PMP Practice Questions #74
In your role as a project manager on an agile software development project, a new user story has been introduced into the Product Backlog. During a backlog refinement meeting, you are leading the discussion on assigning story points to this new user story. What should be the primary factor in determining the story points for this user story?
A. The story points should represent the estimated total time needed to complete the user story from start to finish.
B. The story points should be assigned based on the complexity, effort required, and risks associated with implementing the user story.
C. The story points should reflect the cost implications of the resources necessary to complete the user story.
D. The story points should be determined by the urgency or deadline set for implementing the user story.
Analysis:
In your role as a project manager on an agile software development project, you are faced with the task of assigning story points to a newly introduced user story during a backlog refinement meeting. The primary factor in determining the story points for this user story is essential to ensure accurate and effective agile planning.
Analysis of Options:
Option A: The story points should represent the estimated total time needed to complete the user story from start to finish. Assigning story points based on the estimated total time needed to complete the user story from start to finish is a common misconception. In agile, story points are not directly representative of time but rather of the relative effort and complexity. Therefore, this option does not align well with the agile principle of relative estimation.
Option B: The story points should be assigned based on the complexity, effort required, and risks associated with implementing the user story. This option suggests that story points should be assigned based on the complexity, effort required, and risks associated with implementing the user story. It aligns well with the agile approach to estimation, which considers these factors to determine the relative size of a user story compared to others. While it lacks the explicit mention of ‘relative comparison,’ it encompasses the core elements considered in agile estimation.
Option C: The story points should reflect the cost implications of the resources necessary to complete the user story. Reflecting the cost implications of the resources necessary to complete the user story is not the primary purpose of story points in agile. While cost can be an outcome of the effort and resources involved, story points primarily focus on complexity, effort, and risks rather than direct cost calculations.
Option D: The story points should be determined by the urgency or deadline set for implementing the user story. Determining story points based on the urgency or deadline set for implementing the user story is not in line with the agile estimation concept. Story points are not a measure of time constraints or deadlines but rather an indication of the amount of work, complexity, and risk involved in a user story.
Conclusion: Based on the agile approach to estimation, Option B is the most appropriate. It correctly identifies that story points should be assigned based on the complexity, effort required, and risks associated with the user story. This approach captures the essence of agile estimation, focusing on the relative effort and challenges involved in implementing a user story rather than time or cost considerations. The other options, while addressing different aspects of project management, do not accurately reflect the agile methodology’s principles for assigning story points.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| Process | Task 6 Plan and manage schedule |
Topics Covered
- Adaptive Scheduling
- Story Point Estimation
