Mock test - Problem Detection 1

Our risk-adjusted backlog includes the work items listed below. How will we rank these items in our risk-adjusted backlog? Feature A = $2 million; Feature B = $1 million; Feature C = $7 million Risk D = $3.5 million; Risk E = $1.15 million; Risk F = $2.4 million A. Feature C, Risk D, Feature A, Risk F, Feature B, Risk E B. Risk D, Feature C, Risk F, Feature A, Risk E, Feature B C. Feature C, Risk D, Risk F, Feature A, Feature B, Risk E D. Feature C, Risk D, Risk F, Feature A, Risk E, Feature B

D. Feature C, Risk D, Risk F, Feature A, Risk E, Feature B Explanation We rank these items in our risk-adjusted backlog from high to low, based on the estimated business value of the features and the expected monetary value of the risks. In order, our priorities would be: Feature C ($7 million), Risk D ($3.5 million), Risk F ($2.4 million), Feature A ($2 million), Risk E ($1.15 million), Feature B ($1 million). Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 346

As ScrumMaster, you notice that some user stories are taking up to 4 hours longer to develop than estimated, while others are completed up to 2 hours faster than estimated. You should: A. Do nothing; this is normal variation. B. Ask the team to recommend a solution to the problem. C. Ask the product owner if this variance is within the control limits. D. Perform Five Whys and Fishbone Analysis to find the cause.

A. Do nothing; this is normal variation. Explanation Some amount of variance between estimates and actual results is normal and inevitable. This sounds like normal variation that would be wasteful to take time to investigate. Although the team might have set control limits for the accuracy of their estimates, that isn't typically done on agile projects--and even if there were such limits, the product owner wouldn't be involved. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 338

Your team is tracking their escaped defects." What are they trying to monitor?" A. Errors missed by quality assurance that make it into production B. Defects that are never found C. Issues found in refactoring D. Change requests made by the end users after release

A. Errors missed by quality assurance that make it into production Explanation Escaped defects are errors that are missed by the quality assurance and make it into production. The other options are made up. (A chart of problems that are never found would be a flat line where every data point is zero.) Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 336

Our risk-adjusted backlog includes the work items listed below. What should our top priority be, and why? Requirement 1 = $30,300; Requirement 2 = $7,000; Requirement 3 = $6,400 Risk 1 = $42,800; Risk 2 = $3,500; Risk 3 = $1,200 A. We should do a spike to see if we can reduce or eliminate risk 1, because if we can't, the project might not proceed any further. B. Since agile projects need to balance risk and value, we should tackle both risk 1 and requirement 1 at the same time. C. To maximize business value and minimize waste, we should work on the requirements in order, and only devote resources to the risks if and when they actually occur. D. We should start working on requirement 1 as soon as possible, to make sure we deliver the highest-value feature first.

A. We should do a spike to see if we can reduce or eliminate risk 1, because if we can't, the project might not proceed any further.

It is December 1st. Our next release is due June 1st, and we have 540 points left in our backlog. We are working in two-week iterations and want to use a control limit to monitor our velocity to make sure we stay on track to finish on time. What should our control limit be? A. 45 B. 42 C. 39 D. 21

B. 42 Explanation To find the answer, we first need to determine how many iterations are left before the release date. December 1st to June 1st is 6 months, or 26 weeks, which means there are 13 two-week iterations left before release (26 / 2 = 13). To find the velocity control limit (how much we need to get done per iteration), we divide the total story points by the number of iterations and round up to the next whole number: 540 points /13 iterations = 41.5, or 42. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 343

The average time it takes your team to develop a user story is its: A. Burndown time B. Cycle time C. Lead time D. Throughput

B. Cycle time Explanation Cycle time is a subset of the project lifecycle, such as the time it takes to develop a user story from start to finish. Throughput refers to the amount of work the team can get done in given amount of time. Burndown time" is a made-up term." Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 333

Where can your team find the first warnings of potential problems? A. Retrospectives B. Daily stand-ups C. Iteration demos D. Sprint planning

B. Daily stand-ups Explanation Daily stand-up meetings are typically the earliest source of warning signs or indications of potential problems, since these meetings occur every day. The third question in that meeting asks about impediments to progress, which could be signs of problems. Problems might also be uncovered in retrospectives and demos, but usually that isn't the earliest opportunity to discover them. Planning meetings are unlikely to help the team detect problems. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 332

What isn't a common control limit that might apply to your team? A. Setting minimum targets for iteration velocity B. Specifying a set number of product demos C. Using a Kanban board to minimize WIP D. Restricting teams to 12 or fewer people

B. Specifying a set number of product demos Explanation Restricting or constraining the number of product demos wouldn't be a typical use of control limits on an agile project. Control limits for velocity, team size, and WIP are all common uses. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 343

Which differences aren't due to common causes? A. The differences between estimates and results after the work has been completed B. The differences in productivity between high-performing and low-performing teams C. The differences in effort involved in developing different user stories D. The differences in estimates made by different people of the time required to complete the same task

B. The differences in productivity between high-performing and low-performing teams Explanation The differences in productivity between high-performing and low-performing teams would be a special cause variation. The difference in productivity is not just some minor, random variation that may favor low-performing teams sometimes and high-performing teams other times. Instead, there is a fundamental difference between the teams. This is not true for the other options given. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 338

Your team has 225 points left in the backlog and 3 months until the release date. You're working in one-week iterations. Where should you set your velocity control limit to make sure all the work is done on time? A. 17 B. 19 C. 18 D. 38

C. 18 Explanation Three months equals 13 one-week iterations. First we divide the total points by the number of iterations: 225 / 13 = 17.3. Since the result is more than 17 points, we need to round our control limit up to 18 points to make sure we get all the work done on time. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 343

Compared to a traditional team, an agile team focuses more on reducing: A. Risk B. Defects C. Cycle time D. Special cause variance

C. Cycle time Explanation The correct answer is that, compared to traditional teams, agile teams try to keep their cycle time shorter. Both agile and traditional approaches aim to reduce defects, risk, and special cause variance, although they do it in different ways. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 334

What reduces technical debt? A. Finding defects quickly B. Holding frequent customer demos C. Doing refactoring in each iteration D. Performing usability testing

C. Doing refactoring in each iteration Explanation Technical debt is the backlog of work that is caused by not doing regular refactoring, which refers to cleanup, maintenance, and standardization while the product is being built. So the most important way to keep technical debt down is to include refactoring in every iteration. Defects don't directly increase technical debt; in fact, the causation is the other way around--defects are more likely to occur if technical debt is high. The other answer options aren't related to technical debt. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 326

Feature A is valued at $4,800, Feature B is valued at $5,600, and Feature C is valued at $2,400. The expected monetary values of the risk response actions are Risk D at $5,370; risk E at $2,295; and risk F at $4,860. How will we rank these six items in our risk-adjusted backlog? A. Feature B, risk D, feature A, risk F, feature C, risk E B. Risk D, risk F, risk E, feature B, feature A, feature C C. Feature B, risk D, risk F, feature A, feature C, risk E D. Feature B, feature A, feature C, risk D, risk F, risk E

C. Feature B, risk D, risk F, feature A, feature C, risk E Explanation We would rank these items in our risk-adjusted backlog from high to low as follows: Feature B ($5,600), risk D ($5,370), risk F ($4,860), feature A ($4,800), feature C ($2,400), risk E ($2,295). Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 346

Your team has decided to use pair programming in order to: A. Increase their lead time B. Improve their problem-solving skills C. Lower the cost of fixing defects D. Reduce their cost of labor

C. Lower the cost of fixing defects Explanation To answer this question you need to think about the benefits of using pair programming. This practice isn't likely to reduce the team's cost of labor--if anything, it might increase that cost. Pair programming also isn't likely to increase their lead time (which wouldn't be desirable anyway)--it might it well reduce it. Is it likely to improve the team members' problem-solving skills? Probably not, although the team would benefit from sharing knowledge more widely. The best reason listed here would be to lower the cost of fixing defects, since pair programming allows problems to be found very quickly, at the bottom of the cost of change curve. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 325

Asking your team to address problems will increase the chances of finding solutions that are: A. Faster to implement than solutions created by management B. Less costly to implement because no extra resources are required C. Practical, vetted by the team, and have team buy-in D. Bought into by the business

C. Practical, vetted by the team, and have team buy-in Explanation By engaging the team in solving problems, we can ensure that the solutions will be practical, already vetted by the team, and have team buy-in. These solutions may or may not be faster to implement, less costly, or more likely to have business buy in. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 352

When your team finds out about an escaped defect, they have a valuable opportunity to: A. Improve their plans and estimates B. Refine their projections of velocity and cycle time C. Prevent similar defects in the future D. Fix the problem and deliver value to the organization

C. Prevent similar defects in the future Explanation When we learn about an escaped defect, we have a valuable opportunity to prevent similar defects in the future. Yes, we can fix the problem, but that isn't a valuable opportunity in and of itself; the key benefit lies in preventing future problems from escaping our QA processes. The other answer options aren't related to finding defects. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 336

Your lead designer comes down with the flu and misses three days of work, causing a drop in the team's velocity for the iteration. This change can be attributed to: A. Normal variation B. Common causes C. Special causes D. Acceptable limits

C. Special causes Explanation The change in velocity from previous iterations is due to special causes, since getting the flu is (presumably) a departure from this team member's usual routine. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 338

You see that in the last month your team's throughput has gone up but their cycle time remains the same as the previous month. What must have happened? A. They must have taken a lot of vacations that month B. Their velocity must have improved C. Their WIP must have increased D. They must have lowered their WIP limits

C. Their WIP must have increased Explanation To answer this question you simply need to know this formula: cycle time = WIP / throughput. So if throughput goes up while cycle time (the ratio between WIP and throughput) remains the same, we can deduce that the team's WIP must have also increased. The other answer options are distractors. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 333

Using a scale of 1 to 3 (low to high), what kind of risk would have the highest severity? A. A risk with high impact and low probability and a risk with low impact and high probability would be tied for the highest score B. A risk with high impact and low probability C. A risk with high probability and low impact D. A risk with medium probability and medium impact

D. A risk with medium probability and medium impact Explanation The calculation for risk severity is risk probability (as a ranking) x risk impact (as a ranking). Based on a scale of 1 to 3 (low to high), a risk with high impact (3) x low probability (1) = 3. A risk with high probability (3) x low impact (1) = 3. A risk with medium probability (2) x medium impact (2) = 4. Therefore, the risk with medium probability and medium impact would have the highest risk severity. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 349

As team leader, when you make a mistake, you should: A. Ask your lead developer for advice about what to do next, but swear her to secrecy to minimize negative gossip. B. Keep the news to yourself, to protect the team members from problems they aren't responsible for and can't control. C. Tell the team about the mistake, but explain that it wasn't your fault so they don't lose respect for you. D. Admit the mistake openly, hoping that it will encourage the team members to share their errors, too.

D. Admit the mistake openly, hoping that it will encourage the team members to share their errors, too. Explanation As tempting as some of these options may be, agile approaches emphasize the importance of admitting our mistakes openly. This shows team members that it is safe to share their failures with others, and that this is how we want them to operate. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 327

Your team's cycle time is too long. To help motivate them to make changes, you tell them that long cycle times lead to: A. Longer learning cycles B. More escaped defects C. Longer risk-based spikes D. Higher amounts of WIP

D. Higher amounts of WIP Explanation Of the options presented, the best choice is that longer cycle times lead to increased amounts of work in progress (WIP). Cycle time is not directly related to learning cycles, risk-based spikes, or escaped defects. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 333

The product owner has identified the business value of four user stories as follows: Story A is valued at $3,980, Story B is valued at $3,840, Story C is valued at $11,900, and Story D is valued at $13,240. Of these four stories, what is the customer's top priority? A. Story B B. There isn't enough information to identify the customer's priorities. C. Story A D. Story D

D. Story D Explanation Agile user stories are prioritized based on business value. Therefore, story D is the top priority since it has been assigned the highest business value. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 346

What wouldn't be an example of one of Cockburn's failure modes? A. Resisting an innovative new solution B. Making errors that aren't caught in pair programming C. Micromanaging the team when we are faced with a crisis D. Waiting until the next deadline looms to start working

D. Waiting until the next deadline looms to start working Explanation Waiting for the next deadline before we start working is an example of ���student syndrome.�۝ While this certainly isn't the best way to work, it isn't one of Cockburn's failure modes. The other options are all examples of one of those modes. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 328

Shortening the team's cycle time allows us to lower our: A. Defect rates B. Technical debt C. Risk severity D. Work in progress

D. Work in progress Explanation Reducing our cycle time allows us to reduce our work in progress (WIP), because during the cycle when an item has been started but not yet completed, it is considered work in progress. The other options wouldn't be affected by reducing cycle time. Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 333

You're really stuck on a development problem and not sure what to do about it. Who should you go to for help? A. Your pair programming partner B. The ScrumMaster C. Your functional manager D. Your teammates

D. Your teammates Explanation This question is a bit tricky since any of these people might be able to give you helpful insights. However, from the standpoint of the agile mindset that will be tested on the exam, the best answer is your teammates." Discussing the issue with the entire team will provide more diverse perspectives and therefore better options for fixing the issue." Domain: Problem Detection & Resolution Source: PMI-ACP Exam Prep Page: 327