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Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle Flashcards
50 question-and-answer cards covering Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle as it is examined in Certified ScrumMaster (CSM). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
Give an example of a Daily Scrum anti-pattern involving problem-solving.
Diving into deep technical problem-solving or detailed design discussions during the 15 minutes, which derails the meeting; such discussions should be taken offline immediately after.
What is the purpose of the Sprint Review?
To inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations. The Scrum Team presents results to stakeholders and discusses progress toward the Product Goal.
What is the time-box for the Sprint Review?
A maximum of four hours for a one-month Sprint, and typically shorter for shorter Sprints.
During the Sprint Review, what is inspected and what is adapted?
The Increment is inspected (along with progress toward the Product Goal), and the Product Backlog is adapted/adjusted based on feedback and changed conditions.
Why is the Sprint Review described as a working session rather than a presentation?
The Sprint Review is a collaborative working session where the Scrum Team and stakeholders review what was accomplished and what has changed, then collaborate on what to do next — not merely a one-way status or demo presentation.
What is a risk of treating the Sprint Review only as a demo/presentation?
It becomes one-way reporting, loses stakeholder collaboration and feedback, and fails to produce meaningful adaptation of the Product Backlog — defeating the inspect-and-adapt purpose.
Who attends the Sprint Review?
The Scrum Team and key stakeholders invited by the Product Owner collaborate on what was done and what to do next.
What is the purpose of the Sprint Retrospective?
To plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went regarding individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and Definition of Done.
What is the time-box for the Sprint Retrospective?
A maximum of three hours for a one-month Sprint, and usually shorter for shorter Sprints.
When does the Sprint Retrospective occur in the Sprint?
It is the last event of the Sprint, held after the Sprint Review and before the end of the Sprint (before the next Sprint Planning).
What does the Scrum Team inspect during the Retrospective?
How the last Sprint went with regard to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done — identifying what went well, what problems were encountered, and how they were (or were not) solved.
What is the key output of a Sprint Retrospective?
The most impactful improvements identified, which the team commits to. These actionable improvements may be added to the next Sprint's Sprint Backlog to ensure they get addressed.
Why should retrospective improvements be made actionable rather than vague?
Vague intentions rarely get done. Concrete, assignable, and ideally measurable improvement actions — sometimes added to the next Sprint Backlog — increase the chance they are actually implemented and lead to real change.
Name two common Sprint Retrospective facilitation techniques.
Examples include 'Start, Stop, Continue,' the '4 Ls' (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For), 'Mad/Sad/Glad,' the Sailboat exercise, and timeline/dot-voting to prioritize improvements.
What is the Scrum Master's role in facilitating the Retrospective?
To create a safe, blameless environment, encourage open and honest participation, vary techniques to keep it fresh, and ensure the team leaves with concrete improvement actions.
List the five Scrum events.
The Sprint (the container), Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective.
Compare the Sprint Review and the Sprint Retrospective in focus.
The Sprint Review focuses on the product/Increment and Product Backlog with stakeholders (what was built). The Retrospective focuses on the team's process — people, interactions, tools, and Definition of Done (how they worked).
Why is the Sprint considered the 'container' event?
Because Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrums, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective all occur within the Sprint; the Sprint encloses all other events and a new one begins immediately after each ends.
What is the relationship between the Sprint Goal and the Sprint Backlog commitment?
The Sprint Goal is the commitment for the Sprint Backlog. It gives the Developers flexibility in the exact work while keeping a single, coherent objective to focus on.
What is the maximum time-box for each Scrum event in a one-month Sprint?
Sprint Planning: 8 hours; Daily Scrum: 15 minutes; Sprint Review: 4 hours; Sprint Retrospective: 3 hours. Shorter Sprints generally use shorter time-boxes (except the Daily Scrum, always 15 min).
Why does shortening the Daily Scrum to a strict 15 minutes matter?
The fixed 15-minute time-box keeps it focused and efficient as a quick re-planning checkpoint, preventing it from sprawling into a status or problem-solving meeting.
During Sprint Planning, what is the role of the Definition of Done?
It informs the Developers' planning by clarifying what 'complete' means, so they can decompose work and forecast how much can be brought to a Done Increment within the Sprint.
How does the Daily Scrum support adapting the Sprint Backlog?
By inspecting progress toward the Sprint Goal daily, Developers identify whether they are on track and adjust the Sprint Backlog and next day's plan to remove impediments and stay aligned with the goal.
In the Sprint Review, why is adapting the Product Backlog a collaborative activity?
Because stakeholders provide feedback on the Increment and share changes in the market, budget, or priorities, the Scrum Team and stakeholders jointly adjust the Product Backlog to define the most valuable next work.
What this deck covers
The Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle deck follows the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle syllabus — 5 chapters and 16 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 10.0 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 173 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle flashcards FAQ
How many Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle flashcards are in this Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) deck?
50 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 50-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle cards cover?
They follow the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) Scrum Events and the Sprint Cycle syllabus — 5 chapters and 16 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.