PMI-ACP certification exam : points to know

avril 21, 2018

PMI-ACP certification exam : points to know

What does MoSCoW stand for ?

« MoSCoW is a prioritization exercise techneque based upon putting features in the following categories:
Must Have.
Should Have this if it is possible to get.
Could Have this if it doesn’t impact anything else above.
Won’t have this time but would like to have in the future »

Name 3 ways Risk is managed in an agile project

« Risk Adjusted Backlog
Risk Burndown Graph
Risk Based Spikes »

Desribe a Risk Adjusted Backog

« A risk adjusted backlog takes into consideration the amonut of risk a feature or function (story) places on the overall project/product.

The goal in risk adjusting the backlog is to have a balance of value generating items and risk reduction items to maximize the value creation possible.

Risk reduction items may be avoidance, mitigation, or acceptance items.  »

What is EMV and how is it used in relation to backlog prioritization

« EMV is the Expected Monitary Value of an action, feature or function.

EMV is used to calculate the Expected value at risk for an item.
E.g. Risk % Value EMV
20% of $20000 = $4000 risk

This is used as input to the overall prioritization of the backlog.  »

Discuss risk based spikes

A Spike is a time boxed exploration of a feature or issue that is not clear enough to quantify.

Risk based spikes are used to explore a risk so that it is clear enough to make reasonable mitigation plans.

What are acceptable risk responses ?

« Avoid – Attempt to not encounter the risk condition
Mitigate – Make plans to minimize the impact of the risk condition
Transfer – Make someone or something else take the impact (e.g. outsourceing or insurance) of the risk
Accept – simply accepting that it is going to happen (e.g. if the risk impact is small) »

What is Cycle time ?

Cycletime is the time a system produces a new product.

It is measured by observation at the end of the system.

If a new car rolls off an assembly line every 5 minutes then cycle time is 5 minutes.

There is 5 miutes between cycles.

Discuss Throughput

« Throughput is the total time it takes to create a new product.

If a new car takes 3 weeks from start of production to delivery the total throughput time is 3 weeks.

Which is better and why? Online Charts or Big On the Wall charts?

« It is better to have charts on the wall if all of the team members are collocated.

Charts and metrics online need to be deliberatly accessed, a big chart up on the wall is easy to casually look at on your way to lunch or on a break.

If teams are distributed it is still a good idea to keep the charts up on the wall, in addition to online.  »

What metrics should be kept on an agile project?

As few as reasonably possible and no less. Metrics should include good measures (Stories completed) as well as bad (Bugs found)

What is the importance of the Running Tested Features metric?

« The running tested features metric directly shows progress, at any time duing the project.

By shoing how many features are passing all of their user acceptance tests at that moment.

Running: the features are integrated and functioning in production

Tested: the features are passing thier tests.

Features: End user features that bring direct customer value, not non-functional requirements.  »

What is the Observer effect?

« the observer effect is that the act of observing impacts the observation.

For example: testing to see if productivity improves in low or high light conditions.

The lights are dimmed, and productivity increases, the lights are brought back up and productivity still increases, it is found that productivity incrases becasue they were being given attention not due to the changing conditions.
Also known as the Observer-expecantcy effect.  »

What is confirmation bias?

Confirmation bias is the tendency of people to pay attention to facts and observations that confirm their existing beliefs and to ignore or explain away contraditiory information.

Discuss cargo cults.

« A Cargo Cult is a group of people who perform the activities that they have seen to produce good results by others, without understanding of why they produce good results. A cargo cult copies the actions but often does not receive the benefits of them because they do not understand the complete picture.

For example a team may assign story points to work but not understand how they work or why they are using them and thus never receive the full benefits of using them: dynamic schedule indicator, group ownership, team buildng, common understanding.  »

Discuss Agile EVM

« EVM is Earned Value Management.

A set of metrics that show cost performance and schedule performance against planned outcomes.

Agile EVM applies these techniques of measuring actual work vs. planned work and actual cost vs planned cost to determine if the project is on track or not.

Currently there is no standard way to apply Agile EVM.  »

Why are escaped defects an important metric for agile projects ?

« Escaped defects are defects that have slipped past all testing and made it into a production system.

Generally this should not happen.

It shows a flaw in the system somewhere: the test coverage, the testing process, or other systematic issues.  »

What is Value Stream Analysis

Value stream analysis is the process of evaluaing the process of turning raw materials into finished and delivered goods. In software this is from concept to delivery.

A Value Stream map idenfies each work process and any waiting or queue times

What is Waste?

Waste is any time in the value stream that does not directly add value to the product.

What is Type 1 Muda ?

Work that is non-value add but necessary for the current system to function.

What is Type 2 Muda ?

Work that is non-value add and may immediately be eliminated

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