PMI Updated DASSM Exam Questions and Answers by kajus

A value stream map is a lean tool that visually maps out the steps in a process from start to finish to identify areas of waste, delays, or inefficiencies in delivering value to the customer. In Disciplined Agile (DA), value stream mapping helps the team identify problem areas where waste occurs, such as bottlenecks, excessive handoffs, or unnecessary steps that do not add value to the customer. By recognizing these problem areas, the team can focus on improving or eliminating them to optimize the value delivery process. Options A, C, and D provide specific strategies for improving processes but do not encompass the broad benefit of identifying problem areas in realizing value.

User stories are a key component in Agile practices, including the Disciplined Agile (DA) framework. They are typically described by the acronym INVEST, which stands for:

Independent: User stories should be self-contained, so they do not overlap with others.

Negotiable: User stories are not contracts; they should leave room for discussion and refinement.

Valuable: Each user story must deliver value to the end user or customer.

Estimable: A good user story can be estimated in terms of the effort required to complete it.

Small: User stories should be small enough to be completed within a single iteration.

Testable: A user story must be testable, meaning it should be possible to determine whether the user story has been completed successfully.

Based on the INVEST criteria, "Achievable" is not a recognized feature of a user story. While achieving a user story is an implicit goal, it is not explicitly mentioned in the standard definition or characteristics used in Agile frameworks such as Disciplined Agile. The features that are essential to a user story are "Negotiable," "Estimable," and "Testable," as they ensure the story is clearly defined, measurable, and valuable to the user.

References:

Disciplined Agile Delivery: A Practitioner's Guide to Agile Software Delivery in the Enterprise, Scott Ambler & Mark Lines.

PMI’s Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) and Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master (DASSM) training materials.

Guided Continuous Improvementis essential when the team seeks assistance in identifying feasible improvement opportunities and avoiding risks associated with poor decisions. In Disciplined Agile, continuous improvement is a core principle, but it is recognized that teams may sometimes require external guidance to navigate the wide array of potential changes. This external guidance can help the team focus on the most impactful improvements, avoid common pitfalls,and incrementally enhance their ways of working. Guided continuous improvement helps ensure that the team's efforts are directed towards effective and sustainable changes.

Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) is a four-step iterative process used for continuous improvement. It helps teams to better understand the effectiveness of their actions and identify opportunities for improvement. The cycle involves planning an action (Plan), executing it (Do), studying the results (Study), and acting on what is learned (Act). While reflecting on whether the team is working on the correct things (B) or improving plans (C) are parts of continuous improvement, PDSAis primarily aimed at understanding and improving the results of actions. Option D (providing justification when something goes wrong) is not the purpose of PDSA.