Agile Methodologies and Frameworks Flashcards

Which metric is most useful for predicting when a Kanban team will finish all items currently in the backlog?

Answer: Monte Carlo simulation based on throughput data

Monte Carlo simulation using historical throughput data provides probabilistic forecasts of backlog completion dates without relying on estimates, making it the most statistically sound prediction tool for Kanban teams.

A Scrum Master notices that the team's Daily Scrum has become a status report to the Product Owner. What is the BEST corrective action?

Answer: Ask the Product Owner to leave the Daily Scrum and remind the team it is a planning event for developers

The Daily Scrum is a planning event owned by and for the developers; the Product Owner should not attend unless they are also developing, and the Scrum Master should coach the team to use it for collaborative planning.

In SAFe, what distinguishes a 'Feature' from an 'Epic'?

Answer: Features are implemented by a single team in one sprint; Epics span multiple teams or PIs

In SAFe, a Feature delivers value within a single PI and is owned at the Program level, while an Epic is a large initiative that spans multiple PIs or ARTs and requires a lightweight business case.

Which Agile practice most directly supports the principle 'Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done—is essential'?

Answer: Implementing only the functionality needed to pass the current failing test (YAGNI)

YAGNI (You Aren't Gonna Need It) and minimum viable implementations directly embody the Agile simplicity principle by resisting the urge to add features until they are actually needed.

When using the Cynefin framework to inform Agile product decisions, in which domain is iterative experimentation (probe-sense-respond) the recommended approach?

Answer: Complex

In the Complex domain, cause and effect can only be understood in retrospect, so the Cynefin framework recommends running safe-to-fail experiments (probe-sense-respond), which aligns closely with Agile iteration.

A product team wants to adopt test-driven development (TDD). In which order should activities occur?

Answer: Write a failing test → write minimum code to pass it → refactor

TDD follows the Red-Green-Refactor cycle: write a failing test (Red), write the minimum code to make it pass (Green), then improve the code quality (Refactor).

An organization is transitioning from a project-based model to an Agile product model. Which structural change best reflects this shift?

Answer: Moving from temporary project teams that disband after delivery to persistent product teams with long-term ownership

The project-to-product shift means forming stable, persistent teams that own a product area continuously rather than assembling and disbanding temporary project crews.