The Scrum myths that cost the most points on PSM I, PSPO I and CSM exams are habits that sound like Scrum but are not in the Scrum Guide 2020: story points, velocity, a Sprint 0, a 10% refinement rule, or a Scrum Master who manages the team. Scrum exam questions are written from the Guide, so an answer based on how your company runs Scrum is often the trap. Below are ten myths, the correct statement for each, and why examiners use it.
Why Scrum exam questions are built around myths
The Scrum Guide 2020 is only about 13 pages, so exam writers cannot test you on obscure details. Instead, they test whether you can tell the framework apart from the practices people add on top of it.
Time pressure makes this worse. You have little time per question, and a familiar-sounding option is tempting when the clock is running.
| Exam | Questions | Time | To pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSM I (Scrum.org) | 80 | 60 minutes | 85% |
| PSPO I (Scrum.org) | 80 | 60 minutes | 85% |
| CSM (Scrum Alliance) | 50 | 60 minutes | 37 correct (74%) |
A useful rule of thumb: if the Scrum Guide does not say it, it is not a required part of Scrum.
10 Scrum myths and what the Scrum Guide actually says
Myth: Story points, velocity and user stories are part of Scrum
Reality: The Scrum Guide does not mention user stories, story points, velocity or burndown charts. They are complementary practices that many teams use, but Scrum only asks for a Product Backlog with items, a Sprint Backlog, and Increments that meet the Definition of Done.
Why it is a trap: These terms are so common at work that they feel official. Watch for options like "the Scrum Master tracks velocity" or "items must be written as user stories". If an answer makes a complementary practice mandatory, it is almost always wrong.
Myth: The Scrum Master is the team's manager or project manager
Reality: The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team's effectiveness. The Scrum Team is one team with no sub-teams or hierarchies, and the Guide does not describe a project manager or team lead inside it.
Why it is a trap: Questions often describe a problem (a conflict, a missed deadline, a blocked task) and offer an option where the Scrum Master assigns work or decides for the team. The better answer usually has the Scrum Master coaching, teaching or removing an impediment so the team can solve it.
Myth: The Daily Scrum is a status meeting for the Scrum Master and the Product Owner
Reality: The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the Developers, held at the same time and place every working day of the Sprint. Its purpose is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog. The Guide does not require the Product Owner to attend, and the Scrum Master does not run it as a reporting session.
Why it is a trap: Many people have only seen daily meetings where everyone reports to a lead. Options such as "the Product Owner must attend to approve the plan" or "the Scrum Master collects status updates" target that experience.
Myth: Product Backlog refinement takes 10% of the Developers' capacity
Reality: Refinement is an ongoing activity, not an event, and the Scrum Guide 2020 gives no percentage. The old "usually no more than 10%" wording was removed in 2020.
Why it is a trap: Older study material and older practice questions still quote the 10% figure; on a current exam, there is no fixed number.
Myth: The Sprint Review is where the Product Owner accepts or releases the work
Reality: The Sprint Review is a working session where the Scrum Team and stakeholders inspect the outcome of the Sprint and decide what to do next. It is not a release gate. An Increment is born when a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done, and Increments may be delivered to stakeholders before the Sprint Review.
Why it is a trap: "Demo and sign-off" is how many organisations run the review. On the exam, any option that treats the Sprint Review as the only moment to release, or as a formal approval meeting, is suspect.
Myth: Teams need a Sprint 0 or a hardening Sprint
Reality: The Scrum Guide does not mention a Sprint 0 or hardening Sprints. Every Sprint is meant to produce at least one useful Increment that meets the Definition of Done. A Sprint dedicated to setup or to stabilising earlier work suggests the Definition of Done is not being met.
Why it is a trap: These names are widespread, so a question may ask "what should happen in Sprint 0?" as if it were real. The correct answer usually points back to delivering a Done Increment every Sprint.
Myth: The Product Owner can be a committee
Reality: The Product Owner is one person, not a committee. The Product Owner may represent the needs of many stakeholders and may delegate Product Backlog work to others, but remains accountable for maximizing value and for Product Backlog management.
Why it is a trap: This is a favourite on PSPO I. Look for options where a steering group or several business owners share the Product Owner accountability; the Guide does not allow it.
Myth: Undone work can be shown at the Sprint Review
Reality: Work that does not meet the Definition of Done is not part of the Increment. It goes back to the Product Backlog for future consideration and cannot be released or presented at the Sprint Review.
Why it is a trap: "Show it anyway so stakeholders can give feedback" sounds reasonable and collaborative. On the exam it is wrong, because it hides the real state of the product and breaks transparency.
Myth: The Sprint Backlog is fixed once Sprint Planning ends
Reality: The Sprint Backlog belongs to the Developers, who are accountable for the plan and adapt it daily as they learn more. What stays fixed is the commitment: the Sprint Goal, the single objective for the Sprint.
Why it is a trap: Questions mix up the Sprint Goal and the Sprint Backlog. If an option says nothing can be added or changed after planning, or that only the Scrum Master may update the Sprint Backlog, it is wrong.
Myth: Teams are "self-organizing" and the Scrum Master is a "servant-leader"
Reality: The 2020 Guide says Scrum Teams are self-managing: they decide internally who does what, when and how. It describes Scrum Masters as "true leaders who serve the Scrum Team and the larger organization", replacing the 2017 term "servant-leader". It also talks about accountabilities rather than roles.
Why it is a trap: The old wording is not exactly false in spirit, but questions that ask what the current Guide says reward the current terms. If two options look similar, pick the one that uses the 2020 language.
How to practise spotting these traps
- Read the Scrum Guide twice. Read it once straight through for the big picture, then a second time slowly, marking each accountability, each commitment (Product Goal, Sprint Goal, Definition of Done) and each timebox.
- Keep a list of trigger words. Words like must, always, approve, assign, report or a fixed percentage are often attached to the wrong option. Check whether the Guide actually says it.
- Practise under time pressure. Knowing the answer at your desk is different from finding it in under a minute. Try a free timed PSM practice exam on Scrumdemy (20 questions, 20 minutes) or the free CSM practice exam.
- Study the explanations, not just the score. For every wrong answer, find the sentence in the Guide that settles it. If you are preparing for PSPO I, the Scrumdemy PSPO I preparation quiz includes an explanation for each of its 80 questions.
- Add the official free tests. Scrum.org's Open Assessments (Scrum Open, Product Owner Open, Developer Open) are free and written in the style of the real exam.
FAQ
Are story points part of Scrum?
No. The Scrum Guide 2020 does not mention story points, velocity or user stories. They are optional practices, so an exam answer that makes them mandatory is wrong.
Does the Product Owner have to attend the Daily Scrum?
No. The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal. The Guide does not require the Product Owner to be there.
Is "servant-leader" still the right answer on PSM I?
The 2020 Guide replaced "servant-leader" with "true leaders who serve the Scrum Team and the larger organization". When a question asks what the current Guide says, choose the 2020 wording.
Can unfinished work be demonstrated at the Sprint Review?
No. Work that does not meet the Definition of Done goes back to the Product Backlog and cannot be presented at the Sprint Review or released.