APM Agile Methodologies and Frameworks 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Scrum team consistently fails to complete all sprint backlog items by the end of the sprint. According to Scrum, what is the MOST appropriate response?
- Extend the sprint until all items are complete
- Move incomplete items back to the Product Backlog and re-prioritize with the Product Owner (Correct answer)
- Reduce the team's velocity target for future sprints automatically
- Ask the Scrum Master to assign tasks more evenly among team members
Correct answer: Move incomplete items back to the Product Backlog and re-prioritize with the Product Owner
Incomplete Sprint Backlog items return to the Product Backlog at the end of the sprint, where the Product Owner re-prioritizes them; the sprint itself never extends.
Question 2: Which framework introduced the concept of an 'Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration' as a buffer for exploration and hardening?
- Scrum
- LeSS
- SAFe (Correct answer)
- Crystal
Correct answer: SAFe
SAFe includes an Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration at the end of each Program Increment to allow time for innovation, PI planning prep, and addressing technical debt.
Question 3: In Crystal methodology, what factor primarily determines which Crystal variant (Clear, Yellow, Orange, Red) a team should use?
- The programming language used by the team
- Team size and project criticality (Correct answer)
- The geographic distribution of team members
- The organization's maturity level in Agile adoption
Correct answer: Team size and project criticality
Crystal selects its variant based on team size (reflected in the color name's number) and the criticality (life, essential money, discretionary money, comfort) of the system being built.
Question 4: A product manager wants to use the Spotify model. Which organizational unit is responsible for long-term technical ownership of a specific area of the product?
- Squad (Correct answer)
- Tribe
- Chapter
- Guild
Correct answer: Squad
In the Spotify model, a Squad is the autonomous unit (similar to a Scrum team) that owns a specific feature area end-to-end over the long term.
Question 5: Which Agile framework is specifically designed around the concept of a 'Value Stream' and optimizing the flow of value from concept to cash?
- Crystal
- SAFe (Correct answer)
- DSDM
- XP
Correct answer: SAFe
SAFe explicitly organizes work around Value Streams, using Agile Release Trains (ARTs) aligned to value streams to optimize end-to-end flow from concept to delivery.
Question 6: In DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method), what does the MoSCoW prioritization technique stand for?
- Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Would-have
- Mandatory, Secondary, Conditional, Wishful
- Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Won't-have this time (Correct answer)
- Maximum, Standard, Conditional, Waived
Correct answer: Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Won't-have this time
MoSCoW stands for Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, and Won't-have this time—a prioritization scheme originating from DSDM to manage scope within fixed timeboxes.
Question 7: When a Scrum team adopts a 'Definition of Ready' (DoR), what is its primary purpose?
- To define the criteria a Product Backlog Item must meet before the team pulls it into a sprint (Correct answer)
- To specify when a sprint increment can be released to production
- To establish the quality standards required before a sprint review
- To document the conditions under which the Product Owner can accept a story
Correct answer: To define the criteria a Product Backlog Item must meet before the team pulls it into a sprint
The Definition of Ready (DoR) sets the entry criteria—such as being clearly defined, estimated, and free of blockers—that a backlog item must meet before it can be selected for sprint planning.
APM Agile Methodologies and Frameworks 3
A Scrum team consistently fails to complete all sprint backlog items by the end of the sprint.
According to Scrum, what is the MOST appropriate response?