I don't think this is unpopular at all—I think it’s actually the 'Senior/Pragmatic' view. This highlights a key distinction: The simulator is designed to teach

I don't think this is unpopular at all—I think it’s actually the 'Senior/Pragmatic' view. This highlights a key distinction: The simulator is designed to teach heuristics (e.g., 'Default to protecting the team'), not a rigid playbook. In a real startup, specific contexts (like 'BigCo Renewal') often override the default heuristic. You nailed three critical nuances that the default path glossed over: Bus Factor: If the Junior is the only one who can pull the data, that's an engineering failure on my part. Business Alignment: In a startup, 'Revenue' > 'Sprint Integrity.' Being a 'stone' to revenue-critical requests is a fast way to lose influence. The Middle Path: Your suggestion (Timebox/Reallocate) is the advanced move. It solves the VP's pain without wrecking the sprint. Thanks for adding this perspective—it shows exactly where 'Best Practice' meets reality.