Agile and Hybrid Approaches Flashcards

A project team using a hybrid approach has fixed regulatory deliverables but uncertain technical requirements. How should the project manager structure the work?

Answer: Apply waterfall planning to regulatory milestones and agile iterations for technical development

Hybrid approaches strategically apply waterfall where constraints are fixed (regulations) and agile where flexibility is needed (uncertain technical scope).

What is the purpose of a 'Definition of Ready' (DoR) in agile?

Answer: Criteria that must be met before a user story can enter a sprint

The Definition of Ready ensures user stories are sufficiently understood, estimated, and small enough before the team commits to completing them in a sprint.

In agile, which practice BEST supports the principle of 'responding to change over following a plan'?

Answer: Holding regular backlog refinement sessions to reprioritize based on new information

Regular backlog refinement allows teams to incorporate new information and changing priorities, embodying the agile principle of embracing change.

A Scrum team consistently fails to complete all sprint backlog items by the end of the sprint. What is the MOST appropriate first action?

Answer: Reduce sprint commitments based on historical velocity data

Teams should use their actual velocity (historical data) to make realistic sprint commitments rather than over-committing and consistently under-delivering.

What is 'continuous integration' in the context of agile software development?

Answer: Frequently merging code changes into a shared repository and automatically running tests

Continuous integration is the practice of frequently merging code and automatically verifying it through builds and tests to catch integration errors quickly.

In a hybrid project lifecycle, a 'phase gate' or 'stage gate' review is MOST similar to which agile concept?

Answer: Sprint review with stakeholder feedback and go/no-go decision

Phase gates involve inspecting deliverables and deciding whether to proceed, which is analogous to sprint reviews where stakeholders evaluate increments and provide direction.

Which statement about agile contracts is MOST accurate according to PMBOK guidance?

Answer: Agile-friendly contracts focus on collaboration, value delivery, and flexible scope rather than rigid deliverables

PMBOK recommends that contracts for agile projects be designed to allow for flexibility and collaboration, with an emphasis on delivering value over following a fixed plan.