PMI-ACP Practice Questions #32
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Scrum@Scale?
A. It is based on the principles of Scrum, complex adaptive systems theory, game theory, and object-oriented technology.
B. It establishes a Minimum Viable Bureaucracy to manage a scale-free architecture.
C. It focuses on running dedicated timeboxed innovation only sprints frequently.
D. It empowers organizations to align multiple networks of Scrum teams on prioritized goals.
Analysis
The question asks which of the given options is NOT a characteristic of Scrum@Scale. This means we need to identify the one option that does not align with Scrum@Scale’s principles, while ensuring that the others accurately describe its characteristics. Understanding Scrum@Scale’s principles, such as decentralized decision-making, a scale-free architecture, and alignment across multiple teams, will help in evaluating these options.
Analysis of Options
A: It is based on the principles of Scrum, complex adaptive systems theory, game theory, and object-oriented technology.
Scrum@Scale is indeed based on Scrum principles, and it incorporates Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory to manage complexity in large-scale Agile environments. Game theory and object-oriented thinking are also applied in its scaling model to promote decentralized decision-making and coordination among multiple teams. Since this accurately describes Scrum@Scale, this is not the correct answer to eliminate.
B: It establishes a Minimum Viable Bureaucracy to manage a scale-free architecture.
Scrum@Scale explicitly advocates for a Minimum Viable Bureaucracy (MVB), which means implementing only the necessary level of governance to support Agile scaling without creating unnecessary overhead. This concept ensures that decision-making remains lean and decentralized. Since this aligns with Scrum@Scale principles, this is not the correct answer to eliminate.
C: It focuses on running dedicated timeboxed innovation-only sprints frequently.
Scrum@Scale does not promote running dedicated, timeboxed innovation-only sprints. In Scrum, every sprint should contribute to delivering business value through a potentially shippable product increment. While innovation is encouraged, it is not the primary or exclusive focus of any sprint. This is not a characteristic of Scrum@Scale, making this the correct answer to the question.
D: It empowers organizations to align multiple networks of Scrum teams on prioritized goals.
Scrum@Scale is specifically designed to scale Scrum across multiple teams while ensuring alignment with business priorities. It promotes collaborative goal-setting and coordination among teams while maintaining agility. This accurately describes Scrum@Scale and is not the correct answer to eliminate.
Conclusion
The best answer is Option C because Scrum@Scale does not focus on dedicated timeboxed innovation-only sprints. Instead, every sprint should deliver business value in the form of a potentially shippable product increment, ensuring alignment with the overall organizational goals.
This question is a good example of how PMI-ACP exams test theoretical Agile frameworks, requiring familiarity with different scaling models like Scrum@Scale, SAFe, and LeSS.
PMI – ACP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
| Mindset | Embrace Agile Mindset |
Topics Covered:
- Scrum@Scale principles and foundations
- Application of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory in scaling Agile
- Minimum Viable Bureaucracy (MVB) for efficient governance
- Decentralized decision-making and alignment of multiple teams
- Ensuring business value delivery in every sprint
- Distinguishing between innovation as a principle versus dedicated innovation-only sprints
- Understanding different scaling frameworks in Agile (Scrum@Scale, SAFe, LeSS, etc.)
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