PMP Exam Prep Q #4 – Evaluating the readiness of Deliverables
Q4. Your project uses an approach where the project deliverables develop incrementally throughout 2-week iterations. Which of the following can assist in evaluating the readiness of each deliverable?
A. Acceptance criteria
B. Definition of ready (DoR)
C. Iteration Review
D. Definition of Done (DoD)
In this question, you are using an Agile approach with two weeks long iterations, so you are expected to deliver a completed piece of work at the end of every two weeks.
Here the question primarily focuses on Deliverables – How do you know the deliverables are complete? Which option helps in evaluating the readiness of deliverables? Here readiness of deliverables can be interpreted as the completeness of the deliverable.
Now let’s look at the options one by one –
Option A – “Acceptance criteria” – Acceptance Criteria clarify business requirements/conditions for a product backlog item. Each product backlog item must meet its agreed acceptance criteria to mark complete. At the end of an iteration, if a product backlog item is not meeting acceptance criteria, you cannot take it as a deliverable for the iteration. In this way, this is a good option to mark right.
Option B- “Definition of Ready (DoR)” – The Definition of Ready is a checklist of criteria to decide whether a product backlog item is ready to work in the next iteration; hence it helps in iteration planning. In this way, DoR is an input to plan the iteration, not related to marking the deliverable’s completeness. Therefore, there must be better options than the Definition of Ready.
Option C – “Iteration Review” – The team presents the completed work to key stakeholders in the iteration review meeting. When stakeholders see this usable work, they check, “Are these deliverables good enough for us?” So this option is also a candidate option to mark it correct.
Option D – “Definition of Done (DoD)” – The Definition of Done helps the team have a shared understanding of product backlog item completion. Definition of Done has an agreed-upon checklist of items which each product backlog item must comply with before it is considered complete. You do not create a separate Definition of Done for each product backlog item. Instead, it gets applied to all product backlog items uniformly. But the important point is -meeting the Definition of Done ensures you also meet the acceptance criteria of each product backlog item. It means option D also covers option A.
Now let’s see which one is the correct answer – Here, we need to choose between option C or D.
Option D looks best; because – The primary intent of the Iteration Review meeting is to check if the completed work meets the purpose. If you show some work to stakeholders during iteration review, the team completes it as per the agreed understanding of completing the deliverable before iteration review.
Related Resources to Enhance Your Understanding:
- Understanding the Definition of Done: Grasp the essentials of what “done” means in Agile with a blog: Definition of Done (DoD) in Agile Development – A Comprehensive Guide.
- Distinguishing Acceptance Criteria and Definition of Done: Delve deeper into the specifics of Agile quality assurance by reading: Acceptance Criteria & Definition of Done: Ensuring Quality in Agile. This will expand on how to write acceptance criteria and acceptance criteria formats.
- Sprint Review vs. Sprint Retrospective: Explore the key differences between these two critical Agile ceremonies in a detailed blog: Sprint Review vs. Sprint Retrospective: Key Differences.
Are you on the path to becoming a Project Management Professional (PMP)? Explore our upcoming training schedule for opportunities to prepare for the certification with expert guidance, designed to get you ready in the shortest time.
Plus, try our Free PMP quiz, a full-length test like the real exam here.
Questions or Concerns? Encountered a hurdle or need more clarity? Feel free to reach out to us. Our iZenBridge experts are dedicated to supporting your educational journey in Agile and project management.
