PMP Practice Questions #7
You are in the first month of an adaptive lifecycle project and team members are also new to agile. You observe that your test and dev teams often conflict over whether to fix defects as part of the current story or place them in the backlog. What is the best approach to improve this situation?
A. Teach the Developer and Testers on emotional intelligence so they can be more collaborative.
B. Tell the developer that defects raised by testers must be fixed immediately.
C. Facilitate the conversation on clarity of Definition of Done.
D. Start allocating ten percent of sprint capacity to defect fixing.
Analysis
The agile team is new and in the storming stage of Tuckman’s ladder, marked by conflicts and disagreements. A key point of contention is the handling of defects: whether to address them immediately or add them to the backlog. The objective is to discern the most suitable method to resolve this conflict and establish clarity in the team’s processes.
Option Analysis:
A. Teach the Developer and Testers on emotional intelligence so they can be more collaborative.
Enhancing emotional intelligence can indeed be beneficial for team collaboration. However, while this can aid in navigating the storming stage, it’s a longer-term strategy and might not immediately address the primary conflict about defect management.
B. Tell the developer that defects raised by testers must be fixed immediately.
Imposing decisions, especially during the storming phase of Tuckman’s ladder, can be counterproductive. It might suppress team members’ voices and hinder their evolution towards the next stages of development (norming and performing). It’s crucial during the storming phase to facilitate understanding rather than dictating terms.
C. Facilitate the conversation on clarity of Definition of Done.
Given the team is in the storming stage, providing structured tools and frameworks can be immensely helpful. The Definition of Done (DoD) in agile is one such tool. By facilitating a conversation around the DoD, the team gets a clear roadmap on task completion, thus reducing ambiguity and potential for conflict. This option addresses the heart of the storming phase’s problem, providing clear criteria and understanding, which can then lead the team towards the norming stage.
D. Start allocating ten percent of sprint capacity to defect fixing.
While this might seem like a practical solution, it’s more of a workaround than addressing the core issue. During the storming phase, it’s crucial to tackle conflicts head-on and find shared understanding rather than sidestepping issues.
In summation, considering the team is in the storming stage of Tuckman’s ladder, option C emerges as the most apt. It directly tackles the conflict with a clear agile tool, fostering communication and understanding. As the team progresses through Tuckman’s stages, such structured conversations can expedite their journey towards norming and eventually performing.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| People | Task 1: Manage conflict |
| People | Task 12: Define team ground rules |
Topics Covered
- Tuckman Ladder
- Team Development
- Definition of Done
- Conflict Management
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