Pass the PeopleCert DevOps DevOps-Foundation Questions and answers with CertsForce

A core goal of DevOps is toeliminate isolationbetween roles, teams, and departments. Isolated teams—cut off from other parts of the value stream—create bottlenecks, reduce visibility, and slow feedback.

While flat hierarchies (A), continuous engagement (C), and balanced skills (D) are positive traits,Bis the opposite of DevOps principles.

Therefore,Bis the correct “NOT” choice.

Feedback loops are mechanisms that provide information to earlier stages in the process, enabling adjustments and improvements.

A: Dashboards provide real-time visibility into system health, deployment status, and other key metrics, allowing quick corrective action.

B: Monitoring and event data supply operational insights (latency, errors, resource utilization) that inform both Dev and Ops.

C: Peer review of changes allows early detection of issues before integration, improving code quality and reducing defects.

D—Product—isnota feedback mechanism. The product is the outcome of development and delivery; while customer feedback on a product can be part of a loop, the “product” itself is not the mechanism delivering actionable information upstream.

Thus,Dis the correct choice for “NOT” a feedback loop.

One of the core DevOps values is aligning IT efforts with business objectives—understanding the business “why.” The Foundation syllabus highlights the need for IT to understand the organization's purpose, cause, and belief. Without this, IT can’t effectively support value delivery or drive digital transformation. Understanding the organizational “why” connects daily activities to strategic objectives, a key DevOps mindset.

Kanbanis a Lean visual management method that helps teams control and improve workflow. The board displays tasks in columns representing process stages, enabling:

Visualization of work items and bottlenecks

Limiting work in progress (WIP) to improve flow and reduce multitasking

Tracking throughput and cycle time for continuous improvement

B(Value Stream Mapping) is a Lean analysis tool, not a visual board for ongoing work.C(Improvement Kata) is a structured improvement method, andD(Continuous Delivery) is a software delivery practice, not a visual workflow tool.

Therefore,A—Kanban—is correct.

Poor communication and collaboration slow incident resolution. DevOps emphasizes fast, transparent communication channels between Dev, Ops, and other stakeholders. Implementingchat platforms(e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) that integrate with monitoring, alerting, and deployment tools enables:

Real-time collaboration across geographically distributed teams

Immediate sharing of incident context and system data

Faster decision-making and coordinated action

A(alerting more people) risks causing noise without improving targeted response.B(social media) is not secure or appropriate for enterprise incident management.C(self-help tools) benefits end-users but does not address Dev–Ops collaboration.

Thus,Dprovides the most direct and effective improvement in communication for faster incident resolution.

Lean tools and practicesare foundational to DevOps because they help organizations systematically identify and eliminate waste, optimize value delivery, and continuously improve processes.

Lean thinkingfocuses on value stream mapping, reducing delays, bottlenecks, over-processing, handoffs, rework, and unnecessary tasks—core to making DevOps successful.

Option D, “They help identify waste and assist in the creation of improvement practices,” perfectly captures this focus.

Extract-style reference:

“Lean enables teams to identify value and non-value-added activities and to use continuous improvement techniques such as Kaizen, value stream mapping, and removing waste.”

—DevOps Handbook

PeopleCert DevOps Foundation v3.6: Lean tools like Value Stream Mapping, 5S, and Kaizen are cited as critical enablers for optimizing the flow and improving IT and business alignment.

Reducing delays in launching projects requires eliminating manual, time-consuming tasks in the delivery process:

A: Continuous Integration (CI) with automated builds speeds up integration and reduces defects.

B: Test-Driven Development (TDD) ensures quality from the start, reducing rework and post-development bug fixing.

C: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) enables rapid, repeatable provisioning of environments, avoiding manual setup delays.

All three practices contribute to faster, more reliable project starts. As PeopleCert notes, combining these practices creates a strong automation foundation, enabling organizations to move from idea to delivery quickly.

Therefore,D—All of the above—is correct.

According to PeopleCert DevOps Foundation v3.6, theSecond Wayof DevOps focuses on creating and amplifyingfeedback loops. The primary purpose of shortening these loops is toaccelerate the flow of work and informationbetween all stages of the delivery pipeline, especially between Development and Operations.

When feedback loops are short, defects, performance issues, and risks can be identified and resolved earlier in the process, preventing costly delays and large-scale rework. This supportsfaster, safer releasesand improves the organization’s responsiveness to customer needs.

WhileA(learning) andD(knowledge sharing) are important benefits of feedback loops, they aresecondaryoutcomes. The main, direct effect is improvingflow efficiency—ensuring that handoffs between Dev and Ops happen smoothly, quickly, and with higher quality.

OptionC(value stream mapping) is a useful Lean practice to identify delays and bottlenecks, but it is adiagnostic tool, not the primary improvement gained from shortening feedback loops.

Thus, the correct answer isB—shortened feedback loops primarily improve IT performance by ensuringfaster flowbetween Development and Operations.

Cultural debt—not just low trust or poor leadership—best describes the scenario of entrenched silos and combative Dev/Ops relations.

Cultural debt leads to resistance to new ways of working, lack of cooperation, and a focus on individual rather than collective success.

Why not the others?

Low trustandpoor leadershipare symptoms of cultural debt.

Change fatigueoccurs after repeated failed initiatives; here, the core issue is cultural stasis.

Reference/Extract:

“DevOps transformation often fails without addressing cultural debt. Breaking down silos, building shared understanding, and changing incentives are essential for sustainable change.”

—DevOps Handbook,State of DevOps Report, PeopleCert DevOps Foundation v3.6 Section 3.4

PeopleCert emphasizes thatarchitecturemust be planned before automating processes. This means mapping the value stream, understanding dependencies, identifying bottlenecks, and defining integration points before selecting or configuring tools.

Automating without a clear architecture can lead to fragmented processes, wasted effort, and technical debt. Once the architecture is sound, teams can implement automation in a way that supports scalability, maintainability, and interoperability.

A(building the toolchain) is important but comes after architecture.C(switching to open source) is a tooling decision, not the first automation step.D(self-service) is a benefit of automation, not the starting point.

Thus,B—Architect before automating—is the correct first step.