PMBOK & Agile Exam Preparation Flashcards

A compressed set of 685 Q&A flashcards covering key terms, concepts, and tools from PMBOK, Agile, and related project-management topics for CAPM/PMP exam practice.

What is the PMBOK Guide?

PMI’s standard that describes widely-accepted project management practices.

What is meant by an abusive manner on a project?

Conduct causing harm, fear, humiliation, manipulation, or exploitation of others.

What does “Acceptance” mean in risk response?

Acknowledging the risk and taking no proactive action beyond monitoring.

What is Acceptance-Test-Driven Development (ATDD)?

Writing acceptance tests with customers, devs, testers before coding begins.

What is message acknowledgment?

Confirmation that a communication was received, not necessarily agreed with.

Define active listening.

Receiver restates, asks, and confirms to ensure full understanding of the message.

What is active observation?

Observer interacts with workers to learn and may assist while learning tasks.

What is active problem solving?

Defining the problem, finding root cause, then pursuing corrective solutions.

What is an activity list?

Output of breaking WBS work packages into scheduled activities.

Purpose of an activity network diagram?

Shows logical flow/sequence of project activities.

What does Actual Cost (AC) represent?

Money spent on the project to date.

What is adjourning in team development?

Stage where project ends and team disbands or moves to new work.

Describe adaptive leadership.

Style helping teams thrive and overcome challenges throughout a project.

What is an affinity diagram?

Groups similar ideas to organize and analyze large idea sets.

Define affinity estimation.

Quickly sorts user stories into comparable-sized groups for sizing.

How is the term “Agile” defined?

Developing value through iterative, empirical experimentation and adaptation.

What is agile adaptation?

Continuously adjusting plans via retrospectives to maximize value.

Role of an agile coach?

Guides people/teams toward personal or organizational agile goals.

Explain agile experimentation.

Using spikes and observation to influence ongoing planning by evidence.

What is the Agile Manifesto?

Declaration favoring people, working software, collaboration, and change.

Purpose of the Agile Manifesto principles?

Twelve statements expanding the manifesto into actionable guidance.

Agile principle: customer satisfaction?

Deliver early and continuous value to delight customers.

Agile principle: welcome change?

Embrace late changes to increase customer advantage.

Agile principle: frequent delivery?

Release working increments regularly for feedback and value.

Agile principle: collocated team?

People work together daily for osmotic communication and focus.

Agile principle: motivated individuals?

Provide empowerment, environment, support, and trust.

Agile principle: face-to-face conversation?

Most efficient, effective communication for feedback.

Agile principle: working software?

Primary progress measure and quality maintainer.

Agile principle: constant pace?

Maintain sustainable work-life balance for steady progress.

Agile principle: continuous attention?

Keep quality and agility in focus during work.

Agile principle: simplicity?

Maximize work not done; focus on essentials.

Agile principle: self-organization?

Teams decide how to accomplish work effectively.

Agile principle: regular reflection?

Inspect and adapt processes for continual improvement.

What is agile mentoring?

Experienced member passes knowledge and skills to others.

Give examples of agile methodologies.

XP, Scrum, Lean, Kanban, Crystal, DSDM, FDD.

What is agile modeling?

Lightweight diagrams of processes/systems before coding.

Define agile planning.

Multi-level (strategy, release, iteration, daily) planning that can change.

What are agile practices?

Activities that enact agile principles (e.g., stand-ups, retros, TDD).

Define an agile project.

Project executed per Agile Manifesto and principles.

What are agile smells?

Symptoms indicating problems in agile teams/projects.

What is an agile space?

Area fostering collaboration, transparency, and visibility.

What are agile themes?

Broad functional targets guiding iterations/releases.

Purpose of agile tooling?

Boost morale and efficiency via supportive software or artifacts.

What is alternative analysis?

Comparing multiple possible solutions, roles, tools, or approaches.

Explain alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

Using mediation/arbitration to settle contract issues before closure.

What is alternatives generation?

Finding different scope solutions considering cost and satisfaction.

Define ambiguity risks.

Unclear/uncertain events like new laws or markets, hard to predict.

What is analogous estimating?

Top-down cost/time estimate using historical data; least accurate.

Meaning of analysis in Agile?

Studying problem & need to suggest possible solutions.

Define application areas.

Industries/functions where a project is centered (IT, healthcare, etc.).

What are approved iterations?

Backlog-based increments accepted by stakeholders after review.

Define artifact in Agile.

Any process output such as documents, code, charts.

Purpose of an assumption log?

Record unproven beliefs for validation and risk tracking.

What is authority power?

Ability to make decisions/sign approvals over others.

Describe autocratic decision making.

One person decides for the entire group.

What are automated testing tools?

Software that supports unit, integration, code reviews, etc.

Define avoidance as risk response.

Change plan to eliminate threat completely.

What is avoiding power?

Manager refuses involvement or decisions; withdraws.

Explain a balanced matrix structure.

PM and functional managers share power over pooled resources.

Define being agile.

Working responsively to deliver customer-needed value timely.

What is benchmarking?

Comparing similar entities’ performance for improvement ideas.

Explain Benefit/Cost Ratio (BCR).

Numeric comparison of expected benefits to costs.

What is a bid?

Seller’s price offer where cost is main selection factor.

Purpose of a bidder conference?

Meeting to clarify statement of work for all vendors.

Describe bottom-up estimating.

Detailed cost/time sum of every activity; most accurate.

What is brain writing?

Participants receive topics beforehand, write ideas individually.

Define brainstorming for requirements.

Free idea generation without judgment to collect needs.

Explain basic brainstorming for risks.

Team + SMEs list all possible project risks.

What is a budget estimate?

Early coarse cost range –10% to +25%.

What is a burn-down chart?

Graph showing remaining backlog shrinking during iteration.

Define burn rate.

Resource/cost consumption per iteration.

What is a burn-up chart?

Graph of completed functionality rising over time.

Explain business risks.

Risks with positive or negative outcomes tied to business choices.

Define business value.

Tangible or intangible ROI like money or brand recognition.

What are cardinal scales?

Probability/impact ranking 0.01 (low) to 1.0 (certain).

Purpose of cause-and-effect diagrams.

Identify relationships causing quality problems (fishbone).

What does CARVER stand for?

Criticality, Accessibility, Return, Vulnerability, Effect, Recognizeability.

What is a ceremony in Agile?

Scheduled meeting like stand-up, planning, review, retro.

Who is a CAPM?

Certified Associate in Project Management credential holder.

Define change (Agile).

Adjusting requirements to add customer value.

Role of a Change Control Board (CCB).

Group that evaluates and approves or rejects changes.

What is a Change Control System?

Process for managing scope change requests.

Purpose of a change log.

Tracks all change requests and decisions.

What is a change management plan?

Describes how change requests are handled/documented.

Describe charismatic leadership.

Leader inspires through energy, conviction, positivity.

What is a project charter?

Document formally authorizing and outlining a project.

How are checklists used in quality?

Simple tool to verify work meets policy steps.

In Scrum, who is a chicken?

Someone involved but not committed to delivery.

Explain choice of media.

Selecting communication mode fitting message & audience.

What are claims in procurement?

Buyer-seller disputes over contract changes or work.

What happens in closure processes?

Formal ending of phase/project; archives and contracts closed.

Role of a coach in Agile.

Keeps team focused on learning and process adherence.

What is a code of accounts?

Numbering system tagging each WBS element.

Define coercive power.

Authority to punish; penalty power.

What is collaborate/problem-solving?

Confront conflict together for win-win solution.

Meaning of collaboration.

Cooperative work toward shared goal.

What are collective bargaining constraints?

Union agreements limiting project labor decisions.

Explain collective code ownership.

Whole team jointly responsible for all code.

What is collocation?

Team works physically together in one room.

Define command & control.

Top-down decisions handed to the team.