Pass the PMI PMI Agile PMI-ACP Questions and answers with CertsForce

The correct answer is D – Meet with project stakeholders to review the backlog and determine if the scope should be adjusted. Agile emphasizes continuous stakeholder collaboration and delivering maximum value. If the remaining backlog may not contribute significant value, it’s prudent for the Product Owner to reassess scope and validate changes with stakeholders.

From the PMI Agile Practice Guide:

“Engage stakeholders continuously to review priorities and business value. If the product delivers sufficient value earlier than anticipated, the scope may be reduced or the project closed.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 3.4 – Value-Driven Delivery)

Mike Griffiths adds:

“Early delivery of value allows teams to stop work that no longer serves business objectives. This requires transparent communication with stakeholders to validate scope adjustments.”

(Mike Griffiths, PMI-ACP Exam Prep, Chapter 3 – Value-Driven Delivery)

Incorrect options:

A assumes authority without consulting stakeholders.

B doesn’t address the possible need for scope reduction.

C skips stakeholder validation before deployment decisions.

Answer: D

────────────────────────────────────

In the scenario described, the team is discussing the root causes of the technical problems that led to delayed deliverables, which indicates they are being proactive. One of the agile principles is to deliver working software frequently and adapt to change, and this situation shows the team is reflecting on their issues to improve future performance by identifying ways to balance the demands placed on the team (workload, deadlines, etc.) with their available capacity and necessary competencies.

The correct answer is D — Ask the agile practitioner to facilitate a story-writing workshop.

When stakeholders have conflicting inputs, a collaborative approach such as a story-writing workshop enables the team to converge on a shared understanding. The agile practitioner (Scrum Master or Agile Coach) plays a key role in facilitating these sessions to ensure productive dialogue and alignment.

PMI Agile Practice Guide explains:

“Facilitated workshops, including story-writing workshops, help surface differences in stakeholder needs and create alignment through structured collaboration. Agile practitioners often lead these sessions to ensure neutrality and focus.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 5.2 — Backlog Refinement)

Mike Griffiths’ book adds:

“Agile practitioners support product owners in building and refining the backlog, especially when multiple viewpoints or conflicts exist. Facilitated workshops ensure transparency and a collaborative environment.”

(PMI-ACP Exam Prep, Chapter 3 – Value-Driven Delivery)

Incorrect options:

A is incorrect because the practitioner’s role is to facilitate, not write the stories.

B is a good idea, but the product owner should not delegate facilitation to the team.

C may assist with clarification but won’t help resolve conflict or prioritize across stakeholders.

Answer: D

—

Estimation challenges are common among new agile teams. According to thePMI Agile Practice Guide (Section 5.2 Requirements and Estimating Techniques), improving estimation accuracy involvesteam collaboration, continuous feedback, and inspecting and adapting techniquessuch as Planning Poker, affinity estimation, or triangulation. These discussions should happen in dedicated planning or retrospective meetings, but estimation issues can be flagged and lightly discussed in daily scrums to initiate deeper review.

Mike Griffiths in thePMI-ACP Exam Prep Book (Chapter 6: Adaptive Planning)advises that estimation is ateam activity, not an individual one, and that teams learn and improve accuracy over time throughfeedback loops and shared insights.

Option Bis correct because discussing estimating challenges—even briefly during daily scrums—raises team awareness and drives improvement.

Option AandCdeal with symptoms rather than the root cause.

Option Dsuggests using metrics for performance evaluation, which contradicts agile values (Agile Manifesto: "Individuals and interactions over processes and tools").

When the organization transitions from longer to shorter iterations, it’s crucial to provide the team with the right support and ensure they have the resources to adapt. Requesting support from the enterprise coach and HR can help the team manage this change effectively, providing them with necessary training or assistance. Additionally, assessing the impact of the change and brainstorming solutions with the team helps address concerns about testing and ceremonies, while allowing the team to provide input on how they can adapt to the new iteration length without compromising quality or efficiency.

In Scrum, theproduct owneris the primary point of contact betweenstakeholders and the development team. According to thePMI Agile Practice Guide (Section 3.3: Roles and Responsibilities), the Scrum Master ensures thatcommunications flow properlyand protects the team from distractions.

Mike Griffiths in thePMI-ACP Exam Prep Book (Chapter 4: Stakeholder Engagement)emphasizes the importance of having asingle point of contactfor stakeholder feedback to avoid miscommunication and overload.

Option Ais correct: redirecting communication through the product owner keeps the team focused and the backlog structured.

Option Bis unprofessional and discourages stakeholder engagement.

Option Cbypasses review and prioritization—backlog management should be intentional.

Option Dcould blur roles and bypass proper channels.

The correct answer is A – Kaizen. Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning "continuous improvement." In Agile, Kaizen refers to the practice of regularly reflecting on processes and results, then making incremental improvements. By tracking impediments and resolving them transparently, the team engages in Kaizen behavior.

From the PMI Agile Practice Guide:

“Agile teams embrace a mindset of continuous improvement (Kaizen), regularly inspecting their work and processes and adapting them for better outcomes.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 6.6 – Continuous Improvement)

Mike Griffiths writes:

“Agile is rooted in lean thinking, including Kaizen. Teams reflect on what went well and what needs to change, often using tools like Kanban boards to visualize and track improvements.”

(Mike Griffiths, PMI-ACP Exam Prep, Chapter 7 – Continuous Improvement)

Incorrect options:

B refers to goal-setting, not process improvement.

C are metrics, not an outcome of experimentation.

D (Muda) refers to waste, which Kaizen seeks to reduce.

Answer: A

────────────────────────────────────

The correct answer is B – Meet face to face at regular intervals to enhance shared understanding.

While Agile favors colocation, it acknowledges that distributed teams are common. The Agile approach encourages face-to-face communication as the most effective means of information sharing. When colocation isn’t possible, periodic in-person meetings help establish team trust and understanding.

From the PMI Agile Practice Guide:

“Even with distributed teams, periodic face-to-face interactions are recommended to foster team cohesion and alignment. This is especially important during team formation and key planning activities.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 2.3 – Communication and Collaboration)

Mike Griffiths also advises:

“Remote teams benefit significantly from occasional in-person meetings. This improves relationships, shared understanding, and effectiveness in virtual collaboration.”

(Mike Griffiths, PMI-ACP Exam Prep Book, Chapter 4 – Team Performance)

Why other options fall short:

A is about external support and not core to working agreements.

C undermines team transparency and agile principles of shared communication.

D could encourage fragmentation instead of collaboration.

Answer: B

══════════════════════════════════════════════════

The correct answer is C – Show the stakeholder the progress radiators for the project.

Progress radiators, such as task boards, burndown charts, and Kanban boards, visually communicate the status of work in progress, completed items, and remaining scope. They are effective tools for quickly bringing stakeholders up to speed without interrupting the team or requiring extensive reporting.

From the PMI Agile Practice Guide:

“Progress is tracked and made visible using information radiators such as burndown charts, task boards, and velocity charts. These tools allow stakeholders to monitor project health in real time.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 3.5 – Information Radiators)

Mike Griffiths emphasizes:

“Transparency and visibility are essential in agile. Information radiators keep stakeholders informed and promote collaboration without relying on status reports.”

(Mike Griffiths, PMI-ACP Exam Prep Book, Chapter 5 – Agile Monitoring and Control)

Other options explained:

A and D offer limited insights or are inappropriate for immediate understanding.

B is valuable but time-limited; radiators provide continuous insight.

Answer: C

══════════════════════════════════════════════════

Even if a team is high-performing and stable, theScrum Master’s role remains valuablein facilitating continuous improvement, removing impediments, and protecting agile principles. However, in mature teams, a Scrum Master cansupport other teams or initiativeswhile still offering guidance to the original team.

ThePMI Agile Practice Guide (Section 3.3: Agile Roles)andMike Griffiths’ PMI-ACP Exam Prep Book (Chapter 3: Team Performance)both emphasize thatScrum Masters evolveinto more strategic, cross-team roles as teams mature.

Option Ais correct: it reflects astrategic redeployment of a seasoned Scrum Masterwhile maintaining light support to the current team.

Option Brisks losing agile momentum and undermines continuous improvement.

Option CandDconfuse roles—Scrum Master and Product Owner must remain distinct.