PSPO I · Scrum.org · Product Owner Accountability · Bank updated 2026-07-03
PSPO I practice questions: Product Owner Accountability
5 free questions from 70 on this area · answer and explanation for each · no sign-up
These 5 questions come from the Product Owner Accountability section of our PSPO I bank (70 questions on this area). Every question is original, with the correct answer explained and linked to the source it is drawn from.
1/5 · Product Owner Accountability · easy
The Product Owner asks a business analyst to draft and refine most of the Product Backlog items on her behalf. Those items later turn out to be unclear and cause rework. Who does the Scrum Guide hold accountable for this outcome?
ANo one specifically — Scrum treats the whole team as equally accountable for every artifact.
BThe Product Owner, because delegating the work does not transfer the accountability.
CThe business analyst, since they performed the actual drafting work.
DThe Developers, because they should have caught the ambiguity during refinement.
Show answer & explanation
B is correct. The Scrum Guide says the Product Owner 'may do the above work or may delegate the responsibility to others. Regardless, the Product Owner remains accountable.' Delegating drafting to a business analyst is fine, but any resulting problems still fall on the Product Owner.
↗ The Scrum Guide (2020) — Product Owner Accountability
2/5 · Product Owner Accountability · easy
During a chaotic release cycle, a Developer asks who besides themselves is allowed to end the current Sprint before its timebox expires. Based on the Scrum Guide, who holds this authority?
AThe whole Scrum Team, by consensus, since Scrum teams are self-managing
BThe Scrum Master, because they own all Scrum events
CThe Developers, by majority vote
DThe Product Owner
Show answer & explanation
D is correct. The Scrum Guide (2020) states plainly: 'A Sprint could be cancelled if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel the Sprint.' No other role or group vote is mentioned.
↗ The Scrum Guide (2020) — Product Owner Accountability
3/5 · Product Owner Accountability
A new Scrum Master wants to explain to skeptical stakeholders how they can actually observe whether the Product Owner is doing a good job, since Scrum has no status reports or approval gates for the Product Owner's decisions. According to the Scrum Guide, where are the Product Owner's decisions made visible?
AIn the Daily Scrum, where the Product Owner presents backlog changes to stakeholders.
BIn a formal Product Owner performance report submitted to stakeholders at the end of each Sprint.
CIn the content and ordering of the Product Backlog, and through the inspectable Increment at the Sprint Review.
DIn private status meetings between the Product Owner and the Scrum Master, minutes of which stakeholders may request.
Show answer & explanation
C is correct. Rather than reports or approval gates, the Guide makes Product Owner accountability empirically observable: decisions show up directly 'in the content and ordering of the Product Backlog, and through the inspectable Increment at the Sprint Review,' both of which anyone can inspect.
↗ The Scrum Guide (2020) — Product Owner Accountability
4/5 · Product Owner Accountability · hard
Mid-Sprint, an urgent stakeholder request arrives. Rather than raising it with the Product Owner, the stakeholder contacts two Developers directly and instructs them to drop their current Sprint Backlog work and start the urgent item immediately, promising to "sort it out with the Product Owner later." Per the Scrum Guide, what is wrong with this sequence of events?
ANothing is wrong, because once a Sprint has started its scope may never be changed regardless of who requests it.
BThe only issue is that the Scrum Master was not informed before the Developers began the new work.
CChanges to what is being worked on require convincing the Product Owner, not a stakeholder directive issued straight to Developers after the fact.
DNothing is wrong; Developers may accept work directly from any stakeholder as long as it is urgent.
Show answer & explanation
C is correct. The Scrum Guide 2020 states that those wanting to change the Product Backlog do so by convincing the Product Owner, and any renegotiation of Sprint scope happens between the Product Owner and Developers as more is learned. A stakeholder directing Developers straight into new work, bypassing the Product Owner entirely, violates this channel even though scope renegotiation itself is allowed under the right conditions.
↗ The Scrum Guide (2020) — Product Owner Accountability
5/5 · Product Owner Accountability
Two days into the Sprint, Developers discover that a selected Product Backlog item is far more complex than anticipated. They believe the Sprint Goal is still achievable, but the exact scope of the item needs to change. What does the Scrum Guide say should happen?
AThe Sprint must be cancelled immediately, since the original Sprint Backlog can no longer be delivered exactly as planned.
BThe scope may be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned, as long as this does not endanger the Sprint Goal.
CThe Product Owner must approve a full Sprint Backlog replan, since only the Product Owner can modify the Sprint Backlog once it is created.
DThe Developers must complete the item exactly as originally selected, since Sprint Backlog items are fixed once the Sprint begins.
Show answer & explanation
B is correct. The Scrum Guide explicitly allows scope to be clarified and renegotiated with the Product Owner as more is learned during the Sprint, provided the Sprint Goal is not endangered. This lets the Developers and Product Owner adapt without needing to cancel the Sprint or rigidly hold to the original plan.
↗ The Scrum Guide (2020) — Product Owner Accountability
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