expectations.

The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) certification is recognized across the globe and attests to the holder’s knowledge and skills in Agile project management. By earning it, you demonstrate a deep understanding of Agile practices and the ability to apply them effectively in projects.

Expectations of PMI-ACP Exam

The PMI-ACP exam is composed of 120 multiple choice questions that need to be answered in three hours. Of these, 20 questions are considered pre-test questions that do not affect the final score. The exam covers seven domains that correspond to the key Agile methodologies and practices.

1. Agile Principles and Mindset

This domain evaluates your ability to explore, embody, and employ Agile principles and mindset across all facets of an Agile project. It features 16% of the total questions, expecting you to understand the various Agile methodologies, principles, values, and understand the importance of delivering value early, learning, and adapting.

2. Value-Driven Delivery

Worth 20% of the examination, this domain examines your capacity to deliver high-value incrementally. That includes determining the value, prioritizing the backlog, frequent delivery, and conducting a retrospective.

3. Stakeholder Engagement

The section accounts for 17% of the total questions. Expect to showcase your ability to engage stakeholders actively and continuously, accept their input, and incorporate the feedback and requirements in project planning and execution.

4. Team Performance

The section assesses your ability to form and manage high-performing teams and is worth 16% of the exam. It expects you to understand the principles of team formation, self-organization, empowerment, as well as continuous improvement.

5. Adaptive Planning

This domain, worth 12% of the exam, involves producing and maintaining an evolving plan that is flexible and responds to emerging requirements.

6. Problem Detection and Resolution

For 10% of your exam marks, you have to prove your competence in identifying and resolving issues as well as preventing them where possible.

7. Continuous Improvement

This domain, comprising 9%, evaluates your ability to improve the process and product, or service periodically.

Examples Of Questions On PMI-ACP Exam

While the exact questions are not revealed before the exam, here are some examples to give you a sense of what to expect.

• What is the first step in the five levels of planning approach used in Agile projects?
• If a project has finished 4 sprint cycles and noticed that the velocity is showing a downward trend, what should be the appropriate next step?
• What is the most important use of retrospectives on Agile projects?

Answers will demonstrate your understanding of specific Agile principles. For instance, the first step in a five level planning approach is “Vision,” illustrating your understanding of Agile’s value-driven approach.

Study Materials And Process

To prepare for the PMI-ACP, expect to review training courses, books, and practice exams. Ensure that your study material aligns with Exam Content Outline.

On average, most successful PMI-ACP candidates spend 85 hours studying over 8-12 weeks. Thanks to various resources, you can engage in self-study, instructor-led training, or a blend of the two as per your preference.

To wrap up, remember that the main objective of PMI-ACP certification is not to test your memorization skills but rather to evaluate your competence in Agile Principles and practices. Therefore, you should focus more on understanding and internalizing the concepts rather than just trying to remember the information. The rewards of getting certified are worth the time invested in preparation. You not only gain a globally recognized qualification but can also lead diverse teams and manage Agile projects effectively and efficiently.

Practice Test

True/False: The Product Owner is solely responsible for setting expectations in an Agile project.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: Setting expectations is a collaborative effort in agile. It involves the Product Owner, the Agile team and Stakeholders.

In Agile, unmet expectations are mainly due to:

• A. Incorrect estimation techniques.
• B. Poor communication.
• C. Changes in project scope.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: D. All of the above.

Explanation: All these factors can lead to unmet expectations in an Agile environment.

True/False: Transparency in Agile helps manage expectations.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Transparency is a key principle in Agile, as it enables all participants to have a clear understanding of the progress, helping to manage expectations effectively.

True/False: Managing stakeholders’ expectations is not necessary for Agile projects.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: Managing stakeholders’ expectations is essential in any project, including Agile projects. This helps to ensure that the project is aligning with the business objectives and stakeholder needs.

In Agile, it’s important to have a common understanding of “done”. This helps to:

• A. Manage expectations.
• B. Avoid conflicts.
• C. Ensure product quality.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: D. All of the above.

Explanation: Having a common understanding of “done” is crucial in Agile to ensure everyone is on the same page, reducing conflicts, meeting expectations and maintaining product quality.

True/False: Expectations should not be iteratively reviewed and revised in Agile.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: Expectations in Agile should be reviewed and revised routinely as the requirements and priorities evolve during the course of the project.

Not setting clear expectations in Agile can lead to:

• A. Miscommunication.
• B. Delayed delivery.
• C. Poor quality product.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: D. All of the above.

Explanation: Unclear expectations can result in misunderstandings, delayed projects, and poor product quality.

In Agile, customer expectations should be managed using:

• A. Frequent communication.
• B. Regularly reviewing the product increment.
• C. Both A and B.
• D. None of the above.

Answer: C. Both A and B.

Explanation: Regular communication and review of product increments are vital strategies in Agile to manage customer expectations.

True/False: Stakeholder expectations are only managed during the initial stages of Agile.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: Stakeholder expectations are managed throughout the Agile process, not just during the initial stages.

Agile promotes sustainable pace of work to meet:

• A. Team’s expectations.
• B. Product Owner’s expectations.
• C. Stakeholders’ expectations.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: D. All of the above.

Explanation: Sustainable pace is promoted in Agile to meet expectations of the team, product owner and stakeholders by preventing burnout and ensuring steady progress.

Interview Questions

What is the Agile Manifesto?

The Agile Manifesto is a document that sets out the key values and principles behind the Agile methodology. It emphasizes 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.

What are the three main roles in a Scrum team?

The three main roles in a Scrum team are the Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Development Team.

What is the main responsibility of a Product Owner in Agile methodology?

The main responsibility of a Product Owner is to clearly express and prioritize product backlog items, optimize the value of the work performed by the development team, and ensure that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of what to be built.

How does Agile address change management?

Agile embraces change by following an iterative work method. The team can adjust to changes in requirements or priorities quickly by regularly reviewing and adjusting the backlog, working in short cycles (sprints), and having regular feedback loops.

What is the purpose of a sprint retrospective in Scrum?

The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is for the Scrum team to improve its processes by reflecting on the past sprint. The team identifies and discusses what went well, what did not, and what can be improved for the next Sprint.

What is the function of a Scrum Master in an Agile team?

A Scrum Master facilitates Scrum to the team and ensures that everyone follows Scrum guidelines. The Scrum Master serves as a coach, a facilitator, a teacher, and a problem solver, helping the team self-organize and work efficiently.

What are user stories in Agile?

User stories in Agile are short, simple descriptions of a feature told from the perspective of the person who desires the new capability, usually a user or customer of the system. A user story typically follows a simple format: As a [type of user], I want [to perform some task] so that I can [achieve some goal/benefit/value].

What is the purpose of a release planning meeting in Agile?

The goal of the release planning meeting is to create a plan for delivering the product increment and to decide on the likelihood, timing, and content of the next release.

What are Agile estimating techniques?

Agile estimating techniques include techniques like Planning Poker, Bucket System, T-Shirt Sizes, The Dot Voting, The Affinity Map, etc. They are effective in estimating size and effort in Agile projects.

What is test-driven development (TDD) in Agile?

Test-Driven Development (TDD) is a technique of using automated unit tests to drive the design of software and force decoupling of dependencies. The outcome of TDD is a comprehensive suite of unit tests that can be run at any time to provide feedback that the software is still working.

How does the PMI-ACP exam test a candidate’s Agile knowledge and skills?

The PMI-ACP exam tests a candidate’s knowledge of Agile principles, practices, tools and techniques, across various Agile methodologies. It also assesses a candidate’s ability to understand and apply Agile principles and practices to basic projects, deal effectively with complex, high-risk projects driven by time and scope and effectively lead and manage an Agile team.

What is a burn-down chart in Agile?

A burn-down chart is a graphical representation of work left to do versus time. It represents a sprint’s progress, showing how much work remains in a backlog for a sprint or a project. It helps the team to manage its progress and respond accordingly.

What is the Lean methodology in Agile?

Lean is a methodology in Agile that focuses on streamlining and eliminating waste in all forms in the project process. It emphasizes on delivering value to the customer, continuous improvement, respect for people, and optimizing the whole.

What is pair programming in Agile?

Pair programming is an Agile practice where two programmers work together on a single workstation. One person, “the driver,” writes the code, and the other person, “the observer,” reviews each line of code as it is typed in, which helps in reducing the chance of mistakes and improves code quality.

What is the role of the Agile coach?

The Agile coach helps the team understand and implement Agile practices. They coach teams through the change that Agile brings, and equip them with tools and methods to navigate the challenges that come with Agile adoption. They also act as a good sounding board for the team, offering insights and advice when needed.