APMG Agile Foundation Practice Exam

What should each cycle of Iterative Development start and end with?

1. A complete solution

2. A conversation

3. A facilitated workshop

4. A timebox

The correct answer is: A conversation

Each cycle of Iterative Development should start and end with a conversation. In Agile methodologies, the emphasis is placed on communication and collaboration among team members and stakeholders. This interaction is crucial for setting clear expectations, understanding requirements, and addressing changes as they arise throughout development. Starting each cycle with a conversation ensures that everyone is aligned on goals and objectives, which fosters a shared understanding of what needs to be accomplished. This dialogue can take various forms, such as planning meetings, daily stand-ups, or retrospectives, and serves to clarify priorities and tasks for the upcoming iteration. Ending the cycle with a conversation allows the team to review what was achieved, discuss outcomes, gather feedback, and reflect on their processes and practices. This reflection helps identify areas for improvement and ensures that lessons learned are applied in future iterations, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the development process. While the other options can contribute to the iterative process, they do not encapsulate the fundamental need for continuous dialogue that is vital to Agile. A complete solution might not be achievable within a single iteration, facilitated workshops can be beneficial but are not essential, and timeboxes help manage deadlines but do not inherently ensure the necessary communication flow.