Free Scrum SPS Exam Actual Questions & Explanations

Last updated on: Jul 1, 2026
Author: Eric Lim (Scrum Master & Professional Scrum Certifications Instructor)

The Scaled Professional Scrum (SPS) exam validates your ability to apply Scrum principles across multiple teams and complex product development environments. This certification, part of the Professional Scrum Certifications pathway, demonstrates competency in scaling frameworks and managing dependencies in large initiatives. Whether you're preparing for your first attempt or aiming to strengthen weak areas, this guide maps the exam syllabus, question formats, and practical study strategies to help you succeed.

SPS Exam Syllabus & Core Topics

Use this topic map to guide your study for Scrum SPS (Scaled Professional Scrum) within the Professional Scrum Certifications path.

  • Identify, visualize, minimize and remove dependencies: Learn to map cross-team dependencies, use dependency boards and visual management tools, and apply techniques to reduce handoffs and bottlenecks across multiple Scrum teams.
  • Identify typical challenges: Recognize common scaling obstacles such as communication delays, unclear priorities, and misaligned goals when coordinating work across teams.
  • Understand how to find the scale that works: Determine the appropriate number of teams, coordination structures, and organizational patterns that match your product and delivery context.
  • The negative impact of cross-team dependencies: Understand how unmanaged dependencies slow delivery, increase risk, and reduce team autonomy; learn mitigation strategies.
  • Learn how the Nexus framework extends Scrum: Study the Nexus roles, artifacts, and events that enable multiple Scrum teams to work together on a single product.
  • Experience the Nexus framework in action: Analyze real-world scenarios showing how Nexus integration points, refinement, and planning synchronize work across teams.
  • Experience techniques for organizing teams: Explore team composition strategies, feature-based vs. component-based structures, and methods for balancing specialization with cross-functional capability.
  • Learn how to deliver value across the whole Nexus: Master practices for coordinating releases, aligning increments, and ensuring end-to-end value delivery when multiple teams contribute to a single product.

Question Formats & What They Test

The SPS exam measures both conceptual understanding and practical judgment through a mix of question types. Each format tests your ability to apply scaling principles to real-world Scrum situations.

  • Multiple choice: Core definitions of Nexus roles and artifacts, Scrum scaling best practices, and key terminology related to dependency management and team coordination.
  • Scenario-based items: Analyze realistic multi-team situations; select the best approach for organizing teams, resolving dependencies, or planning across the Nexus.
  • Application questions: Interpret dependency maps, evaluate team structures, and recommend process adjustments based on organizational constraints and delivery goals.

Questions progress in difficulty and emphasize decision-making over memorization, ensuring you can apply Scrum scaling concepts to your own environment.

Preparation Guidance

Effective SPS preparation requires mapping the syllabus topics to a structured study plan, then reinforcing learning through practice and reflection. Allocate 4-6 weeks for thorough preparation, balancing conceptual study with scenario-based practice.

  • Map the eight core topics to weekly goals: dedicate one week each to dependency management and Nexus framework fundamentals, then two weeks to organizational patterns and delivery coordination.
  • Practice question sets regularly; review explanations for both correct and incorrect answers to identify knowledge gaps and strengthen weak areas.
  • Link concepts across planning, execution, and reporting workflows: understand how dependency identification feeds into Nexus planning, and how integration points affect release coordination.
  • Complete a timed mini-mock exam in your final week to build pacing confidence, reduce test anxiety, and validate readiness.
  • Review case studies and real-world Nexus implementations to see how frameworks translate into practice.

Explore other Scrum certifications: view all Scrum exams.

Get the PDF & Practice Test

Strengthen your preparation with up-to-date resources from validexamdumps.com. These materials align to SPS and cover practical scenarios with clear explanations.

  • Q&A PDF with explanations: topic-mapped questions that clarify why correct options are right and others aren't.
  • Practice Test: realistic items, timed and untimed modes, progress tracking, and detailed review of each answer.
  • Focused coverage: aligned to dependency management, Nexus framework, team organization, and cross-Nexus delivery so you study what matters most.
  • Regular reviews: content refreshes that reflect syllabus and product changes.

Visit the exam page to download the PDF, Online Practice Test, or get a Bundle Discount offer for both formats: Scaled Professional Scrum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which topics carry the most weight on the SPS exam?

The Nexus framework and dependency management typically account for 40-50% of exam content, reflecting their importance in scaled Scrum. Team organization and value delivery across the Nexus each represent 20-25%. Focus your study time proportionally, but ensure you understand all eight core topics because they interconnect in scenario-based questions.

How do dependency identification and Nexus planning connect in real projects?

During product refinement, teams identify dependencies early so the Nexus can plan integration work and synchronization points. Unmanaged dependencies discovered late in a sprint cause delays and rework. The exam tests whether you can trace this flow: identify dependencies, visualize them, plan integration, and adjust team structures to minimize future dependencies.

What hands-on experience helps most for SPS preparation?

Direct experience with multiple Scrum teams, dependency boards, and Nexus events is invaluable. If you lack this, study case studies and participate in Nexus simulations or workshops. Focus on understanding how Nexus roles (Product Owner, Scrum Masters, developers) coordinate work and resolve conflicts across teams.

What common mistakes cost candidates points on SPS?

Many candidates confuse Nexus roles with standard Scrum roles or misunderstand when dependencies should be resolved versus accepted. Others overlook the importance of team autonomy and assume all dependencies must be eliminated. The exam rewards nuanced thinking: knowing when to restructure teams, when to accept dependencies, and how to balance scaling with agility.

How should I pace my final week before the SPS exam?

Spend 2-3 days reviewing weak topics identified in practice tests, then take a full timed mock to validate your pacing and confidence. In the final 2-3 days, do light review of key definitions and Nexus artifacts rather than deep study. Get adequate sleep the night before; a well-rested mind performs better on scenario-based questions than last-minute cramming.

Get All 40 Questions
Question No. 1

Currently, your Scrum Teams are organized to address a single functional (component) area of

the product. What should be considered when deciding to move away from such component

teams toward feature teams?

(choose the best three answers)

Show Answer Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A, D, E

Moving away from component teams toward feature teams is a significant change that should be considered carefully. Here are some of the factors that should be taken into account:

Feature teams have less communication overhead than component teams, as they are able to deliver end-to-end customer features without relying on other teams or components 11. This reduces the complexity and the dependencies among the teams, and improves the transparency and the feedback loop. Feature teams also foster more collaboration and cross-functional learning among the team members, as they have to work on different aspects of the product 22.

When making this change, it helps to have support from the organization, as it may require a shift in the culture, the structure, and the processes of the company 33. The organization should provide the necessary resources, training, and coaching to the teams to help them adopt the feature team model. The organization should also align its goals, incentives, and metrics with the feature team approach, and remove any barriers or impediments that may hinder the teams' performance 44.

Productivity may decrease when making this kind of change, as the teams may face some challenges and difficulties in the transition period 55. For example, the teams may have to learn new skills, technologies, or domains that they are not familiar with. The teams may also have to deal with legacy code, technical debt, or integration issues that may slow down their delivery. The teams may also experience some resistance or conflict from the existing component teams or stakeholders. Therefore, the teams should expect some temporary setbacks and losses in productivity, and focus on continuous improvement and adaptation.

The other options are not correct for the following reasons:

With feature teams, it is not easier to calculate the productivity per team, as productivity is not a simple or straightforward metric to measure in software development [6]. Productivity depends on various factors, such as the quality, the value, the complexity, and the customer satisfaction of the product. Moreover, focusing on the productivity per team may create a competitive or individualistic mindset among the teams, rather than a collaborative or collective one. The teams should focus on delivering the best possible product Increment that meets the Product Goal and the Definition of Done, rather than on maximizing their productivity [7].

You can do Scrum without feature teams, as Scrum does not prescribe any specific team structure or organization [8]. Scrum only requires that the Scrum Team is cross-functional, self-organizing, and accountable for delivering a potentially releasable product Increment every Sprint [9]. However, feature teams are generally more aligned with the Scrum values and principles, as they enable the teams to deliver customer-centric features faster and more frequently, and to respond to changes more effectively [10]. Therefore, feature teams are recommended, but not mandatory, for Scrum.


Question No. 2

True or False: A Nexus Integration Team is accountable for ensuring that a Integrated

Increment is produced at least once a Sprint.

Show Answer Hide Answer
Correct Answer: B

A Nexus Integration Team is not accountable for ensuring that an Integrated Increment is produced at least once a Sprint. The Nexus Integration Team is a specialized Scrum Team that provides services and guidance to the Scrum Teams in the Nexus to ensure that the Integrated Increment is produced every Sprint 11. However, the Nexus Integration Team is not accountable for the integration of the work of the individual Scrum Teams, as this is the responsibility of the Scrum Teams themselves 22. The Nexus Integration Team helps the Scrum Teams to coordinate, coach, and supervise the application of Nexus and the operation of Scrum, but it does not take over their work or accountability 33. Therefore, the statement is false.


Question No. 3

Which statements best describe a Nexus Sprint Review?

(choose the best two answers)

Show Answer Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A, B

The Nexus Sprint Review is an event that occurs at the end of the Sprint where the Nexus, which is a group of approximately three to nine Scrum Teams working on the same product, presents the Integrated Increment to the stakeholders and collects feedback 12. The Integrated Increment is the combined work of all the Scrum Teams in the Nexus that meets the Definition of Done and the Nexus Sprint Goal 1. The purpose of the Nexus Sprint Review is to inspect the Integrated Increment and adapt the Product Backlog based on new learnings 1. Therefore, statement A is correct.

The Nexus Sprint Review replaces individual Scrum Team Sprint Reviews because the focus is on the entire Integrated Increment rather than the work of each team 12. The Nexus Sprint Review is not a container for each individual Scrum Team's Sprint Review, nor is it when individual Scrum Teams demo their work. These statements imply that the Nexus Sprint Review is a collection of separate Sprint Reviews, which is not the case. The Nexus Sprint Review is a single event that involves all the Scrum Teams and stakeholders in the Nexus 12. Therefore, statement B is also correct, and statements C and D are incorrect.


Question No. 4

Scenario C: Dependencies and Product Backlog items

During Nexus Sprint Planning, representatives from each of the 9-member Scrum Teams

identify many dependencies. This makes it hard for them to choose the work they could pull

into their individual teams for the next Sprint. No matter how they reorganize the Product

Backlog items, they continually find more or new dependencies.

What should the Scrum Teams do to effectively deal with their dependencies?

(choose the best answer)

Show Answer Hide Answer
Correct Answer: A

The Nexus framework is a way of scaling Scrum for multiple teams working on a single product. The Nexus framework uses Scrum as its building block and extends it only where necessary to minimize and manage dependencies between teams 11. The Nexus framework defines the accountabilities, events, and artifacts that bind and weave together the work of the teams in a Nexus 11. One of the key events in the Nexus framework is the Nexus Sprint Planning, which is used to coordinate the activities of all teams in the Nexus for a single Sprint 11.

In Scenario C, the Nexus Sprint Planning is not conducted effectively. The representatives from each of the 9-member Scrum Teams identify many dependencies, which makes it hard for them to choose the work they could pull into their individual teams for the next Sprint. No matter how they reorganize the Product Backlog items, they continually find more or new dependencies. Dependencies are the relationships between the work items that affect the order, timing, or outcome of the work 22. Dependencies can cause delays, rework, waste, and lower quality 22. Therefore, it is important to identify and resolve dependencies as early and as often as possible 22.

What should the Scrum Teams do to effectively deal with their dependencies is:

Increase the frequency of Cross-Team Refinement to reduce dependencies. This is answer A. This is a valid answer because Cross-Team Refinement is an activity where representatives from each team in the Nexus meet to decompose and refine the Product Backlog items into smaller pieces of work that can be delivered by a single team or multiple teams 11. By doing this, the teams can reduce the dependencies by breaking down the work into more manageable and independent units 11. The teams can also identify and resolve the dependencies before the Nexus Sprint Planning, which will make the planning easier and more effective 11. By increasing the frequency of Cross-Team Refinement, the teams can ensure that the Product Backlog items are ready and clear for the Nexus Sprint Planning 11.

The other three answers are not correct because:

Merge the two Scrum Teams together that have the most dependencies with each other. This is answer B. This is not a valid answer because merging the two Scrum Teams together that have the most dependencies with each other is not a good solution. It implies that the teams are not able to collaborate and coordinate effectively with each other, and that they need to be in the same team to work on the same product 11. It also increases the size and complexity of the merged team, which can reduce its agility and productivity 11. It also does not address the root cause of the dependencies, which may be related to the product or communication structure 22.

Institute quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams. This is answer C. This is not a valid answer because instituting quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams is not consistent with Scrum or Nexus. Scrum and Nexus require that the teams plan and deliver a potentially releasable Increment of product value in each Sprint, which is usually a few weeks long 11. Instituting quarterly meetings for planning out all dependencies between teams means that the teams are not planning or delivering any value or receiving any feedback in the Sprints 11. It also means that the teams are not able to adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the customers and users, which are essential for empiricism and agility 11.

All of the above. This is answer D. This is not a valid answer because none of the above answers are valid. Therefore, choosing all of them is not a valid answer either.


Question No. 5

How might the Nexus evolve its Definition of Done over time?

(choose the best answer)

Show Answer Hide Answer
Correct Answer: C

The Definition of Done is a set of quality standards that apply to the Integrated Increment, which is the combined work of all the Scrum Teams in the Nexus that meets the Nexus Sprint Goal 11. The Definition of Done creates transparency and alignment among the Scrum Teams and the stakeholders, and ensures that the Integrated Increment is potentially releasable 22. The Definition of Done can evolve over time as the Nexus learns from its experience and feedback, and as the product complexity and quality expectations change 33. The best place to discuss and update the Definition of Done is at the Nexus Sprint Retrospective, which is an event that occurs at the end of the Sprint where the Nexus inspects and adapts its processes, tools, and interactions 11. The Nexus Integration Team, which is a group of people who are accountable for ensuring the integration and delivery of the Integrated Increment, is responsible for the Definition of Done, but they can involve the other Scrum Team members and stakeholders in the discussion and decision 1144. Therefore, statement C is the correct answer.

Statement A is incorrect because it implies that the Nexus Integration Team can unilaterally change the Definition of Done without consulting the other Scrum Teams or stakeholders, which would undermine the transparency and collaboration that are essential for scaling Scrum 1144. Statement B is incorrect because it suggests that the Definition of Done is owned by the larger development organization, which may not be familiar with the specific needs and challenges of the Nexus, and that the changes are communicated by stakeholders, who may not have the technical expertise or authority to do so 1144. Statement D is incorrect because it assumes that the Scrum Masters have the sole power to decide on changes to the Definition of Done, which would exclude the input and agreement of the Nexus Integration Team, the other Scrum Team members, and the stakeholders 1144.


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