Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Agile Frameworks and Methodologies Syllabus

Agile Frameworks and Methodologies syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Agile Frameworks and Methodologies in Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Agile Mindset and Foundations

   5 topics

   • The Agile Manifesto
     • Four values of the manifesto
     • Twelve principles behind the manifesto
   • Agile vs. predictive thinking
     • Embracing change over following a fixed plan
     • Value-driven and customer-centric delivery
   • When to choose an agile approach (suitability filters)
   • Empirical process control: transparency, inspection, adaptation
   • Servant leadership in agile teams
2. 2

   Scrum Framework

   4 topics

   • Scrum roles (accountabilities)
     • Product owner responsibilities
     • Scrum master as servant leader and coach
     • Self-managing developers/team
   • Scrum events
     • The sprint as the container event
     • Sprint planning, daily scrum
     • Sprint review and sprint retrospective
   • Scrum artifacts and commitments
     • Product backlog and product goal
     • Sprint backlog and sprint goal
     • Increment and the definition of done
   • Timeboxing and sustainable pace
3. 3

   Other Agile Approaches

   5 topics

   • Kanban method
     • Visualizing the workflow on a Kanban board
     • Work-in-progress (WIP) limits
     • Pull systems and flow optimization
   • Extreme Programming (XP) practices
     • Pair programming and test-driven development
     • Continuous integration and refactoring
   • Lean software development and waste elimination
   • Crystal and Feature-Driven Development overview
   • Scaling frameworks at a high level (SAFe, LeSS, Scrum of Scrums)
4. 4

   Agile Planning and Estimation

   4 topics

   • User stories and the product backlog
     • Story format: as a / I want / so that
     • INVEST criteria for good stories
     • Acceptance criteria and epics
   • Backlog refinement and prioritization
     • MoSCoW prioritization
     • Relative value and risk-based ordering
   • Agile estimation techniques
     • Story points and planning poker
     • T-shirt sizing and affinity estimation
   • Release and iteration planning
     • Velocity and capacity planning
     • Roadmaps and the planning onion
5. 5

   Agile Tracking, Metrics, and Ceremonies

   5 topics

   • Information radiators
     • Burndown charts and burnup charts
     • Task boards and big visible charts
   • Flow metrics
     • Cycle time and lead time
     • Cumulative flow diagrams and throughput
   • Continuous improvement via retrospectives (kaizen)
   • Definition of ready vs. definition of done
   • Managing technical debt

Agile Frameworks and Methodologies flashcards for Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

25 of 67 cards from the Agile Frameworks and Methodologies deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the four values of the Agile Manifesto?

   (1) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools; (2) Working software over comprehensive documentation; (3) Customer collaboration over contract negotiation; (4) Responding to change over following a plan. The items on the left are valued more, but the items on the right still have value.

2. How many principles support the Agile Manifesto, and what does the first principle emphasize?

   There are 12 principles. The first: "Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software."

3. In agile thinking, how does delivery of value differ from a predictive (waterfall) approach?

   Agile delivers value incrementally and iteratively in small increments throughout the project, getting frequent feedback. Predictive delivers value largely at the end, after sequential phases (requirements, design, build, test) are completed.

4. Compare how requirements/scope are handled in predictive vs. agile life cycles.

   Predictive: requirements are defined and fixed up front; scope is baselined and changes go through formal change control. Agile: requirements emerge and evolve; scope is flexible and refined continuously based on feedback.

5. In predictive vs. agile, which constraints are typically fixed and which vary (the 'iron triangle' inversion)?

   Predictive fixes scope and lets cost/schedule vary to deliver that scope. Agile fixes cost (resources) and schedule (timeboxes) and lets scope vary to deliver the highest-value features within those constraints.

6. What project characteristics make an agile approach a good fit (suitability filters)?

   High uncertainty/changing requirements, complex or novel work, frequent customer feedback is possible, ability to deliver incrementally, a collaborative/empowered team, and low cost of experimentation/change.

7. When is a predictive approach preferable over agile?

   When requirements are clear, stable, and well understood; the work is repeatable/well-defined; the cost of change is high; regulatory or compliance constraints demand detailed up-front planning; and incremental delivery provides little value.

8. What is empirical process control, and what three pillars support it?

   Empirical process control bases decisions on observation and experience (what is actually known) rather than detailed prediction. Its three pillars are transparency, inspection, and adaptation.

9. Define the Scrum pillar of 'transparency.'

   Significant aspects of the process and work must be visible to those responsible for the outcome, using a common standard/definition so observers share a common understanding (e.g., a shared Definition of Done).

10. Define the pillars 'inspection' and 'adaptation' in empirical process control.

    Inspection: frequently examine artifacts and progress toward goals to detect undesirable variances. Adaptation: adjust the process or work as soon as inspection reveals a deviation, to minimize further deviation.

11. What is servant leadership in an agile context?

    A leadership style where the leader serves the team by removing impediments, facilitating, coaching, and shielding the team from disruptions, focusing on the growth and empowerment of team members rather than command-and-control direction.

12. List several common behaviors/responsibilities of a servant leader.

    Remove impediments/blockers, shield the team from distractions, facilitate collaboration, coach and mentor, foster a safe environment, encourage self-organization, and put the team's needs first.

13. What are the three accountabilities (roles) on a Scrum Team?

    The Product Owner, the Scrum Master, and the Developers.

14. What is the Product Owner accountable for?

    Maximizing the value of the product. This includes developing and communicating the Product Goal, creating and ordering (prioritizing) the Product Backlog items, and ensuring the backlog is transparent and understood.

15. What is the Scrum Master accountable for?

    Establishing Scrum as defined in the Scrum Guide and the team's effectiveness. The Scrum Master is a servant leader who coaches the team, removes impediments, facilitates events, and serves the Product Owner and the organization.

16. What are the Developers accountable for in Scrum?

    Creating a usable Increment each Sprint. They plan the Sprint (Sprint Backlog), instill quality by adhering to the Definition of Done, adapt their plan daily toward the Sprint Goal, and hold each other accountable as professionals.

17. What is the recommended size of a Scrum Team?

    Typically 10 or fewer people total (a Product Owner, a Scrum Master, and the Developers). Smaller teams communicate better and are more productive.

18. Name the five Scrum events.

    The Sprint (the container event), Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review, and the Sprint Retrospective.

19. What is a Sprint and its typical maximum length?

    A Sprint is the container event during which all work happens; it is a fixed-length timebox of one month or less (commonly 1-4 weeks). A new Sprint starts immediately after the previous one concludes.

20. What happens in Sprint Planning, and what three topics does it address?

    The team plans the work for the Sprint. It addresses: (1) Why is this Sprint valuable? (the Sprint Goal); (2) What can be done this Sprint? (selected backlog items); (3) How will the chosen work get done? (the plan/Sprint Backlog). Timebox: max 8 hours for a one-month Sprint.

21. What is the purpose and timebox of the Daily Scrum?

    A 15-minute, timeboxed event for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog/plan for the next day. Held at the same time and place each working day.

22. What is the purpose of the Sprint Review?

    To inspect the Increment and adapt the Product Backlog. The Scrum Team and stakeholders review what was accomplished and what changed, and collaborate on what to do next. Timebox: max 4 hours for a one-month Sprint.

23. What is the purpose of the Sprint Retrospective?

    To plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The team inspects how the last Sprint went regarding individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and Definition of Done, and identifies improvements. Timebox: max 3 hours for a one-month Sprint.

24. What are the three Scrum artifacts and their respective commitments?

    Product Backlog (commitment: Product Goal); Sprint Backlog (commitment: Sprint Goal); Increment (commitment: Definition of Done).

25. What is the Product Backlog?

    An emergent, ordered list of everything that is known to be needed in the product. It is the single source of work for the Scrum Team, and its commitment is the Product Goal.

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