Defer Commitment

5 minutes 5 Questions

Defer Commitment refers to the practice of waiting for the last responsible moment to make decisions. The idea behind this concept is to keep options open as long as possible, until enough facts are available to make a wise decision. In a software development context, this could relate to making de…

Guide to Defer Commitment in Lean Software Development

Defer Commitment, often known as Last Responsible Moment (LRM), is a significant principle of Lean Software Development. This principle is centered around the concept of making decisions as late as possible.
Importance: This approach is important because it prevents premature decisions that could lead to a waste of resources and a decrease in efficiency. By deferring decisions until the last responsible moment, one can incorporate the maximum amount of information and thereby make the most effective decision.
How it Works: In practice, this idea is implemented by maintaining flexibility and keeping options open for as long as feasibly possible. The optimal time to make a decision is when failing to make a decision eliminates an alternative.
Exam Tips: When answering questions about Defer Commitment, it's important to highlight understanding of its purpose in reducing waste and improving project success. Questions may focus on identifying the Last Responsible Moment to make a decision or scenarios where it's preferable to defer decision-making.
Remember: This principle encourages being decisive as late as possible, but not later. It is not about procrastination, but about maximising project flexibility and efficiency.

Test mode:

Exam (Timed)

Practice (With explanations)

Start practice test

PMI-ACP - Defer Commitment Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Defer Commitment

Question 1

You are managing a large software project, and the stakeholders are proposing changes that will need additional technologies. However, the technology landscape is highly volatile, with new tools emerging frequently. How can you apply the principle of Defer Commitment to this situation?

Immediately accept the stakeholder changes and incorporate the additional technologies Reject stakeholder changes to avoid complexity Decide on the technology immediately to avoid delays Keep a number of options open and defer the decision until more clarity is obtained about the stakeholder requirements and the technology landscape

Correct Answer: Keep a number of options open and defer the decision until more clarity is obtained about the stakeholder requirements and the technology landscape

The best response would be to 'Keep a number of options open and defer the decision until more clarity is obtained about the stakeholder requirements and the technology landscape'. This aligns with the principle of Defer Commitment, where one avoids early commitment to a particular solution or technology, allowing for flexibility to adapt as more information become available. 'Immediately accepting the stakeholder changes and incorporating the additional technologies' does not allow for the assessment of viability of these technologies given the volatile technology environment. 'Rejecting stakeholder changes to avoid complexity' overlooks the fact that these changes could add value to the project. Lastly, 'Deciding on the technology immediately to avoid delays' could lead to unnecessary complexity if the chosen technology do not align with the future requirements of the stakeholders or the project.

Question 2

You are managing a project for a client who consistently submits new product feature requests. There is a risk these frequent changes could disrupt the project flow and extend timelines. Applying the Defer Commitment principle, how should you handle this situation?

Incorporate an iterative project approach, allowing new features to be assessed and included in subsequent iterations rather than disrupting current work Ask the client to stop submitting new feature requests Stop the current project flow every time a new feature request is received to include it Ignore the client’s feature requests until the project is completed

Correct Answer: Incorporate an iterative project approach, allowing new features to be assessed and included in subsequent iterations rather than disrupting current work

The best approach to manage consistent new requests during any project is to incorporate an iterative project approach. In iterative project approach, the project is broken down into small parts, called iterations, which are easier to manage and can adjust to changes effectively. This approach allows new features to be assessed and included in following iterations, avoiding any disruption in the current work. Stopping current work every time a new feature request arrives, ignoring the requests, or asking the client to stop submitting new requests are all negative approaches that either disrupts work, frustrates the client, or pushes away valuable input.

Question 3

Your team is working on a new mobile application. The choice of platform - iOS, Android, or cross-platform - has not been firmly decided. As the project manager, how would you apply the principle of Defer Commitment?

Investigate the potential benefits and drawbacks of each platform choice, and make the final decision when more information is available Make an immediate decision based on the team's current expertise Ask the client to make the decision Delay the project until the platform choice is decided

Correct Answer: Investigate the potential benefits and drawbacks of each platform choice, and make the final decision when more information is available

The principle of Defer Commitment in Agile methodology involves postponing decisions until the last responsible moment, i.e., when additional information is available making the decision more informed. In this case, as the Project Manager, the first answer - investigating the potential benefits and drawbacks of each platform choice and then deciding once more data is available fits this principle correctly. The second option, making an immediate decision based on current expertise, denies the opportunity of exploring other feasible options and is not deferring commitment. The third answer, delaying the project until a platform decision is made, conflicts with Agile's emphasis on continuous delivery and does not necessarily ensure the decision is more informed. The fourth answer, asking the client to make the decision, might not be optimal because it could neglect important factors like the team's capabilities or the project's technical requirements that the client may not be aware of.

🎓 Unlock Premium Access

PMI Agile Certified Practitioner + ALL Certifications

🎓 Access to ALL Certifications: Study for any certification on our platform with one subscription
3862 Superior-grade PMI Agile Certified Practitioner practice questions
Unlimited practice tests across all certifications
Detailed explanations for every question
PMI-ACP: 5 full exams plus all other certification exams
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed: Full refund if unsatisfied
Risk-Free: 7-day free trial with all premium features!

Start Your Free 7-Day Trial