Scrum.org PSM I Study Guide: Scrum Master Fundamentals

Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) is a foundational Scrum Master certification. It validates your knowledge of the Scrum framework, the Scrum Master accountabilities, and how to apply Scrum with a Scrum Team. The Scrum Master is not simply a traditional project manager: the accountability centers on helping people understand and use Scrum effectively.

This guide follows Scrum.org’s current PSM I assessment information. The Scrum Guide is the core reference. Use its framework and terminology rather than treating one team’s local habits as Scrum rules.

Who is this exam for?

PSM I suits aspiring Scrum Masters, team members, agile coaches, and managers who are beginning to learn Scrum. Scrum.org does not require a course or another certification before attempting the assessment. Experience on a Scrum Team helps with scenarios but is not an eligibility requirement.

Exam format

PSM I has 80 questions and a 60-minute time limit. Formats include multiple choice, multiple answer, and true/false. The passing score is 85%. Each assessment password is valid for one attempt; the certification is lifetime with no annual renewal. PSM I is offered in English and Japanese through Scrum.org, with Simplified Chinese available through scrum.org.cn. Confirm language options when registering.

What the assessment covers

The official focus areas include understanding and applying the Scrum framework, developing people and teams, and managing products with agility. Key topics include:

Empiricism: transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
Scrum values: commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage.
The Scrum Team, its three accountabilities, five events, three artifacts, and their commitments.
The Definition of Done and the Increment.
Self-managing teams, facilitation, coaching, and mentoring.
Product value, Product Backlog management, forecasting, release planning, and stakeholder collaboration.

How to learn the core concepts

Empiricism in Scrum

Complex work cannot be fully planned in advance. Transparency, regular inspection, and timely adaptation help reduce uncertainty. Transparency enables inspection, and inspection leads to adjustment. Events are not meetings for their own sake; they create regular opportunities to inspect and adapt.

The Scrum Team and its accountabilities

The Scrum Team consists of a Product Owner, a Scrum Master, and Developers, with no sub-teams or hierarchies. The Product Owner maximizes product value and manages the Product Backlog effectively. Developers create a usable Increment each Sprint. The Scrum Master establishes Scrum and improves team effectiveness while serving the team, Product Owner, and organization.

The Scrum Master does not assign tasks or make technical decisions for the team. The work includes coaching self-management, facilitating collaboration, helping remove impediments, and supporting organizational improvement when appropriate.

Five events, three artifacts, and commitments

The Sprint is a fixed-length event that contains the other events. Sprint Planning establishes the Sprint Goal, selects work, and creates a plan. Developers use the Daily Scrum to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan. The Sprint Review inspects outcomes and changes with stakeholders. The Sprint Retrospective plans ways to improve quality and effectiveness.

The artifacts and commitments are Product Backlog (Product Goal), Sprint Backlog (Sprint Goal), and Increment (Definition of Done). Keep events, artifacts, and commitments distinct.

Servant leadership and team development

Servant leadership does not mean making every decision for the team. It means creating conditions where people can take responsibility, collaborate, and deliver. Facilitation helps a group have effective conversations; coaching helps people find their own answers; mentoring shares relevant expertise. Choose the approach based on the situation and team needs.

Concepts that are easy to confuse

Scrum Master and project manager: The Scrum Guide does not define a project manager accountability; the Scrum Master enables effective Scrum rather than relying on command and control.
Daily Scrum and status meeting: Developers inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt their plan; they do not report status to the Scrum Master.
Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog: The first is the ordered work for the product; the second includes the Sprint Goal, selected Product Backlog items, and delivery plan.
Done and released: A Done Increment is usable; the Product Owner decides whether to release it, and a release need not wait for the Sprint Review.
Removing impediments and solving everything for the team: The Scrum Master helps the team address impediments and collaborate without taking over its accountability.

Two-week study plan

Phase	Focus	Practice
Week 1	Read the Scrum Guide; learn empiricism, values, accountabilities, events, artifacts, and commitments	Explain each concept in your own words and identify common misconceptions
Week 2	Follow the PSM I focus areas and practice scenarios and terminology	Take Scrum Open; review each miss against the Scrum Guide

Time management matters: 80 questions in 60 minutes leaves little time for searching. Learn the definitions, then practice quickly identifying the rule, accountability boundary, or empiricism principle behind each question.

Exam readiness checklist

Explain Scrum’s purpose, empiricism, and five values.
Distinguish the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Developers accountabilities.
State the purpose, participants, and timebox of each event.
Match the three artifacts to their commitments.
Distinguish local team habits from what the Scrum Guide defines.
Consistently score above the passing threshold in timed practice.

What to practice next

Read the official Scrum Guide, then use Scrum Open to check your understanding. For every missed question, explain the source rule and why the other options are wrong instead of memorizing an answer. Start PSM-I practice