The permits team's story-point velocity rose after they inflated estimates. What should the Scrum Master / Team Coach do about using that number as the performance score?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Velocity that jumps because stories got "bigger" on paper is a speedometer you turned with a screwdriver. Permits did not get faster for residents. Do not hang a performance medal on a number the team can inflate.
Full Explanation
When a permits team's story-point velocity rose after estimates were inflated, the Scrum Master / Team Coach should reject velocity as the sole performance measure because story points are easy to game. Inflated points create a rising chart without faster resident permitting or fewer rework loops. Publishing the new velocity as proof of high performance legitimizes gaming and teaches the team that the scoreboard matters more than the service. Mandating a twenty percent velocity increase every PI encodes inflation as policy and guarantees further distortion. Comparing the team's points to another ART's points as a citywide ranking compounds incomparability with politics and invites every team to inflate defensively. Exam caveat: SASM treats velocity as a planning aid for one team, not a performance scorecard across teams or a mandate to rise forever; gaming is a known failure mode on advanced Scrum Master assessments. Operational check: stop using the inflated velocity alone in leadership reviews, restore relative estimation discipline if needed, add outcome and flow measures for permit cycle time and quality escapes, and explain to stakeholders why points are not a civic KPI. Watch for reintroduction of point targets in the next PI and coach Product Owners not to treat rising points as success theater.