Hands-On Exercises and Self-Assessments: Solidify Your Scrum Skills

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When you start applying Scrum, theory alone won’t build lasting competence. What matters is how you engage with the framework through practice. This is where Scrum practice exercises beginners need most.

Every team I’ve guided—whether in tech, education, or public sector—has faced the same moment: the first sprint where theory meets reality. That’s when uncertainty creeps in. But the solution isn’t memorization. It’s deliberate, structured practice.

These Scrum exercises are designed to simulate real events, artifacts, and decisions. Each task is rooted in actual team experiences—refinements, sprint planning, retrospectives—so you’re not just learning, you’re preparing.

By completing these exercises, you’ll gain confidence in facilitating events, managing backlogs, and interpreting team velocity. You’ll also learn how to spot common pitfalls early and course-correct with empathy and data.

Test Your Scrum Knowledge: 10-Question Quiz

Begin with a quick self-assessment to identify your current understanding.

What is the primary purpose of the Sprint Review?
Which Scrum event is time-boxed to 15 minutes?
Who is responsible for maximizing the value of the product backlog?
What is the minimum requirement for a Sprint goal?
True or False: The Scrum Master can override the Development Team’s decisions.
Which artifact shows work remaining in the Sprint?
What term describes a team’s average velocity over recent sprints?
When should the Definition of Done be applied?
How often should backlog refinement occur?
Which role is responsible for removing impediments?

Answer key (see below for explanations):

1. To inspect the increment and adapt the product backlog.
2. Daily Scrum.
3. The Product Owner.
4. It must be clear, measurable, and agreed upon by the team.
5. False – the Scrum Master facilitates, but does not override.
6. Sprint Burndown Chart.
7. Velocity.
8. On every increment.
9. Regularly, ideally every sprint.
10. Scrum Master.

Reflection Prompt

After reviewing your answers, ask:

Which questions surprised you? What does that reveal about your current knowledge gap?
How could you use a quiz like this to prepare your team for a sprint?
What support might you need to improve in areas where you struggled?

Backlog Creation Exercise: Prioritize Like a Product Owner

Creating a product backlog is not just about listing features. It’s about vision, value, and clarity.

Imagine you’re developing a task management app. Use the following items to create a prioritized backlog using the MoSCoW method (Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Won’t-have).

User Story	Priority
As a user, I want to add a new task so I can track my work.	Must-have
As a user, I want to set a due date for tasks so I can plan ahead.	Should-have
As a user, I want to receive daily email reminders about overdue tasks.	Could-have
As a user, I want a dark mode toggle for night use.	Won’t-have
As a user, I want to assign tasks to team members.	Should-have
As a user, I want to export my tasks to a CSV file.	Could-have

Instructions

Assign each story to MoSCoWe based on business value and effort.
Reorder the list from highest to lowest priority.
Write a simple Sprint Goal based on the top three items.

Example Answer

Priority Order:

As a user, I want to add a new task so I can track my work. (Must-have)
As a user, I want to assign tasks to team members. (Should-have)
As a user, I want to set a due date for tasks so I can plan ahead. (Should-have)
As a user, I want to receive daily email reminders about overdue tasks. (Could-have)
As a user, I want to export my tasks to a CSV file. (Could-have)
As a user, I want a dark mode toggle for night use. (Won’t-have)

Sprint Goal: Deliver the core task management functionality with assignment and due date features to support team collaboration.

Reflection Prompt

Ask your team:

What would happen if we moved the “email reminders” story into the current sprint?
How does the MoSCoW method help you communicate with stakeholders?
What might be a hidden cost of deferring a “Could-have” item?

Scenario-Based Exercises: Real-World Decision Making

Scrum isn’t just about events—it’s about navigating real decisions under pressure.

Scenario 1: Scope Creep in Progress

During a sprint, the Product Owner brings a new feature request to the team. The team has already committed to the current sprint goal. The request is urgent and could significantly improve user satisfaction.

Task: As the Scrum Master, what would you do?

Guiding Questions:

Does the new request align with the Sprint Goal?
Can the team still deliver the current commitment if they accept this?
How would you communicate this to the Product Owner?

Scenario 2: A Blocked Sprint

On Day 3 of the sprint, a key dependency fails. The Development Team is unable to proceed. The impediment is not minor—it’s a missing API endpoint from another team.

Task: As the Scrum Master, how do you respond?

Guiding Questions:

What immediate actions are needed?
Who should you involve to resolve the issue?
How can you ensure the team doesn’t lose momentum?

Reflection Prompt

Review both scenarios:

What patterns do you notice in how the Scrum Master should act?
Would your response change if the team were remote?
How can you build psychological safety so the team feels safe reporting blockers?

Sprint Retrospective Template: Build Continuous Improvement

Retrospectives are where teams learn. They must be action-oriented and respectful.

Use this template to run your first retrospective:

Step 1: Set the Stage (5 minutes)

Reaffirm the sprint goal.
Explain the purpose of the retrospective.
Set norms: no blame, focus on process.

Step 2: Gather Data (10 minutes)

Use the “Start-Stop-Continue” format:

Start: What should we begin doing?
Stop: What should we stop doing?
Continue: What should we keep doing?

Step 3: Generate Insights (10 minutes)

Group similar items.
Ask: “Why?” 3–5 times to uncover root causes.

Step 4: Decide on Actions (10 minutes)

Create SMART action items:

Action	Owner	Due Date
Implement daily standup via video grid for remote team	Scrum Master	Next sprint
Review Definition of Done before sprint planning	Development Team	Next sprint

Step 5: Close the Retrospective (5 minutes)

Summarize decisions.
Thank the team for participation.
Announce the next retro date.

Reflection Prompt

Did your team feel heard during the retrospective?
How did psychological safety affect your responses?
What would you do differently next time to improve engagement?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are Scrum practice exercises beginners often ignored?

Many teams skip hands-on exercises, assuming theory is enough. But I’ve seen teams fail in sprint one not from lack of knowledge, but from lack of practice. The gap between knowing and doing is real. Exercises build muscle memory for process, not just awareness.

How can I run a Scrum practice exercise with a non-technical team?

Use real-world analogies. For example, simulate a “product backlog” for organizing a school event. Prioritize tasks like venue booking, catering, guest list, and decorations. Use sticky notes and a whiteboard. The goal is to practice prioritization, not technical skill.

What if my team resists doing these exercises?

Start small. Offer one exercise at a time, tied to a real need. If the team is struggling with sprint planning, run a 20-minute backlog refinement simulation. Show the impact: “This saved us 30 minutes of confusion last week.” Progress builds trust.

How often should I run Scrum exercises?

Once per sprint is ideal. Use the first retrospective to reflect on the previous sprint’s events. Then run a new exercise—like sprint planning simulation or a backlog refinement drill—to prepare for the next cycle. Consistent practice compounds learning.

What’s the biggest mistake beginners make in Scrum exercises?

Thinking they must get the “right” answer. Scrum isn’t about perfection. It’s about transparency, inspection, and adaptation. One team I worked with spent hours debating a DoD checklist. But the real win was the conversation that followed: “What’s missing in our process?” That’s where learning happens.