Agile is a methodology that fosters a collaborative, self-organizing, and cross-functional approach towards delivering valuable products or solutions that meet customer expectations. It’s not merely a set of practices, but it encapsulates values, principles, methodologies, practices, and a vocabulary that everyone involved in agile-based projects must share and understand. Hence, to effectively prepare for the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) Exam, it is important to ensure a common understanding of these values, principles, practices, and terminology.
Core Values and Principles of Agile
Firstly, we should start with the core values and principles of Agile as explained in the Agile Manifesto.
Values of Agile:
The Agile Manifesto lays out four key values that foster a more effective way of developing software:
- Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
- Working software over comprehensive documentation.
- Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
- Responding to change over following a plan.
Principles of Agile:
The Agile Manifesto lists 12 fundamental principles:
- Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
- Welcome changing requirements, even late in development.
- Deliver working software frequently, with a preference to shorter timescales.
- Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
- Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
- The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
- Working software is the primary measure of progress.
- Agile processes promote sustainable development.
- Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
- Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount of work not done–is essential.
- The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
- At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
Understanding Agile Practices and Methodologies
Next is understanding the common practices and methodologies used in Agile. These include Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), Lean, Kanban, and others. Each of these methodologies applies the Agile principles in different ways and offer unique practices for the teams. For instance, Scrum promotes iterative and incremental project management with the key roles of Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team. XP, on the other hand, uses social coding, test-driven development, and pair programming as key practices.
Agile Terminology
Finally, we cannot ignore Agile terminology. Having a shared vocabulary helps the team communicate effectively about the project’s progress. Some key terms include User Stories, Epics, Sprints, Kanban Board, Backlog, Velocity, Burndown Charts, and others.
For example, in Scrum, a ‘Sprint’ refers to a set period in which specific work has to be completed and made ready for review; whereas ‘Velocity’ measures how much work the team completes during each sprint. Understanding this terminology is crucial to understanding and applying Agile methods effectively.
Agile Terminology Table:
| Scrum | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sprint | A set time period during which a specified work has to be completed. |
| Product Backlog | A prioritized list of work for the development team that is derived from the roadmap and its requirements. |
| Velocity | The amount of work the development team completes during a typical sprint. |
Honing Agile Knowledge for PMI-ACP
In conclusion, to work effectively in an Agile environment and successfully clear the PMI-ACP examination, a shared understanding of Agile values, principles, practices, and terminology is vital. It forms the basis for effective communication, better collaboration, and ultimately leads to more successful Agile projects.
Practice Test
True or False: Agile values are inherently intuitive and do not need to be explicitly discussed within the team.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Agile values need to be clearly understood and agreed upon by the entire team to ensure effective collaboration and decision-making.
Multiple choice: Which of the following statements reflects one of the core principles of Agile?
- a) Complexity should be managed via a rigid, detailed plan
- b) Each team member should work in isolation to reduce distractions
- c) Teams should regularly reflect on how to become more effective and adjust accordingly.
Answer: c) Teams should regularly reflect on how to become more effective and adjust accordingly.
Explanation: Continual self-improvement and adaptation are key themes in Agile methodologies.
True or False: Terminology is not significant in Agile practices as long as everyone is committed to the tasks.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Consistent terminology is crucial in Agile practices to prevent misunderstanding and to ensure every team member is aligned with the vision, goals, and course of the project.
Single select: Which of the following is NOT a value of the Agile manifesto?
- a) Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
- b) Following a plan over responding to change
- c) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
- d) Working software over comprehensive documentation
Answer: b) Following a plan over responding to change
Explanation: Agile manifesto prioritizes responding to change over following a plan, allowing the flexibility to accommodate changes and adapt quickly.
Multiple choice: Which of the following are Agile practices?
- a) Daily stand-up meetings
- b) Iterative development
- c) Usability testing
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Explanation: All these practices are part of Agile methodologies, encouraging communication, teamwork, and continual revision and testing.
True or False: Agile principles suggest that working software is the primary measure of progress.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Agile methodologies value working software as a key deliverable and consider it the primary indicator of progress.
Single select: What is the maximum duration of a sprint in Scrum, an Agile methodology?
- a) 4 weeks
- b) 6 weeks
- c) 8 weeks
- d) 10 weeks
Answer: a) 4 weeks
Explanation: In Scrum, a sprint (the period during which a set of work has to be completed and ready for review) generally lasts between 1 and 4 weeks.
True or False: Agile practices encourage too much team interaction, which can be disruptive.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: While Agile emphasizes frequent interaction, it is aimed at fostering collaboration and effective problem-solving, which are key for a project’s success.
Multiple choice: In Agile, customer satisfaction is achieved through what?
- a) Early and continuous delivery of valuable software
- b) Strict adherence to the initial plan
- c) Only considering customer input towards the end of the project
- d) Prioritizing processes and tools above individual initiative
Answer: a) Early and continuous delivery of valuable software
Explanation: Under Agile principles, customer satisfaction is achieved through the early and continuous delivery of useful software that aligns with the customer’s changing needs.
True or False: Agile methodologies advocate for sustainable development where the pace is maintained indefinitely.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Agile principles encourage a pace of work that can be sustained indefinitely, allowing teams to deliver quality work without burnout.
Interview Questions
What are the three primary roles in a Scrum team as per Agile methodology?
The three primary roles in a Scrum team are the Scrum Master, the Product Owner, and the Development team.
How do Agile principles prioritize work?
Agile principles prioritize work based on business value and customer needs. The highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
What does the Burn-down chart represent in Agile Project Management?
The Burn-down chart in Agile Project Management shows the amount of work remaining over time. It enables the team to track progress and adjust plans accordingly.
What is User Story in Agile?
A User Story in Agile is a tool used in Agile software development to capture a description of a software feature from an end-user perspective. They help to create a simplified description of a requirement.
In Agile, what does “velocity” measure?
In Agile, “velocity” measures the amount of work a team can handle in a single sprint or iteration.
How does Agile tackle change?
Agile welcomes changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
What is the primary purpose of a Sprint Retrospective?
The primary purpose of a Sprint Retrospective is for a team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint.
What is a Product Backlog in Scrum Agile framework?
A Product Backlog is a prioritized list of everything that could be included in the product, and is the single source of requirements for any changes to be made to the product.
Can you explain the concept of “time-boxing” in Agile?
In Agile, “time-boxing” is fixing a certain amount of time for each process or task. This allows the team to focus on doing the work instead of spending time discussing or debating it.
What is “Definition of Done” in Agile?
The “Definition of Done” in Agile is a set of criteria which must be met before a product increment is considered “done”.
How does Agile approach feedback and continuous improvement?
Agile approach believes in iterative development where feedback is incorporated after each iteration and improvements are made continuously throughout the project lifecycle.
What is the primary role of the Scrum Master in an Agile project?
The primary role of the Scrum Master in an Agile project is to help the team best use Scrum practices and rules, to facilitate communication amongst team members, and to remove any obstacles or issues the team might be facing.
What is an Epic in terms of Agile Project Management?
An Epic in Agile Project Management is a large user story that cannot be delivered in a single sprint and needs to be broken down into multiple smaller user stories of manageable size.
What is Pair Programming in Agile?
Pair Programming in Agile is a practice where two programmers work as a pair on the same code. One writes the code, while the other reviews each line of code as it is typed in.
How is a ‘spike’ used in Agile?
In Agile, a ‘spike’ is a story that cannot be estimated until a development team runs a time-boxed investigation. It is used when it’s necessary to research or discover information to reduce uncertainty.
extutorials.com