PMI-ACP Practice Questions #59
One of the developers, Alex, raises a question to the Agile Practitioner:
“I’ve been hearing a lot about psychological safety in agile teams. Can you explain what it means and why it’s important for us as a team?”
Which of the following best describes psychological safety in an agile team environment?
A. A state where team members can speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences or judgment.
B. A culture where team members are encouraged to follow relationship based processes where harmony of the team is most important act.
C. A team environment where team members not questioned for their actions and behaviour , focuses on complete trust in team member to do what they feel is right
D. Encouraging team members to work independently to minimize interpersonal challenges and miscommunications.
Analysis
Psychological safety in an Agile team refers to creating an environment where team members feel safe to express their thoughts, share ideas, admit mistakes, and challenge the status quo without fear of blame or negative consequences. It fosters open communication, innovation, and continuous improvement, which are core values in Agile teams.
A psychologically safe environment should:
- Encourage open discussions and constructive feedback.
- Allow team members to take risks without fear of judgment.
- Support learning from mistakes rather than punishing them.
- Enable collaboration and innovation by fostering trust.
Analysis of Options:
A: A state where team members can speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences or judgment.
This is the best and most accurate definition of psychological safety. Agile teams thrive when individuals freely express their opinions, share constructive feedback, and learn from mistakes without fear of being blamed or judged. Psychological safety enables teams to be innovative and continuously improve.
B: A culture where team members are encouraged to follow relationship-based processes where harmony of the team is the most important act.
While maintaining harmony is valuable, psychological safety is not about avoiding conflict. Agile teams benefit from constructive disagreements and discussions, which drive creativity and better decision-making. Psychological safety does not mean suppressing differing opinions for the sake of harmony.
C: A team environment where team members are not questioned for their actions and behavior, focusing on complete trust in team members to do what they feel is right.
This misrepresents psychological safety. While trust is essential, psychological safety does not mean avoiding accountability. Agile teams still require constructive feedback, discussions, and guidance to ensure that work aligns with team and business goals.
D: Encouraging team members to work independently to minimize interpersonal challenges and miscommunications.
This is not aligned with psychological safety, as Agile teams value collaboration and communication. Working in silos to avoid interpersonal challenges goes against Agile principles, which emphasize teamwork, shared learning, and open communication.
Conclusion
The correct answer is Option A, as it perfectly defines psychological safety in Agile teams. It ensures that team members feel safe to voice their ideas, take risks, and learn from mistakes without fear of judgment, fostering collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
PMI – ACP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
| Mindset | Foster Psychological Safety |
Topics Covered:
- Encourage team members to speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences or judgment.
- Foster an environment where open discussions, constructive feedback, and learning from mistakes are valued.
- Support risk-taking and innovation by creating a safe space for team members to voice their thoughts and challenge the status quo.
- Promote a collaborative atmosphere where team members feel comfortable expressing differing opinions and contributing to continuous improvement.
If you’re preparing for the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® Exam, we highly recommend enrolling in our PMI-ACP® Exam Prep Program. Designed to provide a comprehensive Agile learning experience, this program not only helps you ace the PMI-ACP® exam but also enhances your Agile mindset, leadership skills, and ability to deliver value-driven projects. Ensure exam success and career growth with our expert-led, structured preparation program tailored for Agile professionals.
