Glossary of Agile Terms

Question 1

A method used to communicate with business customers, developers, and testers before coding begins

Answer 1

Acceptance Test Driven Development

Question 2

To focus on what is said and provide feedback to communicate understanding

Answer 2

Active Listening

Question 3

A leadership style that helps teams to thrive and overcome challenges throughout a project.

Answer 3

Adaptive Leadership

Question 4

A method used to quickly place user stories into a comparable-sized group

Answer 4

Affinity Estimation

Question 5

To develop a goal through periodic experimentation in order to fulfill the need of a complex decision.

Answer 5

Agile

Question 6

To adapt the project plan continuously through retrospectives in order to maximize value creation during the planning process

Answer 6

Agile Adaption

Question 7

To help achieve goals that is either personal or organizational.

Answer 7

Agile Coaching

Question 8

To use the empirical process, observation, and spike introduction while executing a project to influence planning

Answer 8

Agile Experimentation

Question 9

A statement that reflects Agile Philosophy that includes: individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to changes over following a plan.

Answer 9

Agile Manifesto

Question 10

A document that describes the twelve principles of the Agile Manifesto.

Answer 10

Agile Manifesto Principles

Question 11

To satisfy customers through early and continuous delivery of products, to test and receive feedback, to inform customers on progress, and to fulfill the customer’s value by completing priority requirements.

Answer 11

Agile Manifesto: Customer Satisfaction

Question 12

To allow quick responses to changes in the external environment, and late in development to maximize the customer’s competitive advantage.

Answer 12

Agile Manifesto: Welcome Changes

Question 13

To deliver software frequently to the customer, allowing for a quicker product release, faster provision of value to the customer and shorter delivery timeframe.

Answer 13

Agile Manifesto: Frequent Delivery

Question 14

To have individuals work together daily on a project to implement osmotic communication, focus, and receive instant feedback to achieve a common goal.

Answer 14

Agile Manifesto: Collocated Team

Question 15

To give individuals the empowerment, environment, support, and trust needed to complete a task successfully.

Answer 15

Agile Manifesto: Motivated Individuals

Question 16

The most efficient and effective way to communicate in order to receive direct feedback and influence osmotic communication

Answer 16

Agile Manifesto: Face-to-Face Conversation

Question 17

Working software enables the measurement of progress, enhance customer satisfaction, and maintain and improve the quality of the software to help support project goals.

Answer 17

Agile Manifesto: Working Software

Question 18

To help team members establish a healthy work-life balance, remain productive, and respond to changes swiftly for progress during a project.

Answer 18

Agile Manifesto: Constant Pace

Question 19

To enhance agility and time spent on work requirements in order to retain a well-balanced work environment.

Answer 19

Agile Manifesto: Continuous Attention

Question 20

Allows team members to focus on what is necessary to achieve the requirements needed to create and deliver value to the project and customer.

Answer 20

Agile Manifesto: Simplicity

Question 21

A team that knows how to complete tasks effectively, has dedication to the project, and is expert on the process and project.

Answer 21

Agile Manifesto: Self-Organization

Question 22

This allows a team to learn how to become more effective, what changes need immediate implementation, and behavior that needs adjustment.

Answer 22

Agile Manifesto: Regular Reflection

Question 23

To pass on and teach based on experience, knowledge, and skills to other individuals in the team or that work for the organization.

Answer 23

Agile Mentoring

Question 24

A way to complete a goal effectively and efficiently. Examples of Agile Methodologies include XP, Scrum, and Lean.

Answer 24

Agile Methodologies

Question 25

A workflow depiction of a process or system a team can review before it is turned into code. Stakeholders should understand the model.

Answer 25

Agile Modeling

Question 26

The most important aspect of the Agile project. Planning happens at multiple levels such as strategic, release, iteration, and daily. Planning must happen up-front and can change throughout the project.

Answer 26

Agile Planning

Question 27

To make use of the Agile principles through activities.

Answer 27

Agile Practices

Question 28

A project that occurs based on the Agile Manifesto and Agile Principles.

Answer 28

Agile Projects

Question 29

Symptoms of problems that affect Agile teams and projects.

Answer 29

Agile Smells

Question 30

A space that allows team members to establish collaboration, communication, transparency, and visibility.

Answer 30

Agile Space

Question 31

Themes used to help the team focus on the functions of iteration.

Answer 31

Agile Themes

Question 32

To increase team morale with software or artifacts.

Answer 32

Agile Tooling

Question 33

To develop possible solutions by studying the problem and its underlying need and to understand the information provided.

Answer 33

Analysis

Question 34

After the deadline of iteration is reached, the team and stakeholders conduct a meeting for approval. Stakeholders approve the iteration if the backlog used supports the product increment.

Answer 34

Approved Iterations

Question 35

Spikes that relate to any area of a system, technology, or application domain that is unknown.

Answer 35

Architectural Spikes

Question 36

A process or work output Ex. Document, Code

Answer 36

Artifact

Question 37

Exhibits continuous adaptation to the project and its processes with characteristics that include: mission focused, feature based, iterative, time-boxed, risk driven, and change tolerant.

Answer 37

ASD

Question 38

These tools allow for efficient and strong testing. Examples: Peer Reviews, Periodical Code-Reviews, Refactoring, Unit Tests, Automatic and Manual Testing.

Answer 38

Automated Testing Tools

Question 39

To work in a responsive way to deliver the products or services a customer needs and when they want the products or services.

Answer 39

Being Agile

Question 40

An effective and efficient way of gathering ideas within a short period of time from a group.

Answer 40

Brainstorming

Question 41

A chart used to display progress during and at the end of iteration. “Burning down” means the backlog will lessen throughout the iteration.

Answer 41

Burn-Down Chart

Question 42

The rate of resources consumed by the team; also cost per iteration.

Answer 42

Burn Rate

Question 43

A chart that displays completed functionality. Progress will trend upwards, as stories are completed. Only shows complete functions, it is not accurate at predicting or showing work-in-progress

Answer 43

Burn-Up Chart

Question 44

An acronym to measure the goals and mission of the project with each letter meaning: Criticality, Accessibility, Return, Vulnerability, Effect, and Recognizeability.

Answer 44

CARVER

Question 45

A meeting conducted during an Agile project that consists of daily stand-up, iteration planning, iteration review, and iteration retrospective.

Answer 45

Ceremony

Question 46

To change requirements that increase value to the customer.

Answer 46

Change

Question 47

A document created during initiation that formally begins the project. The document includes the project’s justification, a summary level budget, major milestones, critical success factors, constraints, assumptions, and authorization to do it.

Answer 47

Charter

Question 48

An individual involved but not committed to an Agile project

Answer 48

Chicken

Question 49

A team role that keeps the team focused on learning and the process

Answer 49

Coach

Question 50

A method of cooperation among individuals to achieve a common goal.

Answer 50

Collaboration

Question 51

The entire team together is responsible for 100% of the code.

Answer 51

Collective Code Ownership

Question 52

The entire team is physically present, working in one room.

Answer 52

Collocation

Question 53

An issue solved through trend analysis because the issue is systematic.

Answer 53

Common Cause

Question 54

To share smooth and transparent information of needs.

Answer 54

Communication

Question 55

Decisions created by higher up individuals in the organization and handed over to the team.

Answer 55

Command & Control

Question 56

To meet regulations, rules, and standards.

Answer 56

Compliance

Question 57

An environment for the team that is free of distractions and interruptions.

Answer 57

Cone of Silence

Question 58

Disagreements in certain areas between individuals.

Answer 58

Conflict

Question 59

An agreement made after a conflict.

Answer 59

Conflict Resolution

Question 60

To ensure that self-assessment and process improvement occurs frequently to improve the product.

Answer 60

Continuous Improvement

Question 61

To consistently examine a team member’s work. To build, and test the entire system.

Answer 61

Continuous Integration

Question 62

To organize work with the goal of higher productivity and teamwork.

Answer 62

Coordination

Question 63

To measure the cost spent on a project and its efficiency. Earned Value / Actual Cost = CPI

Answer 63

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

Question 64

Teams that consist of members who can complete various functions to achieve a common goal. Team members are able to do more than one role in a project.

Answer 64

Cross-Functional Team

Question 65

An adaptable approach that focuses on interaction between people and processes that consists of families that vary based on team size, system criticality, and project priorities.

Answer 65

Crystal Family

Question 66

A chart that displays feature backlog, work-in-progress, and completed features.

Answer 66

Cumulative Flow Diagram

Question 67

A method that allows customers to score (total 100 points) different features of a product.

Answer 67

100-Point Method

Question 68

A series of phases or stages the team has agreed to execute for a project

Answer 68

Workflow

Question 69

Work-In-Progress- Stories that have started, which are displayed in workflows to show progress and what still needs to be completed.

Answer 69

WIP

Question 70

A lightweight non-functional UI design that shows the customer the vital elements and how they will interact before coding.

Answer 70

Wireframe

Question 71

To limit work-in-progress so a team can do the following: maintain focus on completing work, maintaining quality, and delivering value.

Answer 71

WIP Limits

Question 72

An estimation technique for user stories. The PO presents user stories & discusses challenges. Each story’s estimates plotted, and then the team comes to an agreement on the range of points.

Answer 72

Wide-Band Delphi Estimating

Question 73

Resistant to change that requires heavy planning and sequential, traditional approach

Answer 73

Waterfall

Question 74

A space where the team can work and collaborate effectively.

Answer 74

War Room

Question 75

The team’s work and progress must be transparent to all stakeholders.

Answer 75

Visibility

Question 76

A geographically distributed group that does not meet physically.

Answer 76

Virtual Team

Question 77

To ensure the product meets requirements and specifications.

Answer 77

Verification

Question 78

The total number of features that a team delivers in iteration.

Answer 78

Velocity

Question 79

The measurement of how far apart data is from each other.

Answer 79

Variance

Question 80

A tool used to analyze a chain of processes with the desired outcome of eliminating waste.

Answer 80

Value Stream Mapping

Question 81

To realize the values needed to deliver a project.

Answer 81

Value-Driven Delivery

Question 82

To allow the PO or customer determine which function to implement first based on the value it delivers.

Answer 82

Value-Based Prioritization

Question 83

The worth of a product, project, or service.

Answer 83

Value

Question 84

The way to make sure that the product is acceptable to the customer.

Answer 84

Validation

Question 85

At least one business requirement that increases the value for the user.

Answer 85

User Story

Question 86

The active involvement of users in the development cycle of a project so team members can receive feedback about the user’s requirements.

Answer 86

Users Involvement

Question 87

An exploratory test which uses a test subject to understand the usability of software.

Answer 87

Usability Testing

Question 88

These tests are used for continuous feedback to achieve quality improvement and assurance.

Answer 88

Unit Testing

Question 89

To allow communication between parties so their concerns and perspectives are given for effective feedback.

Answer 89

Two-Way Communication

Question 90

This analysis provides trends that will occur in the future to help control and implement continuous improvement.

Answer 90

Trend Analysis

Question 91

To show everyone’s involvement and progress to the entire team.

Answer 91

Transparency

Question 92

A top-down approach that consists of long cycles, heavy planning, and minimal customer involvement.

Answer 92

Traditional Management

Question 93

A role in XP that measures the team’s progress, and communicates the measurements to the team.

Answer 93

Tracker

Question 94

To set a fixed delivery date for a project or release.

Answer 94

Time-boxing

Question 95

A group of stories, iteration, or release’s idea determined by the customer and the team agrees with the idea.

Answer 95

Theme

Question 96

Explains acceptance test to the customers then consistently measures the product against the test and records results for the team. (XP Role)

Answer 96

Tester

Question 97

A written acceptance test for a module with the code built to pass the tests in order to ensure correct performance.

Answer 97

Test-Driven Development (TDD)

Question 98

Technical decisions a team chooses to not implement currently, but must do so or face difficulty in the future

Answer 98

Technical Debt

Question 99

The number of story points completed during iteration, and used to determine the planned capacity

Answer 99

Team Velocity

Question 100

An area for team members to collocate, usually a physical location, in some cases a virtual location is created

Answer 100

Team Space

Question 101

When the team discusses the requirements that will fulfill the customer’s needs.

Answer 101

Team Participation

Question 102

Formation happens when a team creates ground rules and processes to build bonds and shared goals.

Answer 102

Team Formation

Question 103

A team that is empowered has collaboration, responsibility, and self-sufficiency

Answer 103

Team Empowerment

Question 104

Team members function in a way that is collaborative to complete tasks and reach a common goal, mostly achieved with strong communication.

Answer 104

Teamwork

Question 105

A group of individuals charged with the responsibility of delivery and value of a project.

Answer 105

Team

Question 106

The smaller jobs to fulfill a user story, usually divided among team members.

Answer 106

Tasks

Question 107

A model originated in Japan to describe a team with values that include self-organization, empowered to make decisions, belief in vision and success, a committed team, trust, participatory decision making, consensus-driven, and construction disagreement.

Answer 107

Tabaka’s Model

Question 108

When the team collaborates to focus on a single user story.

Answer 108

Swarming

Question 109

A maintainable pace of work that is intense yet steady

Answer 109

Sustainability

Question 110

A unit of measurement to estimate the difficulty of a user story.

Answer 110

Story Point

Question 111

A prioritization tool that backlogged stories made smaller and organized by user functionality

Answer 111

Story Map

Question 112

An index card that displays the user story.

Answer 112

Story Card

Question 113

A curved test used to measure knowledge and understanding, but constructed so the same test-taker will perform similarly each time.

Answer 113

Standardized Test

Question 114

To ensure stakeholders remain informed and that the achievement of their needs are met.

Answer 114

Stakeholder Management

Question 115

An individual with an interest in the outcome

Answer 115

Stakeholder

Question 116

A meeting that occurs after each sprint to show the product or process to stakeholders for approval and to receive feedback.

Answer 116

Sprint Review

Question 117

A team-member meeting that occurs after each sprint to evaluate the product and process to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Answer 117

Sprint Retrospective

Question 118

A document that explains sprint goals, tasks, and requirements and how the tasks will reach completion.

Answer 118

Sprint Plan

Question 119

A consistent iteration that lasts from one week to one month in order to measure velocity in Scrum.

Answer 119

Sprint

Question 120

An experiment that helps a team answer, a particular question and determine future actions.

Answer 120

Spike

Question 121

This occurs when requirements for the specification are incomplete or conflicting.

Answer 121

Specification Breakdown

Question 122

A cause that occurs once because of special reasons

Answer 122

Special Cause

Question 123

Communication used conveniently to receive instant feedback, ideas, and requirements from a particular community.

Answer 123

Social Media-Based Communication

Question 124

Work that is isolated.

Answer 124

Silo

Question 125

Originated in Japan as a way to understand learning and mastery, Shu – obeying the rules, Ha - consciously moving away from the rules, and Ri – consciously finding an individual path.

Answer 125

Shu-Ha-Ri Model

Question 126

Leaders collaborate with the team and do anything the team does when needed.

Answer 126

Servant Leadership

Question 127

Naturally formed teams that interact with minimal management supervision.

Answer 127

Self-Organizing Team

Question 128

This team has the capability to make their own decisions, empowerment, mutual accountability, and collective ownership of a project, which leads them to be more productive and efficient.

Answer 128

Self-Directing Team

Question 129

This cycle tends to be long and requires a lot of advanced planning.

Answer 129

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Question 130

The leader that helps the team to follow Scrum methodology.

Answer 130

Scum Master

Question 131

Meetings used to organize large projects with scrum masters from different teams.

Answer 131

Scrum of Scrums

Question 132

A popular Agile methodology

Answer 132

Scrum

Question 133

The uncontrolled changes or growth in a project’s scope which goes beyond the initial agreement.

Answer 133

Scope Creep

Question 134

The ratio of earned value to planned value. EV/PV=SPI

Answer 134

Schedule Performance Index

Question 135

The feeling of workers when their needs are fulfilled. Known as motivators.

Answer 135

Satisfaction

Question 136

A diagram that correlates different factors and the symptom.

Answer 136

Root Cause Diagram

Question 137

To investigate beyond the symptoms of the problem and to understand the root cause of the problem.

Answer 137

Root Cause Analysis

Question 138

To divide the planning phase into stages.

Answer 138

Rolling Wave Planning

Question 139

A person’s description that includes their function in an Agile project

Answer 139

Role

Question 140

How much the risk’s consequences will influence the success or failure of a project. Risk Probability (%) x Risk Impact ($) = Risk Severity

Answer 140

Risk Severity

Question 141

The likelihood that the risk will occur.

Answer 141

Risk Probability

Question 142

To analyze the consequences of the risk if they occur based on their probability.

Answer 142

Risk Impact

Question 143

A chart that displays risk and success with feature vs. time.

Answer 143

Risk Burn Down

Question 144

This spike helps the team remove major risks, and if the spike fails every approach possible, the project is defined as “fast failure”.

Answer 144

Risk-Based Spike

Question 145

A product backlog adjusted to help balance the risk and value factors of product.

Answer 145

Risk-Adjusted Backlog

Question 146

The uncertainty of an unwanted outcome related to the project.

Answer 146

Risk