Certified Scrum Master Practice Test

What should the team do if they cannot complete a user story during a Sprint?

1. Delete the user story

2. Move the user story to the next Sprint

3. Review and adjust the scope of the user story

4. Inform the Product Owner only

The correct answer is: Move the user story to the next Sprint

When a team finds that they cannot complete a user story during a Sprint, the most appropriate action is to move the user story to the next Sprint. This approach allows the team to maintain a transparent and organized workflow, ensuring that the user story continues to receive attention in future sprints. By moving the incomplete story to the backlog for the next iteration, the team acknowledges the issue and schedules it for future work, keeping the focus on delivering value iteratively while still managing the product backlog efficiently. Additionally, this decision aligns with the principles of Scrum, where teams work in time-boxed iterations (sprints) and adapt to changes as they arise. The process of moving user stories forward helps ensure that the team remains aligned with the Sprint goal while still working towards fulfilling the overall product vision. While it might be tempting to consider other options, such as deleting the user story or informing only the Product Owner, these actions could lead to misunderstandings or gaps in communication within the team. Adjusting the scope can also be a useful step; however, in the event a user story is not completed, the straightforward approach of moving it forward maintains the ongoing development process and reflects a commitment to completing the user story as originally intended.