The correct answer is C – Facilitate a conversation about the user story between the development team and the product owner. In Agile, collaboration, self-organization, and face-to-face conversation are foundational principles for resolving disagreements and achieving a shared understanding.
According to the PMI Agile Practice Guide:
“The agile practitioner facilitates healthy communication and constructive dialogue between the product owner and the development team to align understanding and priorities. Agile coaches and Scrum Masters serve the team by removing obstacles to collaboration, not by acting as decision-makers.”
(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 6.3 – Facilitating Agile Practices)
Further, the guide emphasizes:
“Effective teams discuss issues collaboratively. When disagreements arise, the agile leader’s role is to facilitate communication and resolution through shared understanding, not to dictate decisions.”
(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 4.1 – Agile Mindset and Behaviors)
Mike Griffiths’ PMI-ACP Exam Prep Book also states:
“Agile encourages close collaboration between business and technical teams. When conflicts arise regarding a user story, the agile practitioner’s role is to facilitate meaningful discussions to ensure mutual understanding and team-driven resolution.”
(Mike Griffiths, Chapter 4 – Team Performance)
Why the other options are incorrect:
A undermines team self-organization and implies a command-and-control model.
B is confrontational and goes against agile values of respect and collaboration.
D contradicts the facilitative role of the agile practitioner, who should not act as an authoritative decision-maker.
Thus, the most agile-consistent approach is to enable conversation and clarity between roles.
Answer: C
