Agile and Hybrid Methodologies

• Topic 01

  Agile Manifesto, Values, and Principles

  15 questions
• Topic 02

  Scrum Framework — Roles, Events, Artefacts

  15 questions
• Topic 03

  Kanban and Flow-Based Methods

  15 questions
• Topic 04

  Scaled Agile (SAFe, LeSS, Disciplined Agile)

  15 questions
• Topic 05

  Hybrid Methodology Selection and Tailoring

  15 questions
• Topic 06

  Product Backlog Management and User Stories

  15 questions
• Topic 07

  Sprint Planning, Review, and Retrospective

  15 questions
• Topic 08

  Agile Estimation (Story Points, Planning Poker, T-shirt Sizing)

  15 questions
• Topic 09

  Agile Metrics — Velocity, Burndown, Burnup, Lead/Cycle Time

  15 questions
• Topic 10

  Continuous Integration, Delivery, and DevOps Basics

  15 questions

A few questions from this unit, with the answer and a full explanation. The complete bank is available when you start practising.

1. A product owner says the product backlog is 'mostly finished' after the first planning session. Why is this incorrect?

   • A
     The product backlog is never complete; it is an emergent, living artefact that grows and changes as the team delivers value and new information is discovered
     Correct answer
   • B
     It is correct — the product backlog should be fully defined at project start to provide a stable base for release planning
   • C
     It is incorrect because the product backlog must be completed before the first sprint begins to ensure sprint planning has enough material
   • D
     It is incorrect because the backlog is only complete when all items have story point estimates
   Explanation

   The Scrum Guide states that the Product Backlog is an 'emergent, ordered list of what is needed to improve the product.' It is never complete. New requirements, customer feedback, market changes, technical discoveries, and retrospective actions all create new backlog items throughout the project. The 'backlog iceberg' metaphor captures this: the top few sprints of items are refined and ready; lower-priority items are coarse epics that will be broken down later. Claiming the backlog is 'mostly finished' reflects a waterfall mindset applied to agile.

2. What is the primary purpose of backlog refinement (grooming) in Scrum, and approximately what percentage of the team's sprint capacity does the Scrum Guide recommend for this activity?

   • A
     Backlog refinement occurs only at the end of each sprint; it uses 5% of sprint capacity as a time-boxed closing activity
   • B
     Backlog refinement is recommended to consume 20% of sprint capacity to ensure stories are thoroughly prepared for the next sprint
   • C
     Backlog refinement breaks down large items, updates acceptance criteria, estimates stories, and reorders the backlog; the Scrum Guide recommends it consumes no more than 10% of sprint capacity
     Correct answer
   • D
     Backlog refinement is the product owner's sole responsibility and requires no development team time; it occurs outside of sprint capacity
   Explanation

   Backlog refinement is an ongoing activity throughout the sprint where the Product Owner and Developers review, clarify, estimate, and order Product Backlog items. It is not a formal Scrum event — it is a recommended activity. The Scrum Guide suggests it consumes no more than 10% of the development team's sprint capacity. Refinement ensures that items are 'ready' for upcoming sprints — with clear acceptance criteria, reasonable estimates, and identified dependencies. Consuming more than 10% suggests either the backlog is poorly managed or refinement sessions are inefficient.

3. A stakeholder attends the Sprint Retrospective to help the team identify process improvements. What does the 2020 Scrum Guide say about external stakeholder participation in retrospectives?

   • A
     Stakeholders may attend if invited by the Product Owner, since the Product Owner represents their interests
   • B
     The Scrum Guide does not restrict retrospective attendance; teams may choose to include external participants
   • C
     Stakeholders may observe but may not speak during the retrospective
   • D
     Retrospectives are for the Scrum Team only; external stakeholders should not attend because their presence may prevent honest team discussion
     Correct answer
   Explanation

   The Sprint Retrospective is explicitly limited to the Scrum Team — the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers. External stakeholders are excluded because the retrospective's effectiveness depends on psychological safety: team members must be able to raise concerns, interpersonal issues, and process failures honestly. The presence of external observers or managers typically inhibits this openness. The Scrum Master is responsible for creating and protecting this safe environment.