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150 Agile Questions & Review: #41-50 (Agile Roles & Responsibilities)
Sep 1, 2025
This is the fifth video in our 15-part Agile Review & Question series. In this video, we dive into Agile Roles and Responsibilities, a critical area for both the PMP® exam and your real-world Agile practice. You’ll learn how roles shape collaboration, empowerment, and delivery in Agile environments, and then test your knowledge with 10 scenario-based practice questions (Questions 41–50) with detailed explanations. ✅ You’ll learn how to: • Understand the responsibilities of the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team • Recognize how servant leadership and self-management show up in practice • Apply role clarity and stakeholder engagement concepts to exam-style scenarios • Strengthen your Agile mindset and leadership skills for the workplace By working through these questions, you’ll not only remember what each role does — you’ll be ready to apply those insights on the PMP exam and in real projects. Chapters: 0:00 Agile Roles & Responsibilities Overview 3:09 Question 41 5:07 Question 42 7:04 Question 43 9:10 Question 44 11:17 Question 45 13:18 Question 46
View Video Transcript
0:00
The topic we'll cover is agile roles and
0:02
responsibilities. A core area of agile
0:05
that defines how teams operate,
0:07
collaborate, and deliver value without
0:09
relying on top-down management
0:11
structures. In agile, roles are defined
0:14
more by their purpose and mindset than
0:16
by titles or hierarchy. Success depends
0:19
on clear responsibility, servant
0:21
leadership, and team empowerment. And
0:23
these themes show up again and again on
0:26
the PMP exam, not just as definitions,
0:28
but in real world scenarios where you
0:30
have to apply these concepts. One of the
0:33
most central roles is the scrum master.
0:36
A scrum master is a servant leader. They
0:38
remove impediments, facilitate scrum
0:41
events, and coach the team to
0:43
continuously improve. Their job is to
0:45
protect the team's focus and help
0:47
themsel organize and grow. Then there's
0:50
the product owner who owns the product
0:52
backlog and serves as the voice of the
0:54
customer. The product owner is
0:56
responsible for prioritizing work,
0:58
defining acceptance criteria, and making
1:00
sure the team is always focused on
1:02
delivering the highest business value.
1:04
They collaborate closely with
1:05
stakeholders and the team, and they make
1:07
tough calls about what gets built and
1:10
when. The development team is expected
1:12
to be self-managing and
1:13
cross-functional. That means they plan
1:16
and estimate their own work, share
1:18
responsibility for outcomes, and adapt
1:20
their processes as they learn. You'll
1:23
need to understand how agile teams
1:25
function without command and control,
1:27
and how they make decisions together,
1:29
especially as teams grow or scale. It's
1:32
also important to understand the rules
1:33
of sponsors and stakeholders. Sponsors
1:36
support value alignment, provide funding
1:38
and organizational support, and trust
1:40
the team to deliver. Stakeholders
1:42
provide feedback, context, and
1:44
priorities, but they don't direct the
1:46
team's day-to-day work. Agile emphasizes
1:48
collaborative partnerships, not command
1:50
relationship. Agile also brings role
1:53
flexibility, especially in hybrid or
1:56
scaled environments where
1:57
responsibilities may shift or overlap.
2:00
For example, in hybrid projects, an
2:02
agile project manager might work
2:04
alongside a scrum master, helping manage
2:07
coordination and integration while
2:10
respecting agile team autonomy. Another
2:13
area tested on the PMP exam is the
2:15
difference between coaching and
2:17
directing. Agile leaders don't
2:18
micromanage. Instead, they create a safe
2:21
space for the team to experiment, learn,
2:23
and take ownership. That's where servant
2:25
leadership shows up again. whether
2:27
you're resolving conflict, encouraging
2:29
collaboration or guiding change. You may
2:32
also see questions on how
2:33
decision-making authority is distributed
2:35
in agile, often decentralized,
2:38
empowering teams to act quickly while
2:40
aligning with product vision and
2:41
business goals. So, as you work through
2:43
this section, think about how agile
2:45
roles promote clarity, accountability,
2:48
and collaboration, and how the behaviors
2:50
of agile leaders shape team performance.
2:54
Now, we'll go through 10 practice
2:56
questions that will test your knowledge
2:58
of agile roles, leadership behaviors,
3:01
team dynamics, and how responsibilities
3:04
evolve across different agile settings.
3:07
Let's get into the first question in
3:09
this topic. Question 41. A new agile
3:12
team is struggling to meet their sprint
3:14
commitments. Daily standups often run
3:16
over time and team members are regularly
3:18
pulled into unrelated work by external
3:20
departments. Despite raising the issue,
3:23
the scrum master notices that team
3:25
morale is dropping and collaboration is
3:27
deteriorating. What should the scrum
3:29
master do? A. Establish clear working
3:32
agreements with the team and collaborate
3:34
with external stakeholders to minimize
3:36
disruptions. B. Use the upcoming
3:39
retrospective to document team
3:41
challenges and encourage ideas for
3:43
improving future sprints. C. Facilitate
3:46
a team discussion to identify recurring
3:48
impediments and coach the team to
3:50
co-create solutions.
3:52
D. Escalate the issue to the project
3:54
sponsor and request formal restrictions
3:56
on external requests. You can pause the
3:59
video here if you need more time to work
4:01
on the question. The correct answer is
4:04
C. This question tests your
4:06
understanding of the scrum master's role
4:07
as a servant leader. someone who
4:10
empowers the team to self-organize,
4:12
remove their own blockers, and grow
4:14
through collaboration, not control.
4:16
Choice C is the best option because it
4:18
focuses on coaching the team and
4:20
enabling them to solve their own
4:21
challenges, a core behavior of servant
4:24
leadership. The scrum master guides the
4:26
team in identifying recurring
4:28
impediments and empowers them to take
4:30
ownership. Choice A is incorrect. While
4:34
setting working agreements and
4:35
collaborating with stakeholders can be
4:37
helpful, this approach centers more on
4:39
external management and less on team
4:41
empowerment. Choice B is incorrect. The
4:44
retrospective is valuable, but servant
4:46
leadership is continuous and proactive,
4:48
not something reserved for scheduled
4:50
ceremonies. Waiting delays needed
4:52
support. Choice D is incorrect.
4:55
Involving the project sponsor to limit
4:57
external requests introduces a command
4:59
and control tone and removes the team's
5:01
opportunity to self-manage and engage
5:04
directly with stakeholders. Let's move
5:06
on to the next question if you're ready.
5:08
Question 42. A product owner has been
5:11
receiving frequent feature requests from
5:13
stakeholders. The team is currently in
5:15
the middle of a sprint and some
5:17
stakeholders are pressuring the product
5:19
owner to immediately add new work to the
5:21
sprint backlog. The product owner wants
5:23
to maintain trust but also ensure the
5:25
team's progress isn't disrupted. What
5:28
should the product owner do? A add the
5:31
high priority items to the current
5:32
sprint backlog to satisfy the
5:34
stakeholders. B. Meet with stakeholders
5:37
to discuss their requests and add them
5:39
to the product backlog for future
5:41
prioritization.
5:42
C. Pause the current sprint and revise
5:44
the backlog to reflect the new business
5:47
needs. D. collaborate with the scrum
5:49
master to address the stakeholder
5:51
concerns and determine how to respond as
5:53
a team. You can pause the video here if
5:55
you need more time to work on the
5:57
question. The correct answer is B. This
6:00
question tests your understanding of the
6:02
product owner's responsibility to manage
6:05
the product backlog and act as the
6:07
bridge between stakeholders and the
6:09
development team all while maintaining
6:11
team focus and delivery integrity.
6:13
Choice B is the best option because it
6:16
preserves the integrity of the sprint
6:18
while respecting stakeholder input. The
6:20
product owner should listen, gather
6:22
requests, and incorporate them into the
6:24
product backlog for future
6:26
prioritization. This balances
6:28
responsiveness with discipline. Choice A
6:31
is incorrect. While it may please
6:33
stakeholders temporarily, adding items
6:35
to the sprint midway disrupts team
6:37
commitment and undermines
6:39
predictability.
6:40
Choice C is incorrect. Pausing a sprint
6:43
should be extremely rare and only done
6:45
in exceptional cases like major business
6:48
shifts, not normal feature requests.
6:51
Choice D is incorrect. While
6:53
collaboration with the scrum master is
6:55
valuable, product backlog management is
6:57
owned by the product owner and deferring
6:59
the decision dilutes that
7:01
accountability. Let's move on to the
7:03
next question if you're ready. Question
7:05
43. During an agile project, the
7:08
development team raises concerns that
7:10
they are constantly waiting on a
7:11
separate testing department to validate
7:13
completed stories. This delay is
7:15
impacting velocity and limiting their
7:17
ability to meet sprint goals. The scrum
7:20
master wants to support the team's
7:22
autonomy and help them become more
7:23
self-sufficient. What should the scrum
7:25
master do? A. Facilitate a discussion
7:28
with the team and product owner to
7:30
resequence backlog items that require
7:33
less external testing. B. Work with the
7:36
team to integrate testing skills and
7:38
responsibilities within the development
7:40
team. C. Request that the testing
7:42
department increase their capacity to
7:44
match the development team's pace. B.
7:47
Collaborate with stakeholders to define
7:50
clearer handoff processes between
7:52
development and testing teams. You can
7:54
pause the video here if you need more
7:56
time to work on the question. The
7:58
correct answer is B. This question tests
8:01
your knowledge of agile team structure
8:03
specifically around the importance of
8:04
cross functionality and autonomy. Agile
8:07
teams are expected to deliver working
8:09
tested increments of value within a
8:11
sprint without relying on external
8:13
handoffs. Choice B is the best option
8:16
because it reflects the agile principle
8:18
of crossf functional teams. By
8:20
integrating testing skills into the
8:22
development team, dependencies on
8:24
outside departments are reduced and the
8:26
team gains greater control over quality
8:28
and delivery. Choice A is incorrect.
8:31
While resequencing items might offer
8:33
short-term relief, it avoids solving the
8:35
core issue, the team lacks endto-end
8:37
capability to deliver potentially
8:39
shippable product increments. Choice C
8:42
is incorrect. Asking the testing
8:44
department to scale up may help
8:46
temporarily, but it preserves the
8:48
dependency, which is what agile aims to
8:51
eliminate through self-sufficiency.
8:53
Choice D is incorrect. Improving
8:56
handoffs sounds reasonable in a
8:58
traditional setup, but agile strives to
9:00
eliminate handoffs altogether, not
9:02
refine them. The goal is team ownership
9:05
of delivery from start to finish. Let's
9:08
move on to the next question if you're
9:09
ready. Question 44. Midway through an
9:13
agile project, several stakeholders
9:15
express frustration that the product
9:16
does not reflect their needs. They claim
9:19
they haven't been given opportunities to
9:21
provide feedback until recently. The
9:23
product owner insists that invitations
9:25
to reviews and demos were regularly
9:27
sent, but attendance was inconsistent.
9:29
What should the project manager or team
9:32
do to improve stakeholder engagement? A.
9:35
Share a summary of sprint review
9:37
outcomes with stakeholders who miss the
9:39
sessions and invite follow-up feedback
9:42
asynchronously.
9:44
B. Highlight the importance of sprint
9:46
reviews and upcoming communications and
9:48
strongly encourage attendance from key
9:50
stakeholders. C. Collaborate with
9:53
stakeholders to understand their
9:54
communication preferences and adjust
9:56
engagement strategies accordingly. D.
9:58
Refine the stakeholder list based on
10:00
current engagement patterns to focus
10:03
collaboration on the most active
10:05
participants. You can pause the video
10:07
here if you need more time to work on
10:09
the question. The correct answer is C.
10:12
This question tests your understanding
10:14
of stakeholder collaboration in agile
10:17
environments, especially the importance
10:19
of adaptive communication and
10:21
maintaining continuous feedback loops.
10:24
Choice C is the best option because it
10:26
reflects the agile principle of
10:28
individuals and interactions over
10:30
processes and tools. By adjusting the
10:32
communication strategy based on
10:34
stakeholder preferences, the team
10:36
fosters stronger engagement and more
10:37
relevant feedback. Choice A is
10:40
incorrect. While providing asynchronous
10:42
updates is helpful, it remains
10:44
onedirectional and doesn't resolve the
10:46
core issue of low engagement quality.
10:49
Choice B is incorrect. While emphasizing
10:52
the importance of reviews is good
10:53
practice, simply encouraging attendance
10:56
doesn't address why stakeholders aren't
10:58
engaging in the first place. Agile
11:00
favors empathy and collaboration, not
11:03
just reminders. Choice D is incorrect.
11:06
This filters out disengaged stakeholders
11:08
instead of addressing their needs or
11:10
constraints. Agile promotes inclusive
11:12
collaboration even with those who may be
11:14
less active. Let's move on to the next
11:17
question if you're ready. Question 45.
11:20
In a hybrid project, the scrum master
11:22
and a functional manager are both
11:24
advising the development team. The scrum
11:27
master focuses on team facilitation and
11:29
agile practices while the functional
11:31
manager often gives direction on how
11:34
specific tasks should be executed. The
11:36
team is becoming confused about whose
11:38
guidance to follow which is affecting
11:40
morale and progress. What should the
11:43
project manager do to resolve the
11:45
situation? A. Request the functional
11:48
manager align their task guidance with
11:50
the team's agile goals. B. Support a
11:53
conversation to clarify roles and agree
11:55
on how to best guide the team. C. Assign
11:58
the scrum master as the sole decision
12:00
maker to ensure agile consistency in
12:03
team direction. D. Have the team vote on
12:06
whose guidance they prefer to follow to
12:08
establish alignment and accountability.
12:11
You can pause the video here if you need
12:13
more time to work on the question. The
12:15
correct answer is B. This question tests
12:18
your understanding of role clarity and
12:20
boundary management, particularly in
12:23
hybrid environments where traditional
12:24
and agile roles may overlap. Choice B is
12:28
the best option because it reflects an
12:30
agile leader's responsibility to
12:32
facilitate alignment, not impose
12:34
control. By helping stakeholders clarify
12:37
roles, the project manager reduces
12:39
confusion and conflict, enabling the
12:42
team to work more effectively. Choice A
12:45
is incorrect. While aligning with agile
12:47
goals is helpful, it still assumes the
12:49
functional manager continues to direct
12:51
tasks, which can blur boundaries instead
12:53
of clarifying them. Choice C is
12:56
incorrect. Assigning sole
12:57
decision-making to the scrum master
12:59
oversimplifies the issue and undermines
13:02
the collaborative nature of hybrid
13:04
environments. Choice D is incorrect.
13:07
Having the team vote may feel
13:08
democratic, but it delegates leadership
13:11
responsibility and avoids resolving the
13:13
underlying role confusion. Let's move on
13:16
to the next question if you're ready.
13:18
Question 46.
13:21
A project manager observes that the
13:22
agile team is falling behind on its
13:24
sprint goals. Concerned about deadlines,
13:27
the manager begins assigning tasks to
13:29
individual team members and checking in
13:31
frequently to monitor progress. After a
13:34
few days, team members seem disengaged
13:36
and less communicative during daily
13:38
stand-ups. What should the project
13:40
manager have done instead?
13:43
A. Focus on coaching the team to
13:45
identify challenges and co-create a plan
13:47
to recover sprint goals. B. Remind the
13:51
manager that agile teams are
13:53
self-managing and should not be
13:55
micromanaged.
13:56
D. Shift to a more hands-on leadership
13:59
style temporarily to help the team get
14:01
back on track. D. Meet with stakeholders
14:04
to explain the situation and request
14:06
extended sprint timelines to reduce
14:08
pressure. You can pause the video here
14:10
if you need more time to work on the
14:12
question. The correct answer is A. This
14:15
question tests your understanding of the
14:17
difference between coaching and
14:18
directing, a critical mindset
14:20
distinction in agile leadership. Agile
14:23
leaders do not control the team, but
14:25
instead create conditions for the team
14:27
to own and solve their challenges.
14:29
Choice A is the best option because
14:31
coaching helps the team reflect, learn,
14:34
and recover in a self-directed way. This
14:36
preserves engagement, autonomy, and
14:38
trust, all essential for long-term
14:40
performance. Choice B is incorrect.
14:43
While reinforcing agile values is
14:45
important, simply reminding someone
14:47
about team self-management does not
14:49
address the real need for support. The
14:51
team still needs help, just not through
14:53
top-down control. Choice C is incorrect.
14:57
A hands-on style may seem supportive,
14:59
but it risks overstepping boundaries and
15:01
reducing ownership. Agile favors
15:04
guidance, not direction. Choice D is
15:06
incorrect. Informing stakeholders may be
15:09
necessary in some cases, but it
15:11
sidesteps the root problem, the team's
15:14
internal process and morale, which must
15:16
be addressed first. Let's move on to the
15:19
next question if you're ready. Question
15:22
47. In a hybrid project with both
15:25
predictive and agile work streams, the
15:27
agile team is progressing well using
15:30
Scrum, but delays from the predictive
15:32
work stream are beginning to impact the
15:34
agile team's delivery. The agile team is
15:36
unsure how to escalate the issue and
15:39
maintain their momentum. What should the
15:41
project manager do? A, collaborate with
15:44
the scrum master to help the team adjust
15:46
sprint goals around the delays from the
15:48
predictive team. B. Realign the agile
15:51
backlog priorities so they match the
15:53
predictive workstream's adjusted
15:55
schedule. C. Recommend the agile team
15:58
operate independently until the
16:00
predictive work stream catches up. D.
16:03
Raise the cross team dependency issue to
16:06
leadership and explore options for
16:07
improved coordination. You can pause the
16:10
video here if you need more time to work
16:12
on the question. The correct answer is
16:14
D. This question tests your
16:17
understanding of cross teamam
16:19
coordination in hybrid environments
16:21
where agile and predictive teams often
16:23
work in parallel but must stay aligned
16:26
to avoid delivery conflicts. Choice D is
16:29
the best option because it acknowledges
16:31
that dependency risks span teams and
16:34
resolving them may require leadership
16:36
involvement. By raising the issue, the
16:38
project manager encourages
16:40
organizational level support and creates
16:42
space for better coordination. Choice A
16:45
is incorrect. While collaboration with
16:47
the scrum master is a good start,
16:49
adjusting sprint goals around delays
16:51
treats the symptom, not the cause, and
16:54
may normalize dependency disruptions.
16:56
Choice B is incorrect. Realigning the
16:59
agile backlog to fit predictive
17:01
timelines weakens agile prioritization
17:03
and could lead to delivering less value
17:05
just to match a schedule. Choice C is
17:09
incorrect. Operating independently risks
17:11
breaking important dependencies and
17:13
ignoring the impact of delayed inputs
17:15
which can cause rework or misalignment
17:18
later. Let's move on to the next
17:21
question if you're ready. Question 48.
17:24
Midway through a sprint, two senior
17:26
developers on the agile team are in
17:28
conflict over how to implement a
17:30
feature. One insists on using a new
17:33
framework to improve scalability while
17:35
the other believes it adds unnecessary
17:37
complexity. Their disagreement has
17:39
become personal and is beginning to
17:41
affect team morale and collaboration.
17:44
What should the scrum master do? A. Step
17:48
in and make the technical decision to
17:50
help the team move forward quickly. B
17:52
allow the developers to resolve the
17:54
conflict on their own to promote team
17:56
self-management.
17:58
C. Facilitate a discussion to explore
18:00
both perspectives and guide the team
18:02
toward a shared decision. D. Address the
18:05
situation with the entire team to reset
18:07
expectations for constructive
18:09
collaboration. You can pause the video
18:11
here if you need more time to work on
18:13
the question. The correct answer is C.
18:16
This question tests your ability to
18:18
apply agile conflict resolution and
18:20
understand the scrum master's role as a
18:22
facilitator, not a director. In agile
18:24
teams, conflict is expected, but how
18:27
it's managed determines whether it
18:28
becomes destructive or productive.
18:31
Choice C is the best option because it
18:33
promotes open dialogue and team
18:35
ownership. The scrum master helps the
18:38
team surface ideas and disagreements
18:40
constructively fostering trust and
18:42
continuous improvement. Choice A is
18:45
incorrect. While decisive, making the
18:48
call removes decision-making from the
18:50
team, undermining self-organization and
18:53
agile values. Choice B is incorrect.
18:56
Though self-management is important,
18:58
avoiding facilitation during escalating
19:00
conflict allows emotions to take over
19:03
and risks team dysfunction. Choice D is
19:07
incorrect. While team level reminders
19:09
are useful, doing this without first
19:11
addressing the specific issue avoids the
19:14
actual root conflict and may feel
19:16
impersonal or dismissive. Let's move on
19:19
to the next question if you're ready.
19:21
Question 49. A new agile team relies
19:24
heavily on the scrum master to assign
19:26
tasks, track progress, and resolve all
19:28
blockers. While they are meeting
19:30
delivery goals, the scrum master is
19:32
concerned that the team is not growing
19:34
in independence or taking initiative
19:36
during sprint planning or daily
19:37
standups. What should the scrum master
19:40
do to encourage greater self-management?
19:44
A continue supporting the team as is to
19:47
maintain delivery stability while they
19:49
gain more experience. B. Rotate
19:51
facilitation responsibilities for daily
19:53
stand-ups to help the team take
19:55
ownership of their process. C. Schedule
19:58
extra coaching sessions outside of
20:00
sprint events to reinforce agile theory.
20:03
D. Emphasize the importance of the
20:05
sprint goal to guide the team's focus
20:07
during execution. You can pause the
20:10
video here if you need more time to work
20:11
on the question. The correct answer is
20:14
B. This question tests your
20:16
understanding of how to develop team
20:19
self-management. One of the key
20:21
characteristics of high-erforming agile
20:23
teams, teams must gradually shift from
20:26
facilitated to self-directed behavior,
20:28
especially in their core ceremonies.
20:31
Choice B is the best option because
20:34
rotating facilitation during daily
20:36
stand-ups promotes ownership, shared
20:38
responsibility, and active
20:40
participation. It helps the team
20:42
internalize agile behaviors and supports
20:44
a sustainable culture of accountability.
20:47
Choice A is incorrect. Continuing the
20:50
current pattern preserves comfort but
20:53
prevents the team from developing
20:54
autonomy or resilience, both critical in
20:58
agile settings. Choice C is incorrect.
21:02
Extra coaching can be helpful, but may
21:05
reinforce the idea that agile is
21:07
something taught externally rather than
21:10
learned through teamdriven experience.
21:12
Choice D is incorrect. While the sprint
21:15
goal is essential, focusing on it alone
21:17
does not address the team's reliance on
21:19
the scrum master for execution support
21:22
and decision-making. Let's move on to
21:24
the next question if you're ready.
21:26
Question 50. An organization is
21:29
transitioning from a traditional project
21:32
delivery model to agile. Some department
21:34
heads are unsure how their roles align
21:37
with the new team structure, especially
21:39
since decision-making and delivery
21:41
responsibilities now rest more with
21:44
agile teams. They are concerned about
21:46
losing visibility and influence. What
21:49
should the project manager do to support
21:51
alignment during this transition? A
21:54
create a detailed racy matrix to define
21:57
how all roles will function in the new
21:59
agile structure. B. Reassure department
22:02
heads that agile teams will continue to
22:04
provide regular reports and updates. T.
22:07
Meet with leaders to clarify evolving
22:09
roles and identify new ways they can
22:12
support team outcomes. E. Encourage
22:15
department heads to observe agile
22:16
ceremonies to better understand how
22:19
delivery decisions are made. You can
22:21
pause the video here if you need more
22:23
time to work on the question. The
22:25
correct answer is C. This question tests
22:27
your understanding of organizational
22:29
alignment during agile transformation,
22:32
especially how leaders must shift from
22:34
control-based roles to supportive
22:36
enabling roles. Choice C is the best
22:39
option because meeting with leaders
22:41
fosters shared understanding,
22:43
transparency, and buyin. It gives space
22:46
for role clarification and helps them
22:48
see how they can positively support
22:50
agile teams in their new capacity.
22:53
Choice A is incorrect. While racy
22:56
matrices can clarify roles, they tend to
22:58
reflect linear hierarchical models and
23:01
may not be well suited for dynamic agile
23:04
environments. Choice B is incorrect.
23:06
Reassuring department heads about
23:08
reports may ease discomfort temporarily,
23:10
but it doesn't address the underlying
23:12
need for role clarity and engagement.
23:15
Choice D is incorrect. Observing
23:17
ceremonies can increase exposure, but
23:20
may not fully explain their role in the
23:22
new system, especially without
23:24
intentional dialogue. Congratulations on
23:27
finishing all 10 agile roles and
23:29
responsibility questions. That's a big
23:31
milestone for completing 50 agile
23:33
questions so far. You are doing an
23:35
amazing job. When you're ready, let's
23:37
keep up the momentum and I will see you
23:39
in the next topic.
#Business & Industrial