Pass the PMI Agile PMI-ACP Questions and answers with ExamsMirror

The correct answer isC – Initiate an estimation sessionbecause agile planning isiterative and collaborative. When delivery timing is in question, especially during a release planning session, the team must firstestimatethe size of the work (epics and user stories). Once estimates are made (often using story points or relative sizing techniques), velocity can be used to forecast delivery timelines.

From thePMI Agile Practice Guide:

“Estimation is typically performed at the beginning of a release or iteration planning session to determine how much work can be completed. Teams use estimation to size items and then apply their known or projected velocity to forecast completion.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 5.3 – Estimation and Velocity)

Mike Griffiths’ PMI-ACP Exam Prep Bookalso states:

“Before making any delivery commitments, teams should first engage in collaborative estimation to understand the scope and effort of the work. These estimates then inform velocity-based forecasting.”

(Mike Griffiths, Chapter 5 – Adaptive Planning)

Why the other options are incorrect:

A– Scrum Masters do not estimate work; estimation is a team activity.

B– You cannot determine deliverables based on velocity until the work has been estimated.

D– Historical data can support forecasting but must be preceded by proper estimation of current backlog items.

Answer: C

The correct answer is D — Help establish the next sprint's goal.

The sprint goal provides a shared objective and guides the selection and execution of user stories. It is established collaboratively between the product owner and the development team at the start of sprint planning and precedes task decomposition or estimation.

PMI Agile Practice Guide:

“The team collaborates with the product owner during sprint planning to define a sprint goal. The sprint goal gives the team clarity and focus on what it intends to achieve during the sprint.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 5.5 – Iteration Planning)

Mike Griffiths reinforces:

“Effective planning starts with understanding the desired outcome of the sprint. The sprint goal aligns the team and informs prioritization and task breakdown.”

(PMI-ACP Exam Prep, Chapter 5 – Adaptive Planning)

Incorrect options:

A prematurely assigns tasks, which goes against Agile’s collaborative ethos.

B and C happen later in the sprint planning process after defining the sprint goal.

Answer: D

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Kanban is continuous and can lead toburnout or low moraledue to lack of visible milestones. ThePMI Agile Practice Guide (Section 5.7: Flow-based Agile)andMike Griffiths’ PMI-ACP Exam Prep Book (Chapter 3: Team Performance)suggest thatrecognizing and celebrating milestones or delivery pointsis essential to maintain motivation, especially in long-running Kanban teams.

Option Ais correct:celebrating completed workgives the team a sense of closure and achievement, improving engagement.

Option Bmight help temporarily but doesn’t address theroot motivational issue.

Option Cadds pressure and is counterproductive.

Option Dmay improve flow but doesn't directly address thelack of visible progress recognition.

Agile teamsembrace changeandcollaborate with customersto deliver value. ThePMI Agile Practice Guide (Section 2.1: Agile Mindset)supports responding to change—even late in the development cycle—if it results in business value. The team shouldaccept the new goal, replan with the product owner, andadjust scope or priority if needed, rather than resist or escalate.

Option Ais correct: it reflects the agile value ofresponding to change and delivering early value.

Option Bis too rigid and contrary to agile principles.

Option Cimplies a punitive model that does not align with collaborative agile contracts.

Option Dintroduces unnecessary cost and overhead without first trying to replan collaboratively.

The correct answer is C — Ask the team to determine how to adapt to this increase in the next retrospective.

The retrospective is the ideal agile forum to inspect and adapt. It allows the team to identify root causes of issues (such as rising defects), reflect on their quality practices, and collaboratively propose solutions like adding more testing, refining definitions of done, or changing working agreements.

PMI Agile Practice Guide:

“Teams should use retrospectives to analyze quality issues, adapt processes, and commit to continuous improvement.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 5.8 – Retrospectives)

Mike Griffiths:

“Quality issues like increasing defect rates should be addressed through team introspection and adaptation in retrospectives, not by command-style fixes.”

(PMI-ACP Exam Prep, Chapter 7 – Continuous Improvement)

Incorrect options:

A is reactive and bypasses team collaboration.

B encourages unsustainable practices.

D disrupts the team’s current sprint focus and contradicts agile flow.

Answer: C

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The correct answer is A — Lead the team and help them to constantly improve the processes in the project.

The Scrum Master is responsible for ensuring that retrospective action items are tracked and followed up on. While the team owns the improvement actions, the Scrum Master provides support, accountability, and facilitation to ensure that continuous improvement happens.

PMI Agile Practice Guide:

“The Scrum Master facilitates continuous improvement by helping the team reflect, identify actions, and ensure those actions are implemented.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 5.8 – Retrospectives)

Mike Griffiths:

“Retrospectives are only effective if outcomes are tracked. The Scrum Master ensures improvement ideas are not forgotten and become part of the team’s evolution.”

(PMI-ACP Exam Prep, Chapter 7 – Continuous Improvement)

Incorrect options:

B uses a confrontational tone—contrary to servant leadership.

C implies micro-management and contradicts self-organization.

D avoids responsibility for facilitating improvements.

Answer: A

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Agile teams operate on the principle ofinspect and adapt. According to thePMI Agile Practice Guide (Section 5.6 Retrospectives)andPMBOK® Guide 6th Edition (Section 3.7), retrospectives are designed forexperimentation and safe failure. Teams should be encouraged to try new process improvements and assess their impact. If the result is not positive, it’s an opportunity for collective learning—not for blame.

Mike Griffiths states in hisPMI-ACP Exam Prep Book (Chapter 7: Continuous Improvement)that leaders shouldfoster a culture of experimentation, where teams are praised for trying new approaches, even if they fail. This maintains psychological safety and continuous learning.

Thus,Option Ais correct: Commending the attempt and facilitating a team discussion to explore alternatives is consistent with agile values and promotes team maturity.

A quick mock-up (or prototype) is a highly effective way to visually represent the product's features and functionality to stakeholders. This allows stakeholders to get a tangible sense of what the product will look like and how it will work. By iterating on this mock-up and adjusting it based on feedback, the team can build consensus and gain stakeholder approval more effectively. This approach encourages active collaboration and ensures that the product aligns with stakeholder expectations early in the development process.

The correct answer is D because organizational transformation to agile requires more than process changes—it requires a shift in mindset. Training teams on agile values and principles builds a shared foundation and helps foster commitment to agile ways of working.

From PMI Agile Practice Guide:

“Agile transformation requires attention to both practices and mindset. Leaders must help teams embrace agile values, empower decision-making, and promote an agile culture through education and active support.”

(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 2.1 – Organizational Change and Transformation)

From PMBOK® Guide – 7th Edition:

“Successful transformation begins with people understanding the why and how of agile. Change cannot happen effectively without adequate training and communication.”

(PMBOK Guide 7th Ed., Principle 1 – Be a Diligent, Respectful, and Caring Steward)

From Mike Griffiths’ PMI-ACP Exam Prep Book:

“Agile success is rooted in the team’s understanding of core principles. Agile leaders must invest in developing a strong foundational mindset, as well as practices. Education is a critical enabler of sustainable agile adoption.”

(Mike Griffiths, Chapter 1 – Agile Principles and Mindset)

Option A is a partial strategy but doesn’t ensure cultural transformation.

Option B is necessary but not sufficient—buy-in alone won’t change behavior.

Option C is tactical and useful but doesn’t address team-wide mindset change.

Answer: D

In an agile environment, conflicts are seen as opportunities for collaboration and finding the best solution. The project manager should help the team by restating the positions of the team members to clarify their viewpoints and identify common ground. This approach encourages active listening, fosters understanding, and helps the team focus on shared goals rather than individual positions. Once the commonalities are identified, the team can collaboratively find a resolution that benefits the project, leveraging diverse perspectives to improve the outcome.