Section 3 Uncertainty

Question 1 of 15

1. Question

What statement reflects agile estimating?

Not knowing everything is OK / normal
Not knowing everything is unfair and unreasonable
Knowing the details up front is a reasonable expectation
Uncertainty will be low in the early stages of a project

Question 2 of 15

2. Question

Which of these statements is correct?

Always state your assumptions
Keep a note of your assumptions somewhere
Try to avoid making assumptions
Assumptions are a way to create certainty where none exists

Question 3 of 15

3. Question

Which list describes a VUCA world?

Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous
Varied, Unsettled, Complicated, Anarchic
Vague, Unacceptable, Challenging, Arbitrary
Vexatious, Unmanageable, Chaotic, Awful

Question 4 of 15

4. Question

What is the relationship between an agile lifecycle and uncertainty?

The earlier in the lifecycle, the greater the uncertainty
The earlier in the lifecycle, the smaller the uncertainty
The later in the lifecycle, the greater the uncertainty
The bigger the lifecycle, the greater the uncertainty

Question 5 of 15

5. Question

Which statement is true for agile estimating?

It is impossible to know everything while work is still in progress
The team will be 100% confident when planning a sprint
It is possible to know everything when timescales are short
Detailed analysis and design will always increase certainty

Question 6 of 15

6. Question

Which statement is true?

Validating assumptions as soon as is practical aligns with the Fail Fast approach promoted by agile
Validating assumptions as soon as is practical will always be very time-consuming
Validating assumptions is not necessary, as agile is all about dealing with uncertainty
Validating assumptions is supported by the use of Planning Poker

Question 7 of 15

7. Question

What is an additional benefit when using assumptions?

Explicit assumptions allow objective challenges and drive more effective conversations
Explicit assumptions prove the estimator has done their homework
Explicit assumptions make the estimate appear more substantial
All assumptions provide a shortcut to arriving at the right answer

Question 8 of 15

8. Question

Which statement is correct for the use of assumptions?

Make assumptions explicit and make them visible
Make assumptions but keep them invisible
Try to avoid making assumptions
A skilled estimator relies on fact and not on assumptions

Question 9 of 15

9. Question

What is a fundamental principle underlying agile estimating?

Expect change and uncertainty
Responsibility must be shared
Allow plenty of contingency
Use planning poker, it adds fun

Question 10 of 15

10. Question

Why must estimates deal with uncertainty and unknowns?

Because the real world is unpredictable
Because the users keep changing their minds
Because there is not enough focus on full analysis and design
Because organisations need to spend more budget on training the teams

Question 11 of 15

11. Question

When there is uncertainty, how does an estimator move forward?

By making an assumption
By making something up
By getting the team to take a vote
By doing some detailed investigation

Question 12 of 15

12. Question

Which statement is true?

Assumptions are informed guesses about factors that may influence the estimate
Assumptions are used to factor in contingency for all the risks
Assumptions are there to ensure that blame can be avoided later on
Assumptions should be held in an Excel spreadsheet

Question 13 of 15

13. Question

When major assumptions underpin an estimate, what is the effect?

It means major risks to the project
It means the estimate has little value
It means too little analysis has been done
It means the estimator should have been given much more time to do the estimate

Question 14 of 15

14. Question

What is a common reason for changing the estimate?

An assumption has proved false
The estimator is not skilled enough
People keep changing their minds
The team are not working hard enough

Question 15 of 15

15. Question

Which of these statements indicates acceptable behaviour?

It is ok to challenge an assumption
It is ok to challenge the estimator
It is ok to ask for an estimate to be reduced
It is ok to refuse to discuss estimate details