HKSM

When the Scrum Guidance Body identifies organizational policies that limit teams from gaining the full value of Scrum, a formal escalation is raised to obtain approval to modify those policies.

Key Points

• Used when existing company policies block effective Scrum adoption or outcomes.
• Initiated by the Scrum Guidance Body (or equivalent governance) with clear evidence of impact.
• Follows a defined escalation path to decision makers who can approve policy changes.
• Results in a policy update, approved exception, or a documented resolution to remove the impediment.

Example

A company mandates comprehensive upfront requirements sign-off before any work can start. The Scrum Guidance Body determines this prevents iterative delivery and learning. They submit an escalation to the PMO and CIO requesting a policy change to allow a product vision, a rolling backlog, and staged approvals. Leadership approves a pilot exception and later updates the policy company-wide.

PMP Example Question

Which best describes Actionable Escalations in an agile governance context?

1. Documenting impediments in the team backlog for the Scrum Master to handle later.
2. Formally requesting leadership approval to change a policy that is hindering Scrum effectiveness.
3. Scheduling additional Daily Scrums to increase team communication.
4. Submitting a scope change to the change control board to add new features.

Correct Answer: B — Formally requesting leadership approval to change a blocking policy

Explanation: Actionable Escalations are raised to decision makers to modify policies that prevent teams from realizing the full benefits of Scrum.