PMP Practice Questions #8
While leading an adaptive lifecycle project, your definition of done excludes fixing defects that are not of Priority 1. Consequently, a considerable number of defects are accumulating in your product backlog. With the upcoming release, you regard this as a risk since Priority 2 and Priority 3 defects also need to be resolved. What is the most appropriate action to take in this scenario?
A. Ask the team to dedicate the coming iterations to fix defects.
B. Share your concern about defect analysis in the retrospective meeting.
C. Change the definition of Done to include defect fixing.
D. Estimate the size of defects and plan for their resolution before the release.
Analysis
The project manager is leading an adaptive lifecycle project where the definition of done only includes fixing Priority 1 defects. As a result, there is an accumulation of Priority 2 and Priority 3 defects in the product backlog, posing a risk for the upcoming release. The challenge is determining the best approach to address the accumulating defects while ensuring the team’s involvement in the decision-making process.
Option Analysis:
A. Ask the team to dedicate the coming iterations to fix defects.
This option could be a possible solution, especially if the project is in its final iterations. However, we lack information about the project’s current phase and how many stories or defects are pending. Jumping to this conclusion without understanding the broader context might not be the best approach. Furthermore, merely focusing on defects might cause other essential work items to be neglected.
B. Share your concern about defect analysis in the retrospective meeting.
This is a favorable option. The retrospective meeting, which includes the product owner and the team, is the ideal forum for discussing concerns and making collaborative decisions. The team can reflect on why these defects are accumulating and devise strategies to address them. This might involve refining the definition of done, allocating some fixed capacity per iteration for defect resolution, or re-negotiating with stakeholders about defect priorities. This option provides a platform for holistic discussion and collaborative decision-making.
C. Change the definition of Done to include defect fixing.
While updating the definition of done to be more comprehensive sounds ideal, it doesn’t address the current accumulated defects. Furthermore, this decision should be taken collaboratively with the team and stakeholders, rather than unilaterally. It may also be beneficial to discuss other strategies in conjunction with this, which isn’t covered by this option alone.
D. Estimate the size of defects and plan for their resolution before the release.
The idea of estimating the size of defects and planning for their resolution is fundamental. However, as the project manager in an adaptive lifecycle, the responsibility doesn’t fall solely on them to do the estimation or planning. Instead, the team should be involved in this process. Directly jumping to this option without involving the team can be seen as a top-down approach, which is not recommended in adaptive or agile environments.
Conclusion: Option B is the most appropriate because it emphasizes collaboration, reflection, and shared decision-making, which are core principles in adaptive or agile environments. Sharing concerns during the retrospective meeting ensures the team’s involvement, leading to a collective and well-informed decision about how to address the defect accumulation.
PMP Exam Content Outline Mapping
| Domain | Task |
|---|---|
| Process | Task 7: Plan and manage quality of products/deliverables |
| Process | Task 8: Plan and manage scope |
Topics Covered
- Retrospective
- Agile Ways of Working
- Definition of Done
- Product Backlog
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