Backlog Refinement & Prioritization Flashcards
7 cards from real DAC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Backlog Refinement & Prioritization flashcards as text
In DA's Disciplined DevOps layer, how does continuous deployment affect backlog prioritization?
Answer: It shifts prioritization toward smaller, releasable increments with clear deployment readiness criteria
Continuous deployment favors small, independently deployable items, so prioritization must account for deployment complexity and readiness.
When applying the DA process goal 'Manage the Work Item List,' which of the following activities is explicitly included?
Answer: Triage, ranking, and estimating work items
The DA process goal for managing the WIL includes triaging incoming work, ranking items by priority, and estimating effort.
A team is using Kanban within the DA context. How does backlog refinement differ compared to a Scrum-based team?
Answer: Refinement is event-driven and occurs continuously as capacity becomes available rather than on a fixed cadence
In a Kanban context within DA, refinement is pull-based and continuous rather than tied to sprint boundaries.
What is the primary purpose of 'slicing' user stories during backlog refinement?
Answer: To break large stories into smaller, independently deliverable pieces that reduce batch size
Slicing decomposes large stories into thin vertical slices that each deliver end-to-end value and can be completed within an iteration.
Which DA mindset principle directly supports collaborative backlog refinement sessions with the whole team rather than just the product owner?
Answer: Collaborate proactively
DA's 'Collaborate proactively' mindset encourages whole-team participation in refinement to leverage diverse knowledge and build shared understanding.
A coach notices a team's backlog has over 400 items, many of which are months old and never addressed. What DA-aligned action should they recommend?
Answer: Conduct a backlog pruning session to archive, delete, or re-triage stale items
DA advocates for regularly pruning the WIL to remove stale items that no longer reflect current priorities and to keep the list manageable.
In the DA context, what does it mean to 'right-size' a work item during refinement?
Answer: Ensuring the item is small enough to be completed within an iteration but large enough to deliver measurable value
Right-sizing ensures items are appropriately granular—small enough to fit in an iteration yet meaningful enough to provide customer value.