ADM Metrics & Reporting Flashcards

What does 'throughput' measure in a Kanban or agile context?

Answer: Number of work items completed within a defined time period

Throughput counts the number of items finished per unit of time (e.g., per week), serving as a flow-based alternative to velocity.

How does a burn-up chart differ from a burndown chart?

Answer: A burn-up chart shows completed work and can also display scope changes

Unlike a burndown that shows remaining work, a burn-up chart plots completed work against total scope, making scope creep clearly visible.

What are 'escaped defects' in agile quality metrics?

Answer: Defects discovered by end users after the product has been released

Escaped defects are bugs that pass through all internal quality gates and are only found by customers in production, indicating testing gaps.

What is the primary benefit of applying WIP (Work In Progress) limits?

Answer: Improve flow efficiency by reducing context switching and bottlenecks

WIP limits force teams to finish work before starting new items, reducing multitasking, exposing bottlenecks, and smoothing delivery flow.

What is the key difference between lead time and cycle time for a delivery manager?

Answer: Lead time includes wait time before work is started; cycle time starts when work begins

Lead time captures the full customer experience from request to delivery, while cycle time reflects only the active work period, helping managers identify queuing delays.

Which metric best reflects a Scrum team's predictability over multiple sprints?

Answer: Sprint goal attainment rate

Tracking how consistently a team achieves its sprint goal across sprints is a direct measure of predictability and reliability of delivery commitments.