CAPM Practice: Determine how to document project controls for an adaptive project

A flat burndown (no decrease in remaining work) for multiple days signals a problem: either the team is blocked (impediments preventing completion), working on tasks not yet reflected in the burndown (long-in-progress items), or having problems completing stories to their Definition of Done. The Scrum Master should investigate and remove impediments immediately.

**Why not A:** A flat burndown line does not reveal anything about the original sprint plan's accuracy. Overly ambitious sprint planning would typically result in a line that remains high throughout, but a flat period specifically in the middle of a sprint—after initial progress—points to a mid-sprint problem such as a blocker, not a planning error made before the sprint began.

**Why not C:** If the team had completed all sprint items early, the burndown would drop to zero, not plateau. A flat line at a non-zero level is the opposite of completion; it signals that remaining work is unchanged, which means items are still open and the team is not progressing through them.

**Why not D:** A flat burndown is not a sign of efficiency; it is a warning signal. A team working efficiently and approaching completion would show a steeply declining line converging toward zero. Remaining work that does not decrease over several days indicates that the team's effort is not being reflected in completed stories, suggesting impediments or incomplete work items rather than smooth progress.