PSM-I Exam Syllabus & Study Guide
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official PSM-I exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap.
The information below reflects the 2026 syllabus defined by
Scrum.
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
Professional Scrum Master I (PSM-I)
PSM-I Exam Structure
| Topic | Details |
|---|
| Certification | Professional Scrum Master I |
| Provider | https://www.scrum.org |
| Questions | 80 |
| Time Limit | 60 minutes |
| Passing Score | 85% |
| Question Types | Multiple Choice, Multiple Answer, True/False |
| Focus | Scrum framework, Scrum Master role, agile mindset |
| Main Source | Scrum Guide |
| Difficulty | Conceptual + scenario-based |
COMPLETE PSM-I TOPICS
1. Scrum Foundations
Agile Manifesto
Understand:
* 4 Agile Values
* 12 Agile Principles
* Agile mindset
* Adaptive planning
* Incremental delivery
* Customer collaboration
* Responding to change
--> Empiricism
Core concept in Scrum.
Three pillars:
1. Transparency
2. Inspection
3. Adaptation
Key understanding:
* Decisions based on observation and experience
* Iterative learning
* Continuous improvement
--> Complex Adaptive Problems
Know:
* Complex vs complicated work
* Why predictive planning fails in uncertainty
* Incremental experimentation
--> Lean Thinking
Terminologies:
* Waste reduction
* Fast feedback
* Continuous improvement
* Deliver value early
2. Scrum Theory
--> Scrum Definition
Scrum is:
* Lightweight
* Framework
* Helps solve complex adaptive problems
* Delivers value incrementally
--> Scrum Values
Must know deeply:
Scrum Values
| Scrum Value | Meaning |
|---|
| Commitment | Commitment to goals |
| Focus | Focus on Sprint work |
| Openness | Transparency and honesty |
| Respect | Mutual respect |
| Courage | Courage to act correctly |
Questions often test:
* Violations of Scrum values
* Real-world examples
* Behavioral situations
3. Scrum Team
--> Scrum Team Structure
The Scrum Team consists of:
* Product Owner
* Scrum Master
* Developers
Characteristics:
* Self-managing
* Cross-functional
* Small team
* No sub-teams
* No hierarchy inside Developers
--> Self-Managing Teams
Terminologies:
* Self-organization
* Self-management
* Accountability
* Collective ownership
Key concepts:
* Team decides HOW
* Team manages internal work
* No external task assignment
4. Scrum Accountabilities (Roles)
--> Scrum Master
--> Core Responsibilities
* Coaching Scrum Team
* Facilitating Scrum events
* Removing impediments
* Supporting empiricism
* Promoting Scrum adoption
* Helping organization understand Scrum
--> Scrum Master Stances
Very important topic.
Common stances:
* Coach
* Facilitator
* Teacher
* Mentor
* Servant leader
* Change agent
--> Servant Leadership
Understand:
* Influence without authority
* Empowering teams
* Supporting autonomy
* Helping growth
--> Impediment Removal
Know difference between:
* Blockers
* Risks
* Dependencies
* Issues
--> Product Owner
--> Responsibilities
* Maximizing product value
* Managing Product Backlog
* Stakeholder communication
* Ordering backlog items
--> Product Ownership Concepts
* Value optimization
* Product Goal ownership
* Backlog transparency
* Release forecasting
--> Product Owner Misconceptions
Examples:
* Committee ownership is wrong
* Others may help but accountability remains with PO
--> Developers
--> Responsibilities
* Creating Increment
* Maintaining quality
* Sprint planning
* Daily adaptation
--> Key Concepts
* Collective accountability
* Technical excellence
* Forecasting Sprint work
* Definition of Done adherence
5. Scrum Events
Sprint
--> Sprint Fundamentals
The Sprint is:
* Fixed length event
* One month or less
* Container for all other events
--> Sprint Characteristics
* No gaps between Sprints
* Consistent cadence
* Enables predictability
--> Sprint Cancellation
Only Product Owner can cancel Sprint.
Reasons:
* Sprint Goal obsolete
--> Sprint Goal
Critical exam topic.
Know:
* Why Sprint Goal matters
* Flexibility within Sprint
* Commitment for Developers
Misconceptions tested heavily.
Sprint Planning
--> Purpose
Answers:
1. Why is this Sprint valuable?
2. What can be done?
3. How will work get done?
--> Inputs
* Product Goal
* Product Backlog
* Team capacity
* Past performance
--> Outputs
* Sprint Goal
* Sprint Backlog
Daily Scrum
--> Purpose
* Inspect progress toward Sprint Goal
* Adapt Sprint Backlog
--> Important Facts
* 15 minutes
* Developers required
* Scrum Master ensures effectiveness
* Not status meeting
* Can use any format
Common misconception:
Scrum Master does NOT need to lead Daily Scrum.
([Scrum.org][2])
Sprint Review
--> Purpose
* Inspect Increment
* Adapt Product Backlog
* Gather stakeholder feedback
--> Key Concepts
* Collaborative working session
* Product inspection
* Future adaptation
Not:
* Merely demo session
* Approval gate
Sprint Retrospective
--> Purpose
* Improve effectiveness
* Inspect people/process/tools
--> Common Topics
* Collaboration
* Quality
* Definition of Done
* Improvements
--> Improvement Actions
Must be actionable and measurable.
6. Scrum Artifacts
Product Backlog
--> Characteristics
* Ordered
* Emergent
* Dynamic
* Continuously refined
--> Product Backlog Items (PBIs)
Contain:
* Description
* Order
* Estimate
* Value
--> Product Backlog Refinement
Understand:
* Ongoing activity
* Not official Scrum event
* Collaboration activity
Sprint Backlog
Contains:
* Sprint Goal
* Selected PBIs
* Delivery plan
Key understanding:
Owned by Developers.
Increment
--> Definition
Concrete usable outcome.
Requirements:
* Potentially releasable
* Meets Definition of Done
--> Multiple Increments
Possible within Sprint.
Commitments in Scrum
| Artifact | Commitment |
|---|
| Product Backlog | Product Goal |
| Sprint Backlog | Sprint Goal |
| Increment | Definition of Done |
Very common exam topic.
7. Definition of Done (DoD)
--> Purpose
Creates shared quality understanding.
--> Topics
* Transparency
* Quality standards
* Release readiness
--> Key Concepts
* Mandatory for Increment
* If not done → not Increment
* Team-wide agreement
Questions often test:
* Incomplete work
* Technical debt
* Quality compromises
8. Product Goal
--> Product Goal Concepts
* Long-term objective
* Future state
* Single Product Goal at a time
--> Relationship with Sprint Goal
* Product Goal = strategic
* Sprint Goal = tactical
9. Forecasting & Release Planning
--> Velocity
Understand:
* Historical measure
* Forecasting tool
* NOT performance metric
--> Burn-down Charts
Know:
* Trend visualization
* Remaining work tracking
--> Release Forecasting
Concepts:
* Empirical prediction
* Uncertainty
* Probabilistic forecasting
10. Facilitation Skills
--> Facilitation
Core Scrum Master skill.
Topics:
* Neutral facilitation
* Collaborative discussions
* Conflict resolution
* Decision-making support
--> Workshop Techniques
Know concepts like:
* Brainstorming
* Retrospective facilitation
* Consensus building
11. Coaching & Mentoring
--> Coaching
Helps team discover solutions.
--> Mentoring
Provides guidance from experience.
--> Teaching
Provides knowledge/instruction.
Must understand differences.
12. Stakeholder Management
--> Stakeholder Engagement
Topics:
* Transparency
* Collaboration
* Feedback loops
* Expectation management
--> Customer Value
Understand:
* Outcome vs output
* Product value
* Feedback-driven development
13. Agile Leadership
--> Change Management
Scrum Masters support:
* Organizational agility
* Cultural change
* Continuous improvement
--> Organizational Impediments
Examples:
* Functional silos
* Command-and-control management
* Slow approvals
14. Scrum Anti-Patterns
Extremely important for PSM-I.
--> Common Anti-Patterns
--> Team Anti-Patterns
* Specialized silos
* Partial work
* Handoffs
* Mini-waterfall
--> Scrum Master Anti-Patterns
* Project manager behavior
* Assigning tasks
* Running Daily Scrum as status meeting
--> Product Owner Anti-Patterns
* Absent Product Owner
* Multiple Product Owners
* Prioritization by committee
--> Event Anti-Patterns
* Skipping retrospectives
* Sprint Review as demo only
* Overlong Daily Scrum
15. Scaling Scrum (Basic Awareness)
PSM-I may include foundational scaling concepts.
Know:
* Multiple Scrum Teams
* Shared Product Goal
* Nexus awareness
* Cross-team dependencies
16. Technical & Engineering Concepts
Basic awareness only.
Topics:
* Technical debt
* CI/CD
* Automated testing
* Refactoring
* Sustainable pace
17. Metrics & Measurement
--> Common Agile Metrics
* Velocity
* Cycle time
* Lead time
* Burn-down
* Burn-up
--> Bad Metrics
* Individual productivity
* Hours utilization
18. Risk Management in Scrum
--> Risk Reduction
Scrum reduces risk through:
* Frequent inspection
* Incremental delivery
* Early feedback
--> Risk Types
* Technical risk
* Market risk
* Schedule risk
19. Scrum Guide 2020 Changes
Important because many questions test distinctions.
Know:
* “Roles” changed to “Accountabilities”
* Development Team removed
* Product Goal added
* Self-organizing → self-managing
* Simplified language
20. Frequently Tested Terminologies
Essential Scrum Terminologies
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Empiricism | Learning through observation |
| Transparency | Visibility of work |
| Inspection | Reviewing progress |
| Adaptation | Adjusting based on learning |
| Increment | Usable product outcome |
| Sprint Goal | Sprint objective |
| Product Goal | Long-term target |
| Definition of Done | Shared quality criteria |
| Product Backlog | Ordered future work |
| Sprint Backlog | Sprint plan |
| Velocity | Forecasting metric |
| Facilitation | Guiding collaboration |
| Servant Leadership | Leading by supporting |
| Self-management | Team autonomy |
| Cross-functional | All needed skills in team |
| Timebox | Fixed maximum duration |
| Technical Debt | Future cost of shortcuts |
| Refinement | Preparing backlog items |
| Stakeholder | Interested party |
| Impediment | Obstacle affecting progress |
| Emergent Process | Evolving through learning |
Important Scrum Timeboxes
| Event | Timebox |
|---|
| Sprint | ≤ 1 month |
| Sprint Planning | ≤ 8 hours (1-month Sprint) |
| Daily Scrum | 15 minutes |
| Sprint Review | ≤ 4 hours |
| Sprint Retrospective | ≤ 3 hours |
Important Scrum Rules Frequently Tested
| Rule | Key Fact |
|---|
| Only PO cancels Sprint | True |
| Daily Scrum for Developers | True |
| Scrum Master mandatory in Daily Scrum | False |
| Increment must meet DoD | True |
| Multiple Increments per Sprint | Allowed |
| Product Backlog ownership | Product Owner |
| Sprint Backlog ownership | Developers |
| Scrum Team self-managing | True |
| Sprint Goal mandatory | True |
