Adding a second team to work on the same product will introduce some challenges and overheads that can affect the velocity of the original team. For example, the teams will need to coordinate and communicate more frequently, integrate their work more often, resolve any dependencies or conflicts, and align their standards and practices. These activities will consume some time and effort that could otherwise be spent on delivering value. Therefore, the velocity of the original team is likely to decrease and be lower than 18, at least in the short term.

Professional Scrum Master II Course, page 16: ''Adding more people to a complex product development effort does not necessarily increase productivity or reduce time to market. In fact, it often has the opposite effect.''

Nexus Guide 2020, page 5: ''When multiple Scrum Teams are working together on the same product, there are additional complexities that arise. These complexities can be reduced by having the teams adhere to a common definition of ''Done'' and a single Product Backlog.''

C) Timeboxes encourage the people who are closest to the problem to create the best possible result in the time allotted, given the current context.

This is true because timeboxes limit the amount of time that can be spent on an activity, which forces the Scrum Team to focus on the most valuable and feasible outcomes.Timeboxes also empower the Scrum Team to make decisions based on their own expertise and experience, rather than relying on external authorities or instructions12. D. Timeboxes help everyone focus on the same problem at the same time.

This is true because timeboxes create a shared sense of urgency and alignment among the Scrum Team and the stakeholders.Timeboxes also enable frequent feedback and inspection, which help the Scrum Team adapt to changing requirements and expectations12.

The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality standards required for the product. The purpose of the Definition of Done is to:

During the Sprint, it helps the Developers identify the work remaining for an Increment to be ready for release by the end of a Sprint (B), by providing a clear and shared understanding of what ''Done'' means for each Product Backlog item and the Increment as a whole.

It creates transparency into the state of the Increment when it is inspected at the Sprint Review , by ensuring that everyone involved in the product development has the same expectations and criteria for evaluating the value, usability, and quality of the Increment.

It guides the Developers when creating a forecast at the Sprint Planning (D), by enabling them to estimate how much work they can realistically complete within a Sprint, based on their capacity, skills, and Definition of Done.

A Scrum Master is not a management position in the traditional sense of the word. A Scrum Master does not have authority over the team members, the product, or the project. A Scrum Master is a servant leader who helps the team self-organize, collaborate, and deliver value. A Scrum Master is accountable for managing the Scrum process, ensuring that the team follows the Scrum values and principles, and facilitating the team's interactions with stakeholders and the organization. A Scrum Master is also accountable for removing organizational impediments that limit the team's progress and productivity, such as bureaucracy, silos, or conflicts. A Scrum Master is not accountable for reporting on the performance of a team, managing the project plan and the project deliverables, or managing the capacity and utilization of the Developers. These are responsibilities of the Product Owner, the Developers, or other roles in the organization.

Scrum Guide 2020, section ''The Scrum Master'', ''The Scrum Team''.

What is a scrum master? [+ Responsibilities] | Atlassian, section ''Scrum master responsibilities''.

Scrum Master Roles and Responsibilities [2023] | Simplilearn, section ''What Does a Scrum Master Do?'', ''Scrum Master Responsibilities''.

B) You explain that technical risks are best controlled when architecture and infrastructure emerge alongside the development of functionality. The additional advantage is that business value is created faster and sooner.

This is a good option because it is consistent with the Scrum principle of empiricism, which means that the Scrum Team learns and adapts based on the actual outcomes and feedback, rather than following a predefined plan12.By allowing the architecture and infrastructure to emerge iteratively and incrementally, the Scrum Team can address the most important and uncertain aspects first, and deliver valuable and functional increments every Sprint34. D. You educate the Product Owner to add this work to the Product Backlog to uphold transparency. Ask the Developers to plan work during the first several Sprints to estimate these items, while also creating some business functionality in these early Sprints

This is another good option because it is consistent with the Scrum value of transparency, which means that the Scrum Team and the stakeholders have a clear and common understanding of the product vision, goals, progress, and risks12. By adding this work to the Product Backlog, the Product Owner can prioritize and refine it according to the value and urgency, and communicate it to the stakeholders.By asking the Developers to plan work during the first several Sprints, they can estimate these items based on their actual experience and capacity, while also delivering some business functionality in these early Sprints34.