Periodic retrospectives provide teams with an opportunity to reflect on their experiences, identify areas of improvement, and plan their strategies moving forward. In the context of the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) exam, understanding how to adapt cadence and the planning process based on the results of these retrospectives is a significant learning point.
Adapting Cadence
The term ‘cadence’ in Agile refers to the regularity with which specific activities occur. It can be particularly relevant to processes like sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives. A team may meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly based on what suits their working style and project requirements. The results of periodic retrospectives can be instrumental in determining the most suitable cadence.
For instance, suppose a team consistently finds during retrospectives that their sprint goals are unrealistic and unattainable within the current cadence. In this case, they may decide to increase the length of their sprint cycle to allow for more completion time. Conversely, if the team regularly completes their tasks early and finds themselves idle, they might decide to shorten the sprint cycle. The cadence of retrospectives themselves can also be adjusted based on results and team feedback.
Adapting the Planning Process
Agile places a premium on adaptability and responding to change. Retrospectives often reveal new insights that can demand alterations in the project planning process. For example, if recurring issues around resourcing or task prioritization are identified in retrospectives, the team may decide to refocus their planning process to tackle these problems more effectively.
Furthermore, retrospectives can lead to changes in the scope or direction of the project deliverables. Variations in project deliverables size, complexity, or criticality demand tailored approaches to project planning. For instance, a smaller, less complex project may be delivered in shorter, fast-paced sprints, while a larger, more complex one might need longer sprints to ensure high-quality outcomes.
An important aspect of adapting the planning process based on the results of periodic retrospectives is adjusting the backlog. Retrospectives often shine a light on new requirements, bug fixes, or iterations that need to be added to the backlog. They also help in reprioritizing tasks in response to shifting stakeholder expectations or objectives.
Moreover, adapting planning techniques may be necessary based on retrospectives’ results. Teams may shift from story pointing to time boxing, or vice versa, in estimating tasks based on their experiences and retrospective feedback.
Example: An Agile Team Adaptation
Consider an Agile development team working in two-week sprints. On conducting bi-weekly retrospectives, the team consistently finds that they are unable to meet their sprint goals due to unforeseen technical issues cropping up during development. As a result, instead of extending their sprint cycles, they decide to adapt their planning process. They include buffer time in each sprint to account for unexpected roadblocks. Additionally, they also increase their retrospective meetings’ frequency to weekly instead of bi-weekly, allowing them to react more quickly to any emerging problems.
To conclude, retrospectives in Agile can offer deep insights that impact team’s cadence and planning processes. Adapting the cadence and planning process based on the results of retrospectives allows Agile teams to deliver better quality results and be more in sync with their project deliverables’ size, complexity, and criticality.
Practice Test
True or False: In the context of the PMI-ACP examination, cadence refers to the frequency at which the team completes their work in relation to the project deliverables.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Cadence in project management refers to the rhythm or pattern of iterations or delivery cycles. The project’s cadence is based on the characteristics and complexities of the project deliverables.
Multiple Select: Which of the following can be adapted based on the results of periodic retrospectives?
- a) Team Dynamics
- b) The cadence
- c) Project deliverables
- d) The planning process
Answer: a, b, d
Explanation: Periodic retrospectives may influence the team dynamics, cadence, and the overall process of planning. However, the project deliverables are usually set by stakeholders and generally not changed by retrospectives.
True or False: Periodic retrospectives do not have significant impacts on the project’s criticality.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Periodic retrospectives can provide valuable insights into the project’s critical factors, including risks and dependencies, which consequently impacts its criticality.
Single Select: What is the main purpose of adapting cadence and planning process based on the results of periodic retrospectives?
- a) To identify team’s strengths and weaknesses
- b) To address issues and challenges
- c) To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the project team work
- d) To establish better communication within the team
Answer: c
Explanation: The main purpose of adapting the cadence and planning process is to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the project work, though it can also help in addressing issues, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and improving communication.
True or False: The size of project deliverables does not affect project cadence.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The size or complexity of the project deliverables can greatly influence the cadence. For larger or more complex deliverables, a slower cadence may be needed to ensure quality and accuracy.
Single Select: Who are typically involved in the periodic retrospectives?
- a) Only Project Manager
- b) Only Project Team
- c) Both Project Manager and Project Team
- d) Only Stakeholders
Answer: c
Explanation: Both the project manager and the project team members are involved in the periodic retrospectives, providing feedback and insights that form the basis for future improvements.
Multiple Select: What are the common outcomes of a periodic retrospective?
- a) Improvement in project planning
- b) Better understanding of team’s performance
- c) Resolve team conflicts
- d) Refine the project deliverables
Answer: a, b, c
Explanation: Periodic retrospectives generally result in improved project planning, better understanding of the team’s performance and resolution of team conflicts. They don’t usually involve refining the project deliverables.
True or False: The planning process should never be adapted, regardless results of periodic retrospectives.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: As a key principle of agile, the planning process should be adaptable. Feedback from periodic retrospectives may identify opportunities to improve the planning process, and adaptations may be necessary.
Single Select: What key principle of agile is applied when the cadence and planning process are adapted based on periodic retrospectives?
- a) Simplicity
- b) Respect
- c) Improvement
- d) Flexibility
Answer: d
Explanation: The principle of flexibility or adaptability is applied when changes are made based on retrospectives’ results.
True or False: The cadence and planning process can be adapted based on the results of periodic retrospectives even if the project deliverables are critically important.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The criticality of project deliverables may affect the methods of adaptation, but it doesn’t prevent adaptation from happening. The goal is always to improve the project’s overall delivery and efficiency.
Interview Questions
What does it mean to advocate for Agile principles within a team?
Advocating for Agile principles means promoting, demonstrating, and discussing Agile values, like transparency, inspection, and adaptation. This helps develop a shared mindset across the team and between the customer and the team, enabling better problem-solving, decision-making, and improvement.
How can you model Agile principles within your team?
Modeling Agile principles can mean using Agile methods in your own work, encouraging continuous communication and feedback, promoting iterative development, adapting to change, and demonstrating respect for and collaboration with others.
What are the four key values of Agile according to the Agile Manifesto?
The four key values are: individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan.
Why is it important for an Agile team to share a common mindset?
A shared mindset can lead to more cohesive decision-making, better communication, and improved problem-solving. It helps the team move in the same direction and manage change effectively.
What roles do customers play in Agile methodologies?
In Agile methodologies, customers play an active role. They’re involved in the iterative planning and review sessions and can influence the product’s direction by offering feedback and suggestions.
How do Agile principles relate to developing a shared mindset?
Agile principles emphasize collaboration, flexible response to change, and customer satisfaction. When these principles are modelled and discussed, they influence the team’s values and behaviours, helping build a shared mindset.
How can you promote Agile values to stakeholders who are new to Agile?
It’s helpful to provide education or training on Agile principles and practices, making the benefits clear, setting realistic expectations, involving them in Agile processes, and demonstrating the value of Agile through results.
What is meant by “modeling” in the context of Agile principles?
Modeling refers to demonstrating Agile principles through one’s actions. This provides a real-life example of how these principles can be applied and reinforces their value to the team.
What is the benefit of consistently reviewing and discussing Agile values within a team?
Regular reviews and discussions about Agile values reinforce the team’s understanding and commitment to these principles, helping to maintain an Agile mindset and encouraging continuous improvement.
How can Agile principles help in developing trust with customers?
Agile principles emphasize customer collaboration and satisfaction. By delivering frequent, high-quality work, accepting and responding to feedback, and maintaining transparency, trust is fostered with the customer.
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