DASM Sample Questions Answers

Avalue stream mapis a Lean tool that helps teams visualize the flow of work and identify waste throughout the process of delivering a product or service. The primary purpose of a value stream map is tohelp the team identify problem areas or bottlenecksin the path to realizing value. By understanding where delays, excess inventory, or unnecessary steps occur, teams can target these areas for improvement, thereby minimizing waste and optimizing the flow of value to customers.

B. Focusing on the construction phaseis not specific to minimizing waste across the entire value stream.

C. Reducing delays in the workflow processis an outcome of identifying problem areas but not the direct function of value stream mapping.

D. Applying the five Whys root cause methodis a separate Lean technique that can complement value stream mapping but is not its main purpose.

TheProduct Backlogis the artifact that collects all the work flowing to the team. It is a prioritized list of everything that might be needed in the product, managed and maintained by the Product Owner. The backlog is continuously refined and reprioritized as needed to reflect the changing needs of stakeholders, market conditions, and business priorities.

A. Business backlogis not a standard Agile artifact.

C. Release roadmapoutlines future releases but does not collect all work items.

D. Iteration backlogcontains a subset of the product backlog items selected for a specific iteration.

Disciplined Agile (DA) milestones are based on the concept ofLean governance, which is focused on ensuring that agile practices are aligned with the organization's overall objectives while minimizing bureaucracy. In the DA framework, milestones provide lightweight checkpoints throughout the lifecycle to ensure that the team is on track to meet its objectives and deliver value. These milestones are not about documentation or merely following a predefined lifecycle but are instead focused on achieving business value in a lean and efficient manner.

A. Continuous integrationis a practice rather than a basis for milestones.

B. Documentationis not a central focus of DA milestones.

D. Lifecyclerefers to the various phases in the DA process, but milestones are specific checkpoints within these phases guided by lean governance principles.

Thus,C. Lean governanceis the correct answer, as it embodies the principles upon which Disciplined Agile milestones are established.

The key attributes of a leader in an agile context include the ability tofocus on goals,inspire trust, andtake risks. Agile leaders guide their teams by keeping a clear vision of the goals, building trust through transparency and integrity, and being willing to take calculated risks to achieve desired outcomes. They do not simply "go with the flow" or assign tasks in a top-down manner; instead, they empower their teams, foster a culture of trust, and support innovation by encouraging risk-taking within safe-to-fail boundaries.

When a team completes their iteration backlog earlier than expected, the recommended approach in Disciplined Agile is to collaborate with the product owner to pull additional work from the product backlog into the iteration backlog. This approach maintains momentum and ensures that the team continues delivering value without waiting for the next iteration. It promotes agility and maximizes productivity by utilizing any remaining time effectively.

A. Working on non-critical tasksorD. waiting for other groupsare not effective uses of the team’s time and do not align with agile principles of continuous value delivery.

C. Reporting differences in completion timehelps with future planning but does not address the immediate need to continue productive work.

Thus, the correct answer isB. Work with the product owner to pull more work from the product backlog into their iteration backlog.

Aniteration backlog(or sprint backlog) is createdat the beginning of each sprintduring the iteration planning meeting. This backlog consists of the tasks and user stories that the team commits to completing during the iteration. The process involves selecting the highest-priority items from the product backlog and breaking them down into smaller tasks that can be completed within the sprint timeframe.

A. Planning the Kanban boarddoes not typically use an iteration backlog as Kanban is flow-based, not iteration-based.

B. At the beginning of each projectis incorrect because the backlog is created for each sprint, not the entire project.

C. When defining the MBI (Minimum Business Increment)is related to identifying the smallest unit of value delivery but is not when an iteration backlog is created.

The method that extends the Kaizen loop strategy to help teams identify techniques likely to work in their context isGuided continuous improvement. In the Disciplined Agile (DA) toolkit, guided continuous improvement refers to using a structured approach to learning and adaptation, where teams are provided with guidance and options based on proven practices. This helps teams apply Kaizen principles effectively in their unique environments by selecting and tailoring techniques that are most likely to yield positive results.

A. Explicit workflow policiesrefer to defining specific rules about how work is managed but do not inherently guide continuous improvement.

C. Communities of practiceinvolve groups that share knowledge, but they do not extend the Kaizen loop strategy directly.

D. Cross-team learninghelps in sharing knowledge between teams but is not the method extending the Kaizen loop strategy.

Thus, the correct answer isB. Guided continuous improvementas it directly aligns with the aim of adapting the Kaizen strategy to specific contexts.

In Disciplined Agile, a good Team Lead (or Scrum Master) should act as a servant leader, supporting and enabling team members to succeed. When a team member is falling behind, the appropriate response is tohave a conversation with the team member to understand what is getting in their way and work together to find solutions. This approach fosters an environment of trust and collaboration and helps to identify and remove impediments that may be affecting the team member's performance. The goal is to address the root cause of the issue and provide support, rather than assigning blame or creating discomfort.

In Disciplined Agile, theConstructionphase of the project life cycle is responsible for developing aconsumable solution in a collaborative and incremental manner. During this phase, the team iteratively builds the solution, working closely with stakeholders to ensure that the product or service being developed meets their needs and expectations. The Construction phase emphasizes agility, collaboration, and incremental development, where the solution evolves through repeated iterations, incorporating feedback and improvements at each step. This approach helps to minimize risks, adapt to changes, and deliver value more frequently.

Disciplined Agile (DA) provides a solid foundation for business agility through multiple mechanisms, including:

B. Defining a framework for agility at scale: DA offers a comprehensive toolkit that supports scaling agile practices across an organization, integrating principles from various agile methodologies to ensure coherence and alignment.

D. Providing guidance to streamline processes in a context-sensitive manner: DA emphasizes tailoring processes to the specific context of the organization, project, or team, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. This flexibility allows organizations to adapt more effectively to change and improve their agility.

A. Enforcing adherence to organizational standardscontradicts the DA principle of pragmatism and flexibility.

C. Creating awesome teams that foster joyis beneficial but is not specifically cited as foundational for business agility.

E. Describing trade-offsis part of DA's decision-making framework but not directly a way of providing a foundation for business agility.

Thus, the correct answers areB. Defines a framework for agility at scaleandD. Provides guidance to streamline processes in a context-sensitive manner.

The role of theProduct Ownerin Agile and Disciplined Agile frameworks is to ensure the team isbuilding the right productthat aligns with stakeholder needs and provides maximum value tothe customer. The Product Owner achieves this by managing and prioritizing the product backlog, defining user stories, clarifying requirements, and making decisions on behalf of the stakeholders.

A. Coordinate the productis not a primary function of the Product Owner.

B. Inspect the productmay be a part of their responsibilities, but the focus is on guiding the product's development.

D. Organize the product teamis more aligned with the Scrum Master's role.

In Lean and Agile terminology,Pushrefers to work beinggiven to peopleregardless of their current capacity. This approach contrasts with a "pull" system, where work is pulled by the team when they have the capacity to handle it. "Push" systems often lead to overloading team members, increased bottlenecks, and inefficiencies.

A. Delayed until laterdoes not capture the concept of "Push."

C. Expedited to meet a deadlineis about urgency, not pushing work.

D. Outsourced to a vendorrefers to the delegation of work outside the team and is unrelated to the "Push" concept.

Thus, the correct answer isB. Given to people.