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Visualization

5 minutes 5 Questions

Visualization is a key concept in the Kanban Methodology. It involves representing work items visually to give a clear understanding of the work and workflow. Visualization is effective in identifying bottlenecks, seeing the big picture, and understanding where attention is needed. Flow charts, storyboards, and Kanban boards with sticky notes or cards are frequently used tools for visualization. These tools make it easier to track progress and manage work, which ultimately promotes transparency, collaboration, and efficient decision making within the team.

Guide for Visualization in Kanban Methodology - PMI-ACP Exam Prep

Visualization is a vital element of the Kanban Methodology.
Why is it important?
Visualization in Kanban offers a literal picture of work in progress and how tasks are moving through different stages. It makes bottlenecks visible, facilitates better communication, enables real-time tracking of tasks and provides transparency.
What is it?
It is a technique by which the workflow of a process is graphically represented. In Kanban, the most common form of visualization is a Kanban board with columns representing the different stages of the workflow. Each task is represented by a card that moves from one column to another as it progresses through the stages.
How does it work?
Start by defining each stage in your process. Next, create columns for each stage on the Kanban board. Each task is represented by a card and the card moves from column to column as work progresses. The most left-hand column typically represents the start point and the most right-hand column signifies completion.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Visualization
1. Remember that visualization helps identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the workflow. If a question asks about improving transparency or identifying bottlenecks, the answer might involve visualization2. Understand how work items move in a Kanban system. In exams, you might find scenario-based questions asking how to react in a situation where some work items are stuck. Imagine the situation on a Kanban board to answer3. Understand the purpose of each of the columns and what they represent. A clear understanding will help you answer any tricky questions about specific stages in the workflow4. Keep in mind that the power of visualization is in its simplicity and clarity. Overcomplicating the visuals or not updating the board in real-time can negate the benefits.

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PMI-ACP - Kanban Methodology Example Questions

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Question 1

Your Agile team is struggling with understanding and sharing progress on the current project. What visualization tool would be most effective to represent the overall progress and forecast completion date?

Correct Answer: Burn down chart

The most effective visualization tool for an Agile team to represent their overall progress and forecast the completion date is a burn down chart. A burn down chart is a graphical representation of work left to do versus time. It is primarily used in Scrum(an Agile method) to track the progress of a Sprint (a defined period of time during which specific work has to be completed and made ready for review). This makes it easier for the Agile team to understand what has been done and what tasks remain. It also helps teams to predict when their work will be completed based on the existing trend. A Gantt chart, on the other hand, is typically more suited for projects where tasks are sequential and not overlapping, which is not as common in Agile methodologies. It is not designed to accommodate changes that often occur in Agile projects. A bar graph shows the status at a specific point in time but does not forecast future progress or completion dates. A pie chart provides an overall view of the project status but lacks detailed information and does not provide trends over time, which is important for Agile teams.

Question 2

After the agile transformation, your team is having difficulties understanding and organizing different aspects of user stories. What visualization technique would be the best to apply?

Correct Answer: User Story Mapping

The best visualization technique to apply when a team is having difficulties understanding and organizing different aspects of user stories after agile transformation is 'User Story Mapping'. This technique allows the team to visualize and understand the user's journey by breaking down the user stories into manageable tasks that provide value to the user. It effectively provides a big-picture view of the product backlog, making it easier for the team to prioritize work. SWOT analysis, Use Case diagrams, and Flowcharts are not specifically tailored for user story organization and can lack the ability to provide a comprehensive view of a large number of user stories that are typical in an agile context.

Question 3

As an Agile practitioner, you're facing challenges in forecasting the completion of project milestones due to the changing customer requirements. What visualization tool can address this issue?

Correct Answer: Cumulative Flow Diagram

The best visualization tool to address the issue of changing customer requirements and forecasting project milestones within an Agile environment is the Cumulative Flow Diagram. This tool presents the project's progress over time, allowing Agile team members to identify bottlenecks or delays in the process. The other visualization tools mentioned, Pie-Chart, Bar Graph and Scatter Plot, while useful for showcasing data, are not as comprehensive for forecasting milestones in Agile projects. They do not provide as detailed an overview of the work flow over time and do not demonstrate bottlenecks or delays as effectively as the Cumulative Flow Diagram does.

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