ISTQB CTFL-AT Certified Tester Foundation Level Agile Tester Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 7 Q121-140

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Question 121: 

Which Agile principle emphasizes sustainable development and maintaining a constant pace indefinitely?

A) Deliver working software frequently
B) Maintain a sustainable pace
C) Respond to change over following a plan
D) Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Answer: B) Maintain a sustainable pace

Explanation:

Option A, delivering working software frequently, focuses on the Agile principle of providing value early and often through iterative releases. While this encourages regular delivery of increments and aligns with iterative development, it does not inherently address the team’s long-term work capacity or the prevention of burnout. Frequent delivery can still be achieved at an unsustainable pace, leading to stress, errors, or reduced team morale. Hence, although important for value delivery, this option is not the best representation of sustainable development.

Option C, responding to change over following a plan, highlights flexibility and adaptability in Agile environments. This principle emphasizes that teams should be able to pivot and adjust based on evolving requirements or stakeholder feedback. While responsiveness is essential for delivering relevant products, it does not guarantee that the team maintains a consistent, manageable workload over time. Teams could respond rapidly to change but still overcommit, risking fatigue and quality issues.

Option D, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, underscores the importance of communication and cooperation with stakeholders. This principle encourages involving customers in the development process to ensure alignment with their needs. It promotes transparency, shared understanding, and trust. However, it is primarily about stakeholder engagement rather than regulating the team’s working pace or ensuring sustainable productivity.

Option B, maintaining a sustainable pace, is correct because it explicitly emphasizes that teams should work at a rate they can maintain indefinitely without burning out. This principle promotes long-term productivity, team well-being, and the consistent delivery of quality software. By setting realistic workloads and avoiding over-commitment, teams are more likely to produce reliable increments and maintain morale. Sustainable pace enables continuous improvement while reducing the risk of errors caused by stress or fatigue. This principle is critical in Agile because it ensures that iterative development is both productive and human-centered, balancing speed with quality. It integrates with other principles by allowing teams to deliver working software frequently, respond to change effectively, and collaborate with stakeholders without jeopardizing health or efficiency.

Question 122: 

Which technique is most effective for uncovering defects not anticipated by scripted tests?

A) Regression Testing
B) Exploratory Testing
C) Unit Testing
D) Load Testing

Answer: B) Exploratory Testing

Explanation:

Option A, regression testing, is focused on verifying that previously developed and tested functionality continues to work as expected after changes. Regression tests are typically scripted and automated, designed to detect known defects. While essential for ensuring stability, they are not effective at discovering unanticipated or unknown issues because they only validate predefined behavior.

Option C, unit testing, targets individual units or modules of code to verify their correctness in isolation. Unit tests are highly specific and automated, ensuring that code components function correctly according to specifications. While they are effective at catching implementation errors early, they are narrow in scope and do not address unexpected interactions between modules or higher-level defects.

Option D, load testing, evaluates system performance under heavy workloads or stress. This technique ensures that the system can handle expected traffic and resource usage but does not primarily focus on functional correctness or exploratory defect discovery. It is useful for performance optimization but irrelevant to uncovering defects outside anticipated scenarios.

Option B, exploratory testing, is correct because it leverages the tester’s creativity, intuition, and domain knowledge to examine the system without relying on predefined scripts. Exploratory testing adapts in real time based on observations, allowing testers to probe unusual or unexpected behaviors. It is especially valuable in Agile projects where requirements evolve frequently, as it complements automated regression and unit tests. Exploratory testing can uncover hidden defects, edge cases, and integration issues that scripted tests may miss, contributing to higher product quality and better alignment with user expectations. Its flexibility and responsiveness align perfectly with Agile’s iterative, incremental development philosophy.

Question 123: 

Which Agile artifact provides a visual representation of progress during a sprint?

A) Product Backlog
B) Burndown Chart
C) Definition of Done
D) Sprint Backlog

Answer: B) Burndown Chart

Explanation:

Option A, the product backlog, is a prioritized list of features, enhancements, and bug fixes for the overall product. While it represents what the team may eventually work on, it does not visually track the progress of ongoing sprint activities.

Option C, the definition of done, establishes the criteria that determine whether a backlog item is considered complete. It ensures consistency and quality but does not provide a visual or quantitative representation of progress.

Option D, the sprint backlog, lists tasks selected for the sprint. It shows what work is planned but does not automatically visualize remaining effort or completion trends over time.

Option B, the burndown chart, is correct because it graphically depicts the amount of work remaining versus time throughout a sprint. This visualization helps teams and stakeholders monitor progress, detect deviations from the plan early, and make informed adjustments. It reinforces transparency, facilitates Agile inspection, and enables better prediction of sprint outcomes.

Question 124: 

Which Agile ceremony allows stakeholders to inspect the increment and provide feedback?

A) Sprint Review
B) Sprint Planning
C) Daily Stand-up
D) Sprint Retrospective

Answer:  A) Sprint Review

Explanation:

Option B, sprint planning, is a forward-looking ceremony where the development team collaborates to decide which backlog items will be implemented in the upcoming sprint. Its primary purpose is to plan and prioritize work, break down tasks, and set realistic goals for the sprint. While planning is critical for organizing team efforts and ensuring clarity on objectives, it does not involve inspecting completed work or gathering feedback on deliverables. Therefore, it is not the correct answer for a ceremony focused on stakeholder inspection and feedback.

Option C, daily stand-up, is a short, time-boxed meeting held daily for the development team to synchronize activities, share progress, and raise any impediments. This ceremony is highly operational and internal to the team, aimed at improving communication and ensuring that everyone is aligned on daily tasks. Because it is focused on internal coordination rather than demonstrating completed work to stakeholders, it does not provide a formal opportunity for stakeholder inspection or input on the increment.

Option D, sprint retrospective, is an internal meeting where the team reflects on the sprint to identify successes, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. The primary goal is to enhance team processes, collaboration, and efficiency in future sprints. While retrospectives are valuable for continuous improvement, they do not involve demonstrating the product increment or obtaining feedback from external stakeholders, so they do not meet the criteria of the question.

Option A, sprint review, is correct because it is specifically designed to showcase the completed increment to stakeholders at the end of the sprint. During this ceremony, the team demonstrates functionality, gathers feedback, and discusses adjustments or refinements to the product backlog. This iterative inspection ensures alignment with business priorities, validates that the delivered work meets expectations, and allows the team to adapt future work based on stakeholder input. By enabling collaboration and feedback, sprint reviews help maintain product relevance and drive continuous improvement, making it a key Agile ceremony for transparency and value delivery.

Question 125: 

Which of the following is a benefit of Continuous Integration in Agile?

A) Delays feedback until sprint end
B) Detects integration issues early
C) Replaces exploratory testing
D) Eliminates the need for regression tests

Answer: B) Detects integration issues early

Explanation:

Option A, delaying feedback until the end of the sprint, is incorrect because it directly contradicts Agile principles. Agile emphasizes rapid feedback and continuous improvement, allowing teams to identify and address issues as they arise. Waiting until the end of a sprint to detect integration problems increases the risk of accumulating defects, making them harder and more costly to resolve. This delay reduces transparency and can negatively affect the quality of the delivered increment.

Option C, replacing exploratory testing, is also inaccurate. Continuous Integration (CI) automates the building and testing of code to detect integration issues quickly, but it cannot replace the adaptive, human-led exploratory testing that uncovers unexpected defects. Exploratory testing relies on tester creativity, intuition, and domain knowledge to find issues that automated tests might miss, including edge cases, usability concerns, or subtle functional bugs. CI complements this process but does not eliminate the need for exploratory testing.

Option D, eliminating regression tests, is similarly incorrect. While CI automates regression tests and runs them frequently, it does not remove the need for these tests entirely. Regression testing ensures that changes do not introduce new defects in existing functionality. CI makes running these tests faster and more efficient, but the underlying need for regression testing remains. Without it, teams risk breaking previously working features, undermining software quality and reliability.

Option B, detecting integration issues early, is correct because it captures the primary benefit of Continuous Integration. CI merges code changes frequently into a shared repository, triggering automated builds and tests that quickly reveal conflicts, defects, or broken functionality. Early detection allows teams to fix issues when they are smaller and easier to manage, reducing cost and effort. It also supports consistent delivery of high-quality increments, promotes collaboration among developers, and aligns with Agile’s iterative and incremental approach. By identifying problems early, CI enhances transparency, facilitates continuous improvement, and ensures the team maintains a reliable pace of delivery while upholding software quality.

Question 126: 

Which artifact contains the work items planned for the current sprint?

A) Product Backlog
B) Sprint Backlog
C) Burndown Chart
D) Definition of Done

Answer: B) Sprint Backlog

Explanation:

The Product Backlog is a comprehensive list of all features, enhancements, bug fixes, and technical tasks for the entire project. It represents the overall scope and vision of the product rather than focusing on short-term deliverables. While it is essential for guiding the product’s long-term development, it does not specify the tasks planned for the current sprint. Therefore, while closely related to the sprint, the Product Backlog alone does not give a precise view of what the team is working on in the immediate iteration.

The Burndown Chart is another important Agile artifact, but its purpose is tracking progress rather than planning it. It visually shows how much work remains versus time in the sprint and helps the team monitor whether they are on track to complete the sprint goal. While it is informative and supports transparency and communication, it does not contain a list of work items or user stories to be completed; it is a reporting tool rather than a planning tool.

The Definition of Done is a set of criteria that determines when a product increment or task can be considered complete. It ensures consistency and quality in delivery but does not contain any work items itself. It serves as a guideline for evaluating completed tasks but does not provide the actionable list of tasks or user stories for a sprint.

The Sprint Backlog, on the other hand, is specifically designed for this purpose. It lists all the tasks, user stories, and work items that the team has committed to completing during the current sprint. It provides a clear, actionable roadmap for the team’s work, supports daily tracking, and ensures alignment with the sprint goal. The Sprint Backlog enables transparency, helps manage workload, and facilitates progress monitoring, making it the correct choice. It is a living artifact that evolves as work progresses and provides a clear focus for the team throughout the sprint.

Question 127: 

Which type of testing ensures that new code changes do not break existing functionality?

A) Unit Testing
B) Regression Testing
C) Exploratory Testing
D) Load Testing

Answer: B) Regression Testing

Explanation:

Unit Testing focuses on validating individual components or modules of the code to ensure they function correctly in isolation. While this is critical for catching issues at an early stage, unit tests alone cannot guarantee that changes in one module will not inadvertently affect other areas of the system. Therefore, unit testing, although important, is not sufficient for detecting regressions caused by code modifications.

Exploratory Testing is an unscripted, experience-based approach where testers interact with the system to identify defects and unexpected behavior. It emphasizes creativity, learning, and adaptation rather than verifying predefined functionality. While exploratory testing is valuable for discovering edge cases and subtle defects, it is not a systematic method for ensuring that existing functionality remains intact after changes.

Load Testing measures how the system performs under high volumes of transactions or heavy user load. Its primary focus is performance rather than correctness of existing functionality. While important for evaluating system scalability and stability, it does not address the risk of regressions in business logic, making it irrelevant for this specific purpose.

Regression Testing, in contrast, is specifically designed to detect whether new code changes break existing functionality. It involves re-executing previously executed test cases to confirm that the system continues to operate as expected. In Agile environments, where software evolves rapidly with frequent iterations, regression testing is essential to maintain stability. Automated regression tests are particularly beneficial because they allow fast and consistent verification after each change, providing early feedback and ensuring that new development does not introduce defects in previously working features. This focus on preserving functionality is why regression testing is the correct answer.

Question 128: 

Which principle emphasizes delivering software that meets evolving user needs?

A) Responding to change over following a plan
B) Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
C) Working software over comprehensive documentation
D) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Answer:  A) Responding to change over following a plan

Explanation:

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation emphasizes the importance of engaging stakeholders and working together to achieve project goals. While critical for communication and aligning priorities, this principle does not directly address the ability to adapt to changing requirements during development, which is the key aspect of responding to evolving user needs.

Working software over comprehensive documentation prioritizes delivering functional software rather than creating exhaustive documentation. This principle ensures that value is delivered early and consistently, but it primarily focuses on output rather than adaptability to changing requirements. While working software facilitates feedback loops, it is not specifically about responding to change.

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools highlight the importance of communication, collaboration, and teamwork. This principle supports effective team dynamics and problem-solving but does not directly define how the product adapts to evolving user needs.

Responding to change over following a plan is the principle that directly addresses the ability to adjust priorities, features, and functionality as user needs evolve. In Agile environments, requirements are often dynamic, and customer expectations can shift based on market feedback or business context. By valuing responsiveness over rigid adherence to plans, teams ensure that the product remains relevant, valuable, and aligned with user expectations throughout the development lifecycle. This adaptability is central to Agile philosophy, making it the correct choice.

Question 129: 

Which Agile practice involves defining acceptance criteria collaboratively before development?

A) Unit Testing
B) Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD)
C) Exploratory Testing
D) Load Testing

Answer: B) Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD)

Explanation:

Unit Testing verifies that individual modules of code work as intended. While unit tests are written by developers and ensure correctness at a micro-level, they are not usually created collaboratively with stakeholders and do not define acceptance criteria for broader functionality. Therefore, unit testing does not fulfill the requirement of defining acceptance criteria before development.

Exploratory Testing is a flexible, unscripted approach aimed at discovering defects and unexpected behavior. It relies on tester creativity and real-time investigation rather than predefined acceptance criteria. While useful for uncovering defects, it is conducted after development rather than as a collaborative planning activity before coding begins.

Load Testing assesses the system’s performance under high user load. It focuses on performance, reliability, and scalability rather than functional correctness or defining acceptance criteria. It is executed after development, usually on a system that is close to production-ready, making it unrelated to pre-development criteria definition.

Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD) is designed to ensure that acceptance criteria are defined collaboratively by developers, testers, and stakeholders before coding begins. This collaboration aligns understanding, reduces misinterpretations, and provides clear guidance for implementation. The acceptance tests become executable specifications that guide development and testing, promoting early feedback, iterative improvement, and higher quality. By integrating testing criteria into the design phase, ATDD ensures that everyone shares a common understanding of done and that functionality meets business expectations, making it the correct answer.

Question 130: 

Which ceremony focuses on identifying ways to improve team processes?

A) Sprint Planning
B) Daily Stand-up
C) Sprint Retrospective
D) Sprint Review

Answer: C) Sprint Retrospective

Explanation:

Sprint Planning is focused on determining which backlog items will be developed during the upcoming sprint and how the team will execute them. While it addresses work selection and task allocation, it does not primarily focus on evaluating and improving team processes.

Daily Stand-up is a short, time-boxed meeting where team members synchronize their activities, discuss progress, and identify blockers. Its focus is coordination rather than process improvement, and it occurs daily rather than at the end of a sprint.

Sprint Review is conducted to inspect the increment developed during the sprint and gather feedback from stakeholders. It emphasizes product inspection and stakeholder collaboration rather than reflecting on internal team processes.

Sprint Retrospective, in contrast, is a dedicated ceremony for reflection and continuous improvement. The team discusses what went well, what challenges they faced, and identifies actionable improvements for future sprints. By focusing on processes, collaboration, and tools, the retrospective ensures that the team continually evolves, enhancing efficiency, quality, and satisfaction. This focus on reflection and process enhancement is why the Sprint Retrospective is the correct answer.

Question 131: 

Which Agile testing technique is most suitable for uncovering defects quickly in areas affected by recent changes?

A) Unit Testing
B) Regression Testing
C) Exploratory Testing
D) Performance Testing

Answer: B) Regression Testing

Explanation:

Unit Testing focuses on verifying the smallest parts of the code, such as individual functions, classes, or modules, to ensure they perform as intended. It is generally automated and highly detailed but limited in scope, as it does not examine interactions between components or the impact of recent changes on the overall system. While crucial for ensuring module-level correctness, it does not specifically address the risk of changes breaking previously working features across the system. Therefore, although unit testing is a vital part of quality assurance in Agile, it does not meet the goal of quickly uncovering defects after modifications in integrated code.

Exploratory Testing is unscripted and relies on the tester’s creativity, intuition, and experience. Testers explore the application dynamically, investigating unexpected behavior and learning from their interactions with the system. While exploratory testing is excellent for discovering new, unknown, or subtle defects, it is less focused on systematically verifying whether recent changes have disrupted existing functionality. In fast-paced Agile iterations, exploratory testing is valuable as a complementary approach but cannot replace targeted regression checks when ensuring stability after changes.

Performance Testing evaluates the system’s responsiveness, scalability, and stability under load. It measures how the application behaves under different conditions, such as peak usage or stress scenarios. While critical for ensuring that performance benchmarks are met, performance testing does not primarily aim to uncover functional defects introduced by recent code changes. Its focus is on non-functional attributes, making it less suitable for quickly validating that the software continues to work correctly after modifications.

Regression Testing is designed to detect whether recent code changes have unintentionally broken existing functionality. It involves re-executing previously developed and tested functionality to verify that it still works as expected. In Agile, where code is continuously integrated and delivered in short iterations, regression testing is essential for maintaining stability and preventing the introduction of new defects. It ensures that both new features and existing functionality can coexist without conflict, supporting iterative delivery, fast feedback loops, and high confidence in incremental releases. For these reasons, regression testing is the most suitable technique for quickly uncovering defects in areas affected by recent changes.

Question 132: 

Which of the following is a key benefit of exploratory testing in Agile?

A) Automated verification
B) Detects unexpected defects
C) Replaces regression testing
D) Measures system load

Answer: B) Detects unexpected defects

Explanation:

Automated verification refers to the use of scripts and tools to perform predefined checks on the application. While automation is important in Agile for ensuring consistent and repeatable tests, it is limited to the scenarios explicitly defined by the tester. Automated verification cannot adapt in real-time to unexpected behaviors or uncover defects that fall outside predefined scripts, which makes it unsuitable as a replacement for exploratory testing.

Exploratory Testing is a flexible and adaptive approach that allows testers to actively investigate the system without strict predefined steps. Testers learn about the system as they test, using intuition, experience, and creativity to uncover defects that are not anticipated in automated scripts. This approach aligns perfectly with Agile’s iterative nature because it provides rapid feedback on software quality, helps identify gaps in coverage, and complements automated and regression testing rather than replacing them. The main advantage of exploratory testing is its ability to reveal unexpected defects that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Replacing regression testing is an inaccurate characterization because exploratory testing does not systematically verify that existing functionality remains intact. Regression testing focuses on repeated checks of known functionality to ensure stability, whereas exploratory testing is more investigative and adaptive. The two approaches serve different purposes and are most effective when used together, with exploratory testing highlighting new or hidden issues and regression testing maintaining consistency of existing features.

Measuring system load falls under performance testing and evaluates how the system behaves under different conditions, such as high traffic or stress. This is unrelated to the purpose of exploratory testing, which is concerned with discovering defects in functionality and user experience rather than assessing performance metrics. The strength of exploratory testing lies in its adaptability and its ability to detect subtle or unexpected problems, making it a key practice in Agile for uncovering defects that scripted tests may miss.

Question 133: 

Which Agile artifact is refined continuously and prioritized by value and risk?

A) Sprint Backlog
B) Product Backlog
C) Burndown Chart
D) Definition of Done

Answer: B) Product Backlog

Explanation:

The Sprint Backlog consists of tasks selected for completion within a single sprint. While it is a key planning tool, it is limited in scope to a sprint and does not reflect ongoing prioritization of all product features. It is essentially a subset of the Product Backlog, focused on immediate delivery, rather than a continuously refined artifact covering the full project scope.

The Burndown Chart tracks work completed versus work remaining during a sprint. It is a visual tool that helps the team understand progress and predict completion, but it does not contain requirements, priorities, or value assessments. Its purpose is monitoring, not managing the evolving list of desired features or risk prioritization.

The Definition of Done is a set of criteria used to determine whether a user story or increment is considered complete. While important for maintaining quality and consistency, it does not contain requirements, is not prioritized by value or risk, and does not evolve continuously to reflect changing business needs.

The Product Backlog is a prioritized, continuously evolving list of desired features, enhancements, and bug fixes for the product. Items are ranked based on business value, risk, and dependencies, and they are refined through grooming sessions to ensure clarity and feasibility. This iterative prioritization allows Agile teams to focus on delivering high-value features first, adapt to changes, and respond to feedback from stakeholders, making it the correct artifact for continuous refinement and value-based prioritization.

Question 134: 

Which principle emphasizes team collaboration and communication over processes and tools?

A) Working software over documentation
B) Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
C) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
D) Responding to change over following a plan

Answer: C) Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Explanation:

Working software over documentation highlights the importance of delivering functional software rather than excessive documentation. While it prioritizes value delivery, it does not specifically focus on team communication or collaboration, which are central to the principle being asked about.

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation emphasizes involving stakeholders throughout development to ensure alignment with business goals. This principle is focused on the external relationship with customers, not the internal dynamics of the development team.

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools stresses that the effectiveness of Agile teams comes primarily from how team members communicate, collaborate, and work together. Processes and tools are important facilitators but are secondary to human interaction. Agile recognizes that even the best tools cannot replace clear communication, trust, and teamwork in solving problems and delivering value.

Responding to change over following a plan emphasizes adaptability and flexibility in project execution. While important in Agile, it addresses the approach to evolving requirements rather than prioritizing team collaboration and communication. Therefore, the correct principle is individuals and interactions over processes and tools, as it underscores the centrality of human collaboration in Agile success.

Question 135: 

Which practice ensures that integration defects are detected quickly and frequently?

A) Continuous Integration
B) Exploratory Testing
C) Regression Testing
D) Load Testing

Answer:  A) Continuous Integration

Explanation:

Exploratory Testing is focused on discovering unexpected defects through adaptive exploration. While it can reveal integration issues incidentally, it is not specifically designed to detect integration defects frequently or systematically.

Regression Testing checks that previously implemented functionality still works after changes. It helps maintain stability but is often performed after features are complete rather than continuously, so it is not the primary practice for early detection of integration issues.

Load Testing evaluates system performance under high usage and stress conditions. It does not focus on functional correctness or integration, making it unsuitable for identifying integration defects quickly.

Continuous Integration involves developers frequently merging code changes into a shared repository, followed by automated builds and tests. This process ensures that integration issues are detected as soon as they occur, allowing teams to fix defects immediately. It supports Agile principles by maintaining high-quality increments, enabling rapid delivery, and reducing the risk of costly late-stage integration problems. For these reasons, continuous integration is the most effective practice for detecting integration defects quickly and frequently.

Question 136: 

Which ceremony is held daily to synchronize the team’s work?

A) Sprint Planning
B) Daily Stand-up
C) Sprint Review
D) Sprint Retrospective

Answer: B) Daily Stand-up

Explanation:

Sprint Planning is an important Agile ceremony that occurs at the beginning of each sprint. Its main purpose is to define the work that will be completed in the upcoming sprint. During Sprint Planning, the team collaborates with the Product Owner to select items from the Product Backlog and break them into smaller tasks. While this meeting sets the sprint’s direction, it is not held daily and does not provide a platform for ongoing coordination of daily work. Therefore, it does not fulfill the purpose of continuous team synchronization.

Sprint Review is conducted at the end of the sprint and focuses on inspecting the work completed during the sprint. It allows the team to demonstrate the potentially shippable increment to stakeholders and gather feedback. Although it provides a valuable opportunity for inspection and adaptation, it is not a daily activity, and it is primarily forward-looking in terms of planning the next iteration rather than synchronizing daily activities.

Sprint Retrospective is another end-of-sprint ceremony that centers on process improvement. The team reflects on what went well, what could be improved, and identifies actionable steps for future sprints. While retrospectives are vital for continuous improvement and team learning, they are not intended for daily coordination of tasks or communication about immediate obstacles, making them unsuitable for the purpose of daily synchronization.

Daily Stand-up is the correct answer because it is specifically designed for daily synchronization of the team’s work. During this brief meeting, typically limited to 15 minutes, team members share what they worked on the previous day, what they plan to accomplish today, and any impediments that may be blocking progress. This ceremony ensures transparency, facilitates rapid problem-solving, and allows the team to adjust priorities dynamically. By holding this meeting every day, the team maintains alignment and coordination, which is a cornerstone of Agile’s emphasis on collaboration and iterative delivery.

Question 137: 

Which Agile principle emphasizes delivering value through working software at frequent intervals?

A) Working software over documentation
B) Deliver working software frequently
C) Customer collaboration
D) Responding to change

Answer: B) Deliver working software frequently

Explanation:

The principle of working software over documentation highlights the importance of producing functional software rather than overemphasizing detailed documentation. While it encourages focusing on value creation through tangible outputs, it does not explicitly address the frequency of software delivery. Teams can still produce working software without iterating frequently, which is why this option, while related, is not the best choice for this question.

Customer collaboration is a key Agile principle that emphasizes engaging stakeholders and customers throughout the project. It encourages continuous communication to ensure that the delivered solution aligns with customer needs. While collaboration improves alignment and feedback, it does not directly specify the timing or frequency of delivering working software. Its focus is on relationships and communication rather than cadence of delivery.

Responding to change is another foundational Agile principle that highlights adaptability. It encourages teams to remain flexible and adjust their plans when requirements evolve. Although it is crucial for Agile success, it speaks to responsiveness rather than the cadence of software delivery and therefore does not answer the question about frequent delivery.

Delivering working software frequently is the correct answer because it explicitly addresses the iterative nature of Agile development. By releasing software at regular intervals, teams provide continuous value, allow early feedback from users, and enable incremental improvement. This principle supports short development cycles, promotes risk reduction, and ensures that software remains aligned with evolving requirements. Frequent delivery is critical for maintaining momentum, validating assumptions, and facilitating customer engagement, all of which are central to Agile methodology.

Question 138: 

Which artifact represents progress in a sprint by showing remaining work over time?

A) Product Backlog
B) Burndown Chart
C) Definition of Done
D) Sprint Backlog

Answer: B) Burndown Chart

Explanation:

The Product Backlog is a prioritized list of all desired features, enhancements, bug fixes, and technical improvements for a product. While it represents the overall scope of work for a product, it does not provide a visual representation of progress within a sprint. The backlog is more about planning and prioritization rather than tracking remaining work on a day-to-day basis.

Definition of Done is a formalized agreement within the team that specifies what constitutes a completed backlog item or increment. While it ensures clarity and quality for work items, it does not track or visualize progress over time. It is a quality measure rather than a tracking artifact and therefore does not answer the question about monitoring remaining work.

Sprint Backlog is the set of tasks selected from the Product Backlog for completion within a sprint. It serves as a plan for the sprint but is primarily used for task management rather than visualization of progress. While team members may update it to reflect completed work, it does not inherently show remaining work over time or provide an easily interpretable visual metric.

Burndown Chart is the correct artifact because it graphically shows the amount of work remaining in a sprint, plotted against time. It provides immediate insight into the team’s progress toward completing sprint goals. By visualizing remaining tasks daily, the team can identify trends, adjust workload distribution, and proactively address potential delays. It serves as a transparency tool that fosters accountability and supports the Agile focus on iterative delivery and continuous improvement.

Question 139: 

Which testing approach involves simultaneously learning, designing, and executing tests?

A) Unit Testing
B) Exploratory Testing
C) Smoke Testing
D) Load Testing

Answer: B) Exploratory Testing

Explanation:

Unit Testing is a formal testing approach that focuses on validating individual components or modules of code. It is highly structured and usually automated, designed to confirm that specific functions work as expected. While unit testing is critical for code correctness, it does not inherently involve the simultaneous learning and adaptive testing that characterizes exploratory testing.

Smoke Testing is a preliminary test performed to ensure basic functionalities of a system are working. It is often scripted and designed to catch major failures early in the development cycle. Although it is fast and useful for initial validation, smoke testing is not investigative or adaptive, and it does not involve designing new test cases dynamically while learning about the system.

Load Testing assesses how a system performs under varying levels of demand or user load. It is focused on performance, scalability, and stability rather than discovering functional defects. Load testing is generally planned and executed with specific parameters, which makes it structured rather than exploratory.

Exploratory Testing is correct because it emphasizes simultaneous learning, designing, and executing tests. Testers dynamically investigate the system, adapting their approach based on real-time observations and insights. This method leverages creativity, intuition, and domain knowledge to uncover defects that scripted tests may miss. In Agile environments, where requirements change rapidly, exploratory testing complements iterative development by providing immediate feedback, uncovering hidden risks, and supporting continuous improvement.

Question 140: 

Which artifact defines when a backlog item or increment is considered complete?

A) Product Backlog
B) Sprint Backlog
C) Definition of Done
D) Burndown Chart

Answer: C) Definition of Done

Explanation:

The Product Backlog is a comprehensive list of all desired features, enhancements, bug fixes, and technical improvements for a product. It serves as a high-level plan that guides the team on what needs to be developed over the course of the project. The Product Backlog is prioritized based on business value, risk, and dependencies, allowing the team to focus on delivering the most important items first. However, while it provides a roadmap and helps with scope management, it does not include specific criteria for determining when an individual backlog item or increment is considered complete. Its primary purpose is planning and prioritization rather than defining completion standards.

The Sprint Backlog, on the other hand, contains the subset of items from the Product Backlog that the team has committed to completing during a particular sprint. It is essentially a tactical plan that breaks down user stories into tasks and assigns work for the sprint. The Sprint Backlog helps the team organize, track, and manage tasks on a day-to-day basis, ensuring that sprint goals are achievable. Despite its usefulness in managing tasks, the Sprint Backlog does not define the quality standards or criteria that determine whether a task or user story is fully complete. It is focused on execution and tracking rather than establishing the conditions of “done.”

The Burndown Chart is an Agile artifact that provides a visual representation of progress within a sprint. It plots the remaining work against the sprint timeline, showing the rate at which tasks are being completed and helping the team monitor whether they are on track to meet sprint goals. While the Burndown Chart is excellent for transparency and identifying potential delays, it does not indicate the quality or completeness of individual items. It is a tracking tool rather than a standard-setting artifact, so it cannot be used to define when a backlog item or increment meets completion criteria.

Definition of Done is the correct answer because it explicitly defines the conditions that must be met for a backlog item or increment to be considered complete. It ensures consistency and quality across the team by providing clear criteria, which may include aspects such as code review, successful testing, documentation, and integration. By establishing a shared understanding of what “done” means, the team can deliver reliable, potentially shippable increments in each sprint. It also prevents misunderstandings about completion, supports iterative delivery, and reinforces transparency, which are all essential aspects of Agile practices.