C. Run experiments to increase your understanding of what customers find valuable D. Examine whether the rarely used features solve the intended problem Talking to users (A) reveals the impact they actually seek versus what you assumed. Running experiments (C) tests whether features solve real problems and what drives value. Examining whether features solve the intended problem (D) identifies misalignment between design intent and delivery. Option B is incorrect because disabling features without understanding why they are unused risks removing features that users depend on or value in ways not yet visible.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. Disabling rarely-used features without investigation risks removing functionality that users need or value for reasons you do not yet understand.

Question 6

Adding acceptance criteria to each Product Backlog item is a practice many Scrum Teams find useful. Is it the Product Owner’s responsibility to write all of the acceptance criteria for each Product Backlog Items?

  1. Yes. the Product Owner is responsible for adding acceptance criteria to Product Backlog items.
  2. No, acceptance criteria should be written by the Developers completing the work.
  3. It depends, the Product Owner is accountable for clearly communicating Product Backlog items but they may delegate the responsibility of writing acceptance criteria to others, or they may do the work themselves.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. It depends, the Product Owner is accountable for clearly communicating Product Backlog items but they may delegate the responsibility of writing acceptance criteria to others, or they may do the work themselves.

clearly communicating Product Backlog items but they may delegate the responsibility of writing acceptance criteria to others, or they may do the work themselves. The Product Owner is accountable for clearly expressing Product Backlog items so everyone understands what each item should achieve, but accountability does not require doing all the writing personally. Acceptance criteria may be written by the Product Owner, drafted together with the Developers, or delegated to others, and the Product Owner remains accountable for the result either way.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Being accountable for clear Product Backlog items does not mean the Product Owner must personally author every acceptance criterion.
  • B. Developers often do write acceptance criteria, but making them the required authors ignores that the Product Owner stays accountable for what each item must achieve.

Question 7

Given only the information in the following three statements:

Product A has a greater potential market than Product B.

Product A has lower customer satisfaction than Product B.

Product B produces more revenue at the present time.

Which investment strategies should you consider for these two products?

  1. For Doth products, continually measure the impact of any new investments or marketing
  2. Invest in Product A to increase its market share, customer satisfaction, and revenue
  3. Investigate an increase in marketing for Product B to grow its market share
  4. All of the above
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. All of the above

All three strategies are sound given the information provided. Product A has greater potential market share and should be invested in to increase satisfaction and revenue (B). Product B currently generates more revenue and has higher satisfaction, so marketing investment to grow its market share is justified (C). For both products, measurement of impact from new investments is essential to validate strategy effectiveness (A). Together, these three complementary approaches form a comprehensive investment strategy.

Question 8

Complete this sentence: The more uncertain you are about customer needs or market desires _____________ (Choose two.)

  1. the more likely it is that you should invest in a different product.
  2. the more important a risk management plan becomes.
  3. the smaller each release should be.
  4. the more you should focus on validating customer needs.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C, D

C. the smaller each release should be. D. the more you should focus on validating customer needs. High uncertainty about customer needs increases the importance of smaller releases (C) because each release provides feedback that reduces uncertainty, and smaller increments allow faster course correction. High uncertainty also demands focus on validating customer needs (D) before investing heavily in development. Option A is incorrect; uncertainty is a reason to learn more about the current product, not abandon it for a different one. Option B, while risk management is always important, is not uniquely emphasized by customer need uncertainty in the way that validation and small releases are.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Uncertainty about customer needs does not justify switching to a different product; it justifies learning more about the current one.
  • B. Risk management is important regardless of uncertainty level; this is not a distinguishing factor.

Question 9

The primary accountability of a Product Owner is:

  1. Writing user Stories that the Scrum Team can fully understand
  2. Maximizing the value of the work that the Scrum Team delivers
  3. Interfacing between the Developers and the customers
  4. Managing the Product Backlog
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Maximizing the value of the work that the Scrum Team delivers

Team delivers The primary accountability of a Product Owner in Scrum is to maximize the value of the work that the Scrum Team delivers. While a Product Owner may write user stories, manage the Product Backlog, and interface with stakeholders, these are all means to the end of value maximization. Value maximization is the overarching responsibility that guides all other Product Owner activities.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Writing user stories is a tool the Product Owner uses, not their primary accountability.
  • C. Interfacing between Developers and customers is a supporting activity, not the primary accountability.
  • D. Managing the Product Backlog is a responsibility, but it serves the larger goal of maximizing value.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about the Product Backlog are true? (Choose two.)

  1. All Product Backlog items must be expressed as user stones.
  2. The Product Backlog represents the input of all stakeholders and eliminates any need for the Developers to speak to stakeholders.
  3. All Product Backlog items must be identified before the first Sprint begins.
  4. The Product Backlog should be visible to the Scrum Team and stakeholders.
  5. The Product Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner.
  6. Only the Product Owner can place items on the Product Backlog.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D, E

D. The Product Backlog should be visible to the Scrum Team and stakeholders. E. The Product Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner. The Product Backlog should be visible to the Scrum Team and stakeholders to ensure transparency and enable informed decision-making. The Product Backlog is ordered by the Product Owner to reflect priority and value delivery. Product Backlog items can take various forms beyond user stories, are continuously refined and added to throughout the product lifecycle, and anyone can contribute items, though the Product Owner maintains final authority over the backlog.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Product Backlog items can be expressed in various formats, not exclusively as user stories.
  • B. While the Product Backlog captures stakeholder input, Developers should actively engage with stakeholders directly for better understanding.
  • C. The Product Backlog is continuously refined and evolves; items do not need to be identified before the first Sprint begins.
  • F. While the Product Owner orders and curates the backlog, stakeholders and team members can contribute items to it.

That was 10 of 94.

The full Scrum PSPO II pack has all 94 questions, each with the answer, the explanation and why the other options are wrong, plus a questions-only copy for timed runs. US$39, paid once, with free monthly updates and a pass-or-your-money-back guarantee.

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