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Planning and Monitoring Iterations

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Planning and monitoring iterations is one of the key concepts in Agile EVM. The team breaks down the project into smaller and manageable chunks, known as iterations. Each iteration is well-planned, executed, and monitored by considering user stories, identifying tasks and estimating the time required to complete them. Agile EVM offers value in understanding the project’s current status and predicting its future performance. Monitoring the actual time taken to perform tasks allows teams to adjust their velocity for future sprints, helping to improve project tracking and control, facilitating project management decision-making.

Guide to Planning and Monitoring Iterations for PMI-ACP Agile EVM

Planning and Monitoring Iterations is a crucial part of the Agile Earned Value Management (EVM) within the PMI-ACP (Project Management Institute-Agile Certified Practitioner) framework.

What it is:
This involves defining and controlling what should be done within each iteration or Agile sprint. The process includes planning, scheduling, monitoring, and making necessary adjustments to ensure the delivery of high-quality, valuable software in each iteration.

Why it is important:
This provides a structured approach to managing the Agile projects and reduces risks of exceeding cost and time. It helps to maintain the pace, control the scope, and manage the stakeholders' expectations.

How it works:
Initially, the scope of the iteration is defined using the product backlog. The backlog items are then scheduled for iterations based on priority. Each iteration is time-boxed, generally set for 2-4 weeks. During this iteration, the team develops, tests, and delivers a potentially shippable product increment. Monitoring is done on a daily basis in daily standup meetings and adjustments are made as required. At the end of each iteration, a review is performed to verify the completion and fitness of the product increment.

Exam Tips:
In the PMI-ACP exam, understanding Planning and Monitoring Iterations is critical. Remember that it's all about controlling the iteration to maximize value and minimize risks. Questions may focus on the process, roles, and artifacts involved as well as how changes are handled within an iteration. A deep understanding and application of Agile principles and practices are key to correctly answer the questions. It is also helpful to memorize key terms and concepts.

Remember: Always take note of the keywords in the questions, anticipate the reasons for changes within an iteration, and how to handle them within the Agile framework.

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PMI-ACP - Agile EVM (Earned Value Management) Example Questions

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Question 1

During the planning phase of your project, your team faced a scenario where certain technical dependencies have not been considered. This oversight has now led to a disconnect in the scope and objectives of a project iteration. What should be your team’s next steps as per agile methodologies?

Correct Answer: The team should immediately refactor the current iteration and factor in the missed-out dependencies.

As per agile methodologies, when an oversight in technical dependencies occur that leads to a disconnect in the scope and objectives of a project iteration, the team needs to adapt. Refactoring the current iteration and factoring in the missed-out dependencies is a feasible and agile approach. This approach aligns with the principle of welcome changing requirements, even late in the project. Agile processes harness change for the product owner's competitive advantage. On the other hand, continuing with the iteration as per initial plans does not consider the oversight and can lead to further issues. Abandoning the project is not a good solution as it does not capitalize on the opportunity to learn and improve from the oversight. Starting another iteration in parallel may split the team's focus and is not the best application of resources.

Question 2

Your team is using a burndown chart to track progress but the burndown line is constantly parallel to the X-axis, indicating little to no work is completed each day. As a Scrum Master, what should you do?

Correct Answer: Conduct a meeting with the team to inspect and adapt the process, identify the impediments and work on a solution.

The burndown chart is a visual representation of work left to do versus time in Agile project management. If the burndown line is parallel to the X-axis, it indicates that little to no work is getting completed day by day. As a Scrum Master, the best approach would be to 'Conduct a meeting with the team to inspect and adapt the process, identify the impediments and work on a solution.' This approach ensures that the project is delivered in a timely and efficient manner by adapting to situations as they arise. Scrum emphasizes on a process of inspection and adaption, and resolving the issues as they are identified. The other answers are not practical or effective. 'Sticking to the current plan and hoping the progress improves in the future' is not proactive and doesn't address the issue at hand. 'Switching to a different tracking tool assuming the burndown chart is faulty' is also not a reasonable solution because the issue lies in the progress, and not the chart tool. Lastly, 'Allocating extra hours to the team members to speed up the process' might not necessarily be effective since it doesn't guarantee that the problem causing slow progress is resolved.

Question 3

Your team is currently working on a large project and you have decided to implement Agile methodologies for the project execution. During the planning phase, an external stakeholder insists that the project needs to follow a more traditional waterfall model because they believe agile could be risky. As an Agile practitioner, what would be your best response?

Correct Answer: Explain to the stakeholder the benefits of using agile methodologies for this project like flexibility, quicker feedback, and more value-driven approach.

The correct response to such a situation would be to engage in a dialogue with the stakeholder explaining the benefits of using agile methodologies. Agile approach provides essential advantages such as adaptability, quicker feedback, and a value-driven approach that aids in keeping the project aligned with the customer expectations. It allows continuous improvement and adjustment through iterative development and testing. This would reassure the stakeholder that though there might be perceived risks, the benefits and control mechanisms of Agile far outweigh them. The other responses are not suitable since, ignoring the stakeholder's concerns or instantly switching to a different methodology could lead to conflicts and undermine collaboration, which is crucial for project success. Escalating this to senior management may not be the right first step; as the Agile practitioner, it's important to take responsibility and address such concerns directly where possible.

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