PMI-ACP Practice Questions #105
You are a Scrum Master facilitating a backlog refinement session to plan for an upcoming release happening in 3 months. The team consists of 9 members, where 4 are experienced in the technology being used, while 5 are new and still getting familiar with the work.
The team is struggling with estimating user stories due to differences in experience levels. Some developers prefer using time-based (absolute) estimates, while others advocate for relative estimation using story points. The inconsistency in approach is making it difficult to forecast work for the release.
How should you guide the team in choosing an estimation approach that accounts for experience differences and changing complexity?
A. Encourage the team to adopt relative estimation (e.g., story points) so they focus on complexity, risk, and effort rather than fixed time-based estimates.
B. Encourage the team to stick with time-based estimation, as it provides a concrete sense of how long tasks will take, particularly for members who prefer precise estimates.
C. Encourage experienced and new team members to estimate separately first and then compare results to align their understanding before finalizing estimates.
D. Encourage the experienced team members to lead the estimation discussions while newer members observe and learn over time.
Analysis
The question presents a scenario where a Scrum Master facilitates backlog refinement for a 3-month release plan, but the team struggles with estimation due to differences in experience levels. Some members prefer time-based (absolute) estimation, while others advocate for relative estimation (story points). The inconsistency makes it difficult to forecast work effectively.
A good estimation approach in Agile should:
- Focus on complexity and effort rather than absolute time, accommodating different experience levels.
- Enable forecasting while allowing for progressive elaboration, rather than forcing detailed upfront planning.
- Foster collaboration and collective team ownership instead of segregating team members.
The best approach will promote relative estimation while ensuring inclusivity for both experienced and new members.
Analysis of Options:
A: Encourage the team to adopt relative estimation (e.g., story points) so they focus on complexity, risk, and effort rather than fixed time-based estimates.
This is the best choice. Relative estimation (such as story points) is a widely accepted Agile practice that:
- Accounts for variability in experience levels, as newer team members can compare work relatively rather than estimating absolute time.
- Avoids rigid time commitments, allowing for evolving requirements.
- Supports progressive elaboration, making it suitable for release planning.
- Helps in forecasting, without requiring upfront task breakdowns like in traditional waterfall approaches.
Relative estimation improves team alignment and allows members with different experience levels to participate effectively.
B: Encourage the team to stick with time-based estimation, as it provides a concrete sense of how long tasks will take, particularly for members who prefer precise estimates.
This is not ideal because:
- Time-based estimation assumes fixed effort and ignores complexity differences.
- Newer team members may struggle to estimate time accurately, leading to inconsistent results.
- Agile focuses on relative complexity rather than fixed-duration estimates.
- It discourages the iterative and evolving nature of Agile planning, pushing the team toward a waterfall mindset.
Option C: Encourage experienced and new team members to estimate separately first and then compare results to align their understanding before finalizing estimates.
This approach divides the team rather than fostering collaboration:
- Agile teams should be self-organizing and cross-functional, working together rather than in sub-groups.
- Planning Poker already allows individual estimation before discussing differences—separating groups unnecessarily complicates the process.
- The goal is to arrive at a shared team understanding, not to segment people based on experience.
D: Encourage the experienced team members to lead the estimation discussions while newer members observe and learn over time.
This excludes newer team members from active participation:
- Agile values inclusivity—everyone should contribute to estimation.
- Even if newer team members lack experience, they provide valuable input in discussions.
- Learning should happen within the estimation process, rather than by sidelining certain members.
- A fishbowl activity (where new members observe a few rounds) could be used as a short-term coaching tool, but long-term exclusion is not appropriate.
Conclusion
The best answer is Option A, as relative estimation (story points) effectively handles differences in experience, supports complexity-based forecasting, and fosters collaborative decision-making. Other options either introduce rigid time-based estimation, divide the team, or exclude certain members, making them less effective for Agile planning.
PMI – ACP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
| Product | Refine Product Backlog |
Topics Covered:
- Guide teams in selecting an effective estimation technique that accommodates different experience levels.
- Promote relative estimation methods (e.g., story points) to ensure estimates focus on complexity, risk, and effort rather than fixed durations.
- Encourage collaborative estimation to align team understanding and build shared ownership of forecasts.
- Ensure inclusivity in estimation, allowing new and experienced team members to contribute equally.
- Prevent team segregation by avoiding separate estimation groups and encouraging learning through participation.
- Use estimation techniques that help in release forecasting while allowing progressive elaboration.
- Avoid rigid, time-based approaches that could push the team toward waterfall-style planning.
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