PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) Sample Questions

One of the leading institutes for determining a candidate’s knowledge of agile principles and skill with agile techniques is the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® examination. You will be able to demonstrate your agile knowledge after completing this PMI-ACP certification. The PMI-ACP covers many agile approaches, including Scrum, Kanban, Lean, extreme programming (XP), and test-driven development (TDD.) As a result, it will increase your versatility no matter where your projects take you.

If you work on agile teams or if your organization is implementing agile practices, the PMI-ACP is a good choice for you. You should definitely complete PMI-ACP to advance your career.

PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) Sample Questions

Advanced Sample Questions

What is Agile Manifesto?

• a. A set of principles for software development
• b. A project management methodology
• c. A customer relationship management approach
• d. A business intelligence strategy

Answer: a. A set of principles for software development

Explanation: The Agile Manifesto is a set of values and principles for software development that prioritize customer satisfaction, teamwork, and the ability to respond to change.

What is the difference between Scrum and Kanban?

• a. Scrum is a prescriptive framework, while Kanban is a visual management system
• b. Scrum is a visual management system, while Kanban is a prescriptive framework
• c. Scrum and Kanban are the same thing
• d. Scrum and Kanban have different principles

Answer: a. Scrum is a prescriptive framework, while Kanban is a visual management system

Explanation: Scrum is a specific framework for managing and completing complex projects, while Kanban is a visual system for managing and prioritizing work as it moves through a process.

Who is responsible for ensuring that the team adheres to the Scrum framework in a Scrum project?

• a. The Development Team
• b. The Scrum Master
• c. The Product Owner
• d. The Stakeholders

Answer: b. The Scrum Master

Explanation: The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring that the team follows the Scrum framework, facilitating Scrum events, and removing any obstacles that might prevent the team from meeting its sprint goals.

What is the purpose of a Sprint Retrospective in Scrum?

• a. To review and reflect on the current sprint
• b. To plan for the next sprint
• c. To determine the team’s velocity
• d. To review the product backlog

Answer: a. To review and reflect on the current sprint

Explanation: The Sprint Retrospective is an opportunity for the Scrum team to review and reflect on the current sprint, identify areas for improvement, and make necessary changes to the way they work to optimize their performance in future sprints.

What is the time-box for a Daily Scrum meeting in Scrum?

• a. 30 minutes
• b. 1 hour
• c. 15 minutes
• d. 45 minutes

Answer: c. 15 minutes

Explanation: The Daily Scrum, also known as the daily stand-up, is a time-boxed meeting that should not exceed 15 minutes. During this meeting, the Development Team members share what they accomplished since the last Daily Scrum, what they plan to do next, and identify any obstacles that are blocking their progress.

What is the main purpose of Sprint Planning in Scrum?

• a. To prioritize the product backlog
• b. To review the progress of the current sprint
• c. To plan and prepare for the next sprint
• d. To determine the team’s velocity

Answer: c. To plan and prepare for the next sprint

Explanation: The Sprint Planning meeting is held at the start of each sprint and is the time when the Development Team and the Product Owner plan and prepare for the next sprint. During this meeting, the team decides what items from the product backlog they will work on, how they will complete the work, and what their sprint goal will be.

What is the role of the Product Owner in Scrum?

• a. To manage the development team
• b. To provide technical support
• c. To prioritize and manage the product backlog
• d. To approve changes to the product backlog

Answer: c. To prioritize and manage the product backlog

Explanation: The Product Owner is responsible for defining the product backlog, prioritizing the items in the backlog, and making sure that the Development Team is working on the most valuable items. The Product Owner also represents the interests of the stakeholders and makes decisions about what should be included in each sprint.

What is the purpose of a Sprint Review in Scrum?

• a. To review and reflect on the current sprint
• b. To plan for the next sprint
• c. To review the progress and demonstrate the results of the current sprint
• d. To determine the team’s velocity

Answer: c. To review the progress and demonstrate the results of the current sprint

Explanation: The Sprint Review is a meeting held at the end of each sprint to review the progress that has been made and to demonstrate the results of the current sprint to stakeholders. During this meeting, the Development Team demonstrates the work that has been completed, receives feedback from stakeholders, and collaborates with them to determine what to work on next.

What is the time-box for a Sprint Review in Scrum?

• a. 4 hours
• b. 2 hours
• c. 8 hours
• d. 6 hours

Answer: a. 4 hours

Explanation: The Sprint Review is a time-boxed meeting that should not exceed 4 hours. The purpose of this meeting is to review the progress that has been made and to demonstrate the results of the current sprint to stakeholders.

What is the main difference between a Kanban board and a Scrum board?

• a. A Kanban board is used for continuous flow, while a Scrum board is used for time-boxed sprints
• b. A Scrum board is used for continuous flow, while a Kanban board is used for time-boxed sprints
• c. There is no difference between a Kanban board and a Scrum board
• d. A Kanban board is used for visualizing work, while a Scrum board is used for prioritizing work

Answer: a. A Kanban board is used for continuous flow, while a Scrum board is used for time-boxed sprints

Explanation: A Kanban board is a visual management tool used in Kanban to manage work as it moves through a process. It is used to visualize work and track progress in real-time. On the other hand, a Scrum board is used in Scrum to track the progress of work during a sprint. It is used to visualize the state of the sprint, show what work has been completed, and what work remains to be done.

Basic Sample Questions

Question 1

What are the main advantages that stakeholders might gain from an Agile approach in PMI-ACP?

• A. The ability to avoid the change-management process by incorporating new requirements and changes into the team as they meet on a daily basis.
• B. The early and continuous delivery of valuable software, allowing for greater visibility and more frequent adjustments.
• C. Greater project access and less reliance on formal reports and status meetings to better understand current work and risks accepted by the team
• D. The team’s ability to make changes mid-iteration as business needs or priorities change, thereby increasing the team’s ability to meet project commitments.

Correct Answer – B

Question 2

What should a team do first when estimating user stories for a project?

• A. Organize the user stories by priority.
• B. Call a team meeting to discuss them.
• C. Establish the story points metric.
• D. Calculate using function
• n point analysis.

Correct Answer – C

Question 3

The following is a plot point:

• A. A measure of the relative size of a user story.
• B. The time required to complete a user story.
• C. Backlog priority of the user story
• D. The user story’s business value.

Correct Answer – A

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the more valuable items, according to the Agile Manifesto?

• A. Customer collaboration, plan execution, operational software, and individual interactions
• B. Functional software, individual interactions, adapting to change, and thorough documentation
• C. Individual interactions, software operation, customer collaboration, and adapting to change
• D. Change management, individual interactions, processes and tools, and customer collaboration

Correct Answer – C

Question 5

Product quality is measured at regular intervals on a specific project and is consistently below the acceptable level. How should this problem be addressed in a Lean environment?

• A. At the end of each development cycle, the team should conduct more rigorous testing.
• B. Management should direct the team on specific actions to take in order to improve quality.
• C. Management should guide the team as it strives to improve itself and reduce system errors.
• D. The Project Champion should double-check the acceptable quality threshold to ensure it is attainable.

Correct Answer – C

Question 6

According to Scrum, each sprint should produce:

• A. An addition to potentially shippable product functionality.
• B. A set of product requirements and specifications that have been documented.
• C. A release with functionalities that can be tested and measured.
• D. A small increase in potentially testable product functionality.

Correct Answer – A

Question 7

A Sprint Review’s primary goal is for the team to:

• A. Show what you accomplished during the sprint.
• B. Talk about what went well, what didn’t, and how to improve.
• C. Prioritize and estimate stories for the upcoming sprint.
• D. Provide status updates on individual user stories in progress.

Correct Answer – A

Question 8

Agile estimates should be based on what?

• A. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) from each iteration that is in accordance with the project management plan.
• B. A disciplined iteration schedule that improves predictability, combined with change reaction
• C. Ballpark figures gathered from previous Agile projects with scopes comparable to the current project
• D. Initial resource breakdown based on available person days over the course of the project.

Correct Answer – B

Question 9

A value stream map is a tool for determining the:

• A. Waste throughout the entire process.
• B. The most valuable product features.
• C. The most beneficial team interactions.
• D. The most likely sequence of project risks.

Correct Answer – A

Question 10

The team should most likely: when estimating initial velocity:

• A. Discuss with the team how many story points they expect to address.
• B. Identify steps and calculate velocity using a Kanban workflow.
• C. Use the velocity of previous iterations or make an educated guess.
• D. Discuss with the customer their expectations for the product’s production speed.

Correct Answer – C

Question 11

After three iterations, the problems impeding an Agile team appear to be of the same nature as those encountered in previous iterations. A review of previous iterations’ retrospectives reveals information organized into columns titled “What worked for us” and “What did not work for us.” Based on this information, it is reasonable to conclude that the team did not capture:

• A. user narratives
• B. landmarks
• C. action items
• D. specifications

Correct Answer – C

Question 12

Which option is the best for increasing project velocity?

• A. Protect programmers from interruptions.
• B. Reduce customer involvement
• C. Reduce the number of iterations.
• D. Increase the size of the project team.

Correct Answer – C

Question 13

A company is beginning to implement Agile practices, and the project manager has been tasked with determining how to implement the new process. The project manager’s initial strategy should be:

• A. Begin holding daily standup meetings right away.
• B. Share the Agile Manifesto with the team.
• C. Strike a balance between teaching principles and Agile practices.
• D. Evaluate the team’s progress in learning new techniques.

Correct Answer – C

Question 14

A project team is dispersed across multiple countries and is having difficulty agreeing on what should be delivered and how it should be developed. Which of the following should the project manager do to reduce team tension, break down cultural barriers, and improve communication?

• A. Request that the team only communicate via email in order to clearly document issues.
• B. Bring this up with senior management and suggest that the team be co-located.
• C. Monitor performance and thoroughly discuss issues at the next retrospective.
• D. Schedule daily standup meetings with both teams at a time that is convenient for everyone.

Correct Answer – D

Question 15

Continuous integration ensures that a product meets the following criteria:

• A. When all features are complete, it is ready to ship.
• B. Delivered at the end of each day for testing.
• C. Technically ready for deployment at any time.
• D. Deployed following final business approvals

Correct Answer – C

Question 16

Which tool enables the Product Owner to concentrate on providing the most value and ROI to the organization?

• A. Burn-up diagram
• B. Backlog of Products
• C. Estimation of affinity
• D. Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)

Correct Answer – B

Question 17

The purpose of the daily standup meeting in Agile projects is best described as follows:

• A. Address the critical issues and risks that are likely to stymie project progress.
• B. Strengthen the relationship with the Product Owner by providing insight and reassurance.
• C. Inform the project lead of the project status so that stakeholders can be informed.
• D. Increase the visibility of each individual’s work and ensure that it is integrated.

Correct Answer – D

Question 18

What are some of the most significant advantages of an Agile team working together in an open, co-located environment?

• A. Osmotic communication is reduced; space is used more efficiently; groups work more effectively together; and team dynamics improve.
• B. Costs are reduced as the need for conference rooms decreases, and the team can more accurately track where members are.
• C. Team members can be held more accountable for their time and effort, and pair programming is easier because people need to move less to sit with their partner.
• D. Communication improves; wait time and rework are reduced; barriers between groups dissolve, and groups gain professional respect for one another.

Correct Answer – D

Question 19

Which of the following is a list of capabilities, features, and stories identified by the Product Owner?

• A. Burndown graph
• B. Story card
• C. Vision Statement
• D. Backlog

Question 20

Correct Answer – D

Which layer of the product planning structure defines capabilities or features?

• A. Iteration
• B. A road map
• C. Allowance
• D. Wave

Correct Answer – C