Question 1

A3 Problem Solving

Accepted Answer

A3 problem-solving is a structured approach to problem solving. A3 problem-solving involves finding the root cause of a problem, developing a plan of action, and ensuring the plan is actioned.

Presented on a A3 size paper, the A3 process promotes simple structure, logical thinking, effective collaboration, and active communication. A3 thinking promotes a responsibility focused conversation about What is the right thing to do.

A3 Template / Report may have below areas:

Background
Current conditions
Goals/Targets
Analysis
Proposed Countermeasures
Plan
Follow Up

The aim with A3 is to not fix the symption, but to go to the root-cause of the problems and eliminate the problem efficiently in a way that's strategically aligned with the organizational goals.

Question 2

Agile Coaching

Accepted Answer

A coaching intervention that is focused on helping teams, leaders and organizations to improve their ability to gracefully change / adapt to changing needs, may be identified as Agile Coaching.

Question 3

Cost of Delay

Accepted Answer

Cost of Delay (COD) is a decision making / prioritization framework that helps a Product Owner quantify the economic value impact of building a feature or completing an initiative sooner as opposed to later.

The cost of delay is an efficient decision-making tool that can completely transform the mindset of an organization and resulting ROI. It does so by putting a value lens over the conversation of costs and deadlines, offering full-scenario visualizations of what the most critical tasks really are.

Question 4

Sprint Retrospective

Accepted Answer

The Sprint Retrospective is one of the prescribed Scrum Event - an opportunity for the Scrum Team to inspect itself and create a plan for improvements to be enacted during the next Sprint.

The Team may inspect their processes, communication and interactions among people, and tools used to identify opportunities to simplify processes, automate steps, reduce any waste, reduce hand-offs etc.

The result of the Sprint Retrospective is improved effectiveness of the Scrum Team and better quality product/solutions.

The end of the retrospective marks the end of the Sprint.

Question 5

Product Goal

Accepted Answer

"The Product Goal describes a future state of the product which can serve as a target for the Scrum Team to plan against." - Scrum Guide 2020.

Crafted and Communicated by the Product Owner, the Product Goal is the long-term objective, a specific and measurable benefit or outcome a product should create.

The Scrum Team is focused on one product goal at a time. They must fulfill (or abandon) one product goal before taking on the next.

Question 6

Kanban

Accepted Answer

Kanban is a lean method, a framework to visualize work and improve the flow of value through the system.

Initiated by Toyota as part of the Toyota Production System, Kanban (in Japanese) is a visual card used as a scheduling system, showcasing the essential information and progress of the work through the product development system.

Following four essential practices help optimize the flow of value:

Visualize the workflow
Limit work in progress
Manage flow
Make process policies explicit

Through pull based movement of the work, Kanban helps achieve evolutionary improvements in process and product.

Question 7

Impediment

Accepted Answer

An Impediment is anything that prevents a team from moving forward, and from getting work Done. Also knowns as a Blocker.

Impediments add delay and overprocessing (form of waste) to a team's work.

Impediments could be intra team, inter team and organizational.

Impediments can be effectively addressed when team members facing an impediments quickly announce it and create transparency about it.

Question 8

Collective Ownership

Accepted Answer

The practice of Collective Ownership of a Product / Code / Solution means the entire team collectively owns building of the solution / product and that every member has a responsibility to contribute to it.

It taps in to collective intelligence of the team members and reduces risk.

In Scrum the developers have collective ownership of the product being built.

Question 9

Sprint Goal

Accepted Answer

Sprint Goal is the single (overarching) objective for the Sprint, achieved through the Increment.

Sprint Goal communicates why the Sprint is valuable to stakeholders, creates coherence and focus.

Collaboratively defined by the Scrum Team during Sprint Planning.

Although the Sprint Goal is a commitment by the Developers, it provides flexibility in terms of the exact work needed to achieve it.

The progress toward the Sprint Goal is inspected on daily basis during the Daily Scrum.

If the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete, the Sprint could be cancelled.

Question 10

Scrum Artifacts

Accepted Answer

A Scrum team needs access to shared information in order to effectively perform its activities and Inspect the information.

Scrum Artifacts are designed to maximize transparency of key information. Thus, everyone inspecting them has the same basis for adaptation.

The three Scrum Artifacts represent work or value:

Product Backlog
Sprint Backlog
Increment

Each artifact contains a commitment to ensure it provides information that enhances transparency and focus against which progress can be measured.

Question 11

Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD)

Accepted Answer

A Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD) is a graph to visualize the flow of value through a system. A CFD is a valuable tool to Inspect - visually, the value delivered, work in progress and the amount of work in the backlog.

The X-axis represents Time / Timeline.

The Y-axis could represent multiple variables simultanously such as - Number of Work Items Completed, Work-In-Progress and the amount of work in the backlog.

These different variables are represented using different colors in a graph that either goes up or stays stable throughout the duration for which the graph is plotted.

It helps to visually 'inspect' inconsistencies in the workflow / process, built up of work in the backlog, and to help adapt processes.

The CFD helps identify the:

Cycle time
Throughput and
Work in Progress.

The CFD may also be used as a complimentary practice for Scrum Teams to reveal their planning, execution and value delivery cadence.

Also see: Burn Down Chart, Burn Up Chart

Question 12

Kaizen

Accepted Answer

Kaizen is a Japanese terms referring to incrementally achieving excellence through the relentless and endless pursuit of perfection.

In a business context Kaizen is continuous improvement of processes, operations and functions involving all employees.

Kaizen is Change for the Better.

Also see: Lean Thinking, Lean Waste, A3 Problem Solving, Lean Product Development, Value Stream Mapping.

Question 13

Sprint Backlog

Accepted Answer

The Sprint Backlog is one of the Scrum artifacts that creates transparency of the work of the current Sprint.

It is set of Product Backlog Items selected by the Developers for the Sprint, plus a plan for delivering the product Increment and realizing the Sprint Goal.

Question 14

Product Owner

Accepted Answer

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product/service being built.

The Product Owner owns the decisions related to funds, works with the stakeholders and steers the direction of the product to optimize the outcomes and impact for the customers.

Question 15

User Story

Accepted Answer

A User Story is a story told by the user (of the product) of her/his challenges, or opportunities.

The original intent of the User Story has been that a User Story is to be told not written.

A User Story card is a promise for further communication. Communication that should happen between the Developers and the Customer or Stakeholders to create a shared understanding of the user's needs.

Further Reading:

Writing Effective User Stories Becoming User Centric with User Stories

Also see:

Product Backlog Item, Spike, Technical Debt, Splitting User Stories

Question 16

Servant Leader

Accepted Answer

A servant-leader leads others by focusing on serving them. They put the needs of others before their own and work to help them succeed. A Scrum Master is a True-Leader, a Servant-Leader. They serve the team's agenda and help them grow and succeed.

This is in contrast to a traditional manager, who focuses on leading and managing first.