SPS Practice Exam Questions and Answers

The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to coordinate the activities of all Scrum Teams within a Nexus for a single Sprint 1. To do this effectively, the Nexus needs to have a clear understanding of the dependencies between the teams and the work items, and to communicate and collaborate with each other and any outside experts as needed. Therefore, the best practices for this Nexus are:

• A.  

  Ensure all Scrum Teams and outside experts are available during the Nexus Sprint Planning event and have a way of quickly communicating with each other. They should try to be together in the same room or use technology that makes it seem as if they are in the same room. This practice enables the Nexus to have a shared understanding of the Product Backlog, the Product Goal, and the Nexus Sprint Goal, and to resolve any issues or questions that may arise during the planning. It also allows the Nexus to leverage the expertise of the outside specialists who are required for some of the work 2.

• D.  

  Visualize the known dependencies in the Product Backlog for all to see. As Scrum Teams select work for the Sprint, they can easily check for any dependent work and communicate with other teams. This practice helps the Nexus to identify and manage the dependencies between the teams and the work items, and to optimize the flow of value delivery. It also supports transparency and alignment within the Nexus 3.

The other two practices are not effective for this Nexus because:

• B.  

  Plan one Scrum Team’s Sprint at a time before moving on to the next team. This way you can account for time zone differences and can communicate dependencies across all teams. This practice is not optimal because it does not allow the Nexus to plan the Sprint as a whole, and to adjust the work allocation and sequence based on the dependencies and the Nexus Sprint Goal. It also creates delays and inefficiencies in the planning process, and reduces the collaboration and feedback opportunities among the teams 4.

• C.  

  Have the Nexus Integration Team select the work for each of the individual Scrum Teams. This allows the Nexus Integration Team to control the dependencies. This practice is not consistent with the Nexus framework, which states that the Nexus Integration Team does not select the work for the Scrum Teams, but rather facilitates the integration and delivery of the work done by the Scrum Teams. It also undermines the self-organization and empowerment of the Scrum Teams, and reduces their ownership and accountability for the work 1.

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key events in the Nexus framework is the Nexus Sprint Planning, which is used to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11.

The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to:

• Coordinate the activities of all the Scrum Teams in a Nexus. This is answer

  A.  

  This is a valid answer because the Nexus Sprint Planning is an event where the Nexus, consisting of the Product Owner and appropriate representatives from each team, meet to plan the Sprint 11. The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning helps the teams to align their work with the Product Goal, identify and resolve dependencies, and create a common understanding of the Sprint 11.
• Create a plan for the Sprint. This is answer

  D.  

  This is a valid answer because the Nexus Sprint Planning is an event where the Nexus creates a plan for the Sprint 11. The result of Nexus Sprint Planning is a Nexus Sprint Goal that aligns with the Product Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog that contains the work to be done by the teams to achieve the Nexus Sprint Goal 11. The Nexus Sprint Backlog is a visualization of the work across the Nexus that has dependencies 11. The Nexus Sprint Goal and the Nexus Sprint Backlog guide the teams throughout the Sprint 11.

The other two answers are not correct because:

• Discover all the dependencies between Product Backlog items. This is answer

  B.  

  This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Sprint Planning is not the only time to discover all the dependencies between Product Backlog items. Dependencies are the relationships between the work items that affect the order, timing, or outcome of the work 22. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality 22. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve dependencies as early and as often as possible 22. The Nexus Sprint Planning is a time to coordinate the activities of the teams for the upcoming Sprint and to create a Nexus Sprint Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog 11. The discovery of dependencies should be done continuously throughout the Sprint, not only during the Nexus Sprint Planning 11. One of the activities that can help the teams to discover dependencies before the Nexus Sprint Planning is the Cross-Team Refinement, where representatives from each team in the Nexus meet to decompose and refine the Product Backlog items into smaller pieces of work that can be delivered by a single team or multiple teams 1[1][6].
• Ensure all teams are committing to the right work. This is answer

  C.  

  This is not a valid answer because the Nexus Sprint Planning is not a time to ensure all teams are committing to the right work. The Nexus Sprint Planning is a time to coordinate the activities of the teams for the upcoming Sprint and to create a Nexus Sprint Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is not a time to impose or dictate the work to the teams, but rather to collaborate and align the work with the Product Goal 11. The teams are self-organizing and autonomous, which means they decide how to do their work and what work to do 1[1][7]. The teams do not commit to the work, but rather forecast the work based on their capacity and understanding 1[1][7].

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key events in the Nexus framework is the Nexus Sprint Planning, which is used to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11.

In Scenario B, the Nexus is developing a complex product with different parts that only certain teams can work on. There are also some highly specialized individuals outside the Nexus that are required for some of the work. In past Sprints, the Nexus encountered challenges dealing with the many dependencies between teams. Dependencies are the relationships between the work items that affect the order, timing, or outcome of the work 22. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality 22. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve dependencies as early and as often as possible 22.

The two strategies that would be most effective in dealing with the dependencies are:

• Discover and document dependent work during Cross-Team Refinement of the Product Backlog, so teams are aware of dependencies before Nexus Sprint Planning. This will allow Nexus Sprint Planning to focus on resolving dependencies for the upcoming Sprint. This is answer

  A.  

  This is a valid strategy because Cross-Team Refinement is an activity where representatives from each team in the Nexus meet to decompose and refine the Product Backlog items into smaller pieces of work that can be delivered by a single team or multiple teams 11. By doing this, the teams can discover and document the dependent work that needs to be done by other teams or external parties 11. This will help the teams to be aware of the dependencies before the Nexus Sprint Planning and to prepare for them 11. This will also allow the Nexus Sprint Planning to focus on resolving the dependencies for the upcoming Sprint, rather than spending time on identifying them 11.
• During Nexus Sprint Planning, have appropriate representatives from each team in the Nexus briefly meet to discuss dependencies for the upcoming Sprint. This conversation will help their individual team’s Sprint Planning. This is answer

  C.  

  This is a valid strategy because Nexus Sprint Planning is an event where the Nexus, consisting of the Product Owner and appropriate representatives from each team, meet to plan the Sprint 11. The purpose of Nexus Sprint Planning is to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11. The result of Nexus Sprint Planning is a Nexus Sprint Goal that aligns with the Product Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog that contains the work to be done by the teams to achieve the Nexus Sprint Goal 11. During Nexus Sprint Planning, the representatives from each team can briefly meet to discuss the dependencies for the upcoming Sprint and how to resolve them 11. This conversation will help their individual team’s Sprint Planning, where they can create their own team Sprint Goal and team Sprint Backlog that support the Nexus Sprint Goal and the Nexus Sprint Backlog 11.

The other two answers are not correct because:

• Have the Nexus Integration Team order the Nexus Sprint Backlog. They should control and resolve the dependencies. This is answer

  B.  

  This is not a valid strategy because the Nexus Integration Team is not the owner or the controller of the Nexus Sprint Backlog. 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 teams in the Nexus 1[1][5]. The Nexus Integration Team facilitates the Nexus Sprint Planning, but does not order or dictate the Nexus Sprint Backlog 1[1][5]. The Nexus Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Nexus, not by the Nexus Integration Team 1[1][5]. The Nexus Integration Team helps the teams to identify and resolve the dependencies, but does not control or impose them 1[1][5].
• Gather all people in the Nexus into a 48-hour Nexus Sprint Planning event. Discover, document, and resolve dependencies during this time. This is answer

  D.  

  This is not a valid strategy because gathering all people in the Nexus into a 48-hour Nexus Sprint Planning event is not feasible, efficient, or effective. The Nexus Sprint Planning is not meant to be a long and exhaustive event that involves all people in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is meant to be a short and focused event that involves only the Product Owner and appropriate representatives from each team in the Nexus 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is not meant to be the only time to discover, document, and resolve dependencies 11. The Nexus Sprint Planning is meant to be the time to coordinate the activities of the teams for the upcoming Sprint and to create a Nexus Sprint Goal and a Nexus Sprint Backlog 11. The discovery, documentation, and resolution of dependencies should be done continuously throughout the Sprint, not only during the Nexus Sprint Planning 11.