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Agile Risk Management

5 minutes 5 Questions

Agile Risk Management is an approach to software development in which the process is broken down into small, manageable units or sprints. With its iterative nature, Agile Risk Management provides the flexibility to course correct, which is critical to mitigating risks in real-time. It's a proactive approach to risk management, as Scrum teams constantly evaluate and manage risks during each sprint.

Guide to Agile Risk Management

Agile Risk Management is a critical component of any successful Agile project. It is the process of identifying, addressing, and tracking risks in an Agile environment.

Why is Agile Risk Management important?
Agile Risk Management is crucial because it allows teams to identify potential threats early, plan for uncertainties, and mitigate risks before they become issues. Without proper risk management, a project could face many obstacles that could have been avoided.

What is Agile Risk Management and how does it work?
In an Agile environment, the team is expected to work iteratively and respond to changes quickly. Agile Risk Management involves continually assessing and addressing risks throughout the project. The process includes risk identification, risk assessment, risk response and risk review.

Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Agile Risk Management
Understanding the Agile Risk Management process and its importance is essential for answering exam questions. Here are some tips:

  • Comprehend the definition of Agile Risk Management and its role in Agile projects.
  • Understand the steps involved in the Agile Risk Management process.
  • Highlight examples of potential risks in Agile projects and how they can be mitigated.
  • Gather knowledge about various Agile methodologies and how risk management differs among them.
  • Consider the perspective of various stakeholders in Agile projects.

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CSM - Scrum Risk Management Example Questions

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Question 1

As a Scrum Master, you notice that productivity has dropped due to team's apprehension about a high-risk factor in the project. What is the best course of action?

Correct Answer: Identify and assess the risk, prioritize it in the backlog, and discuss it in the next scrum meeting

The first answer, which recommends identifying and assessing the risk, prioritizing it in the backlog, and discussing it in the next scrum meeting, is correct. It is part of the Scrum Master's role to efficiently manage risks and ensure that the team are all aware of them, protecting the team from any issues that may impact productivity or project delivery. This way, the team can collectively develop a plan to counteract the risk. The other answers are incorrect because ignoring the risk could lead to further issues and decrease in productivity. Taking the risk management solely upon oneself eliminates the collective intelligence aspect of Scrum, taking the team out of the decision making process which does not align with the principles of transparency and adaptation in Agile and Scrum. Halting all project activity until the risk is mitigated could unnecessarily impact productivity and does not leverage the team's ability to handle risks in an Agile manner, adapting to changes efficiently.

Question 2

A story in your current sprint carries significant risk and requires expert input. However, the expert is only available after the sprint ends. How should you handle this situation?

Correct Answer: Re-prioritize the story to the subsequent sprint where expert can be available

In Scrum, it's pivotal to prioritize according to the capacity of the team and the availability of resources before scheduling stories in a sprint. If a particular story needs expert input, which is not available during the current sprint, the most optimal approach is to re-prioritize the story to the subsequent sprint where the expert will be available. This way, the risk can be mitigated effectively and the story will be handled most efficiently. Proceeding without expert guidance might increase the risk and may cause faulty outcomes. Hence, this choice is not advisable. Asking the team to work overtime is against the principles of Scrum which promotes sustainable pace - the team should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely. Canceling the current sprint and planning a new one including the expert is not a practical solution since it may have significant repercussions on the project timeline and it disregards the work already done within the current sprint.

Question 3

During a sprint retrospective, the team identifies a significant risk that could impact the next sprint. How should the Scrum Master guide the team in managing this risk?

Correct Answer: Facilitate a discussion to identify potential risk mitigation strategies and incorporate them into the next sprint planning.

The best approach is to facilitate a discussion among the team to identify potential risk mitigation strategies and incorporate them into the next sprint planning. This enables the team to proactively address the risk and adapt their plan accordingly. Documenting the risk and revisiting it later does not actively mitigate the risk. Assigning the responsibility to one individual does not leverage the collective problem-solving ability of the team. Conducting a thorough analysis and seeking approval before the sprint goes against the principle of self-organization and may delay the team's progress.

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