Term Glossary Flashcards
Acceptance Test Driven Development
A method used to communicate with business customers, developers, and testers before coding begins.
Active Listening
to focus on what is being said and provide feedback to communicate understanding
Adaptive Leadership
A leadership style that helps teams to thrive and overcome challenges throughout a project
Affinity estimation
A method used to place user stories in a comparable-sized group
Agile
to develop a goal through periodic experimentation in order to fulfill the needs of a complex decision
Agile Adaptation
to adapt the project plan continuously through retrospectives in order to maximize value creation during the planning process
Agile Coaching
To help achieve goals that are person or organizational
Agile experimentation
to use the empirical process, observation, and spike introduction while executing a project to influence planning
Agile manifesto
a statement that reflects agile philosophy that includes: individuals and interactions of processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to changes over following a plan
Agile Manifesto Principles
a document that describes the twelve principles of the agile manifesto
Agile Manifesto: Customer Satisfaction
satisfy customers through early and continuous delivery of products, to test and receive feedback, to inform customers on progress, and to fulfill the customers value by completing priority requirements.
Agile Manifesto: Welcome Changes
To allow quick responses to the changes in external environments, and late in development to maximize the customers competitive advantage
Agile Manifesto: Frequent Delivery
To deliver software frequently to the customer, allowing for a quicker product release, faster provision of value to the customer and a shorter delivery timeframe
Agile Manifesto: Collocated Team
to have individuals work together daily on a project to implement osmotic communication, focus, and receive instant feedback to achieve a common goal
Agile Manifesto: Motivated Individuals
to give individuals the empowerment, support, environment, and trust needed to complete a task susccessfully
Agile Manifesto: Face to Face communication
the most efficient and effective way to communicate in order to receive direct feedback and influence osmotic communication
Agile Manifesto: Working Software
working software enables the measurement of progress, enhance customer satisfaction, and maintain and improve the quality of the software to help support project goals.
Agile Manifesto: Constant Pace
To help team members establish a healthy work-life balance, remain productive, and respond to changes swiftly or progress during a project
Agile Manifesto: Continuous Attention
to enhance agility and time spent on work requirements in order to maintain a well balanced work environment
Agile Manifesto: Simplicity
Allows team members to focus on what is necessary to achieve the requirements needed to create and deliver value to the project and customer.
Agile Manifesto: Self-organization
a team that knows how to complete tasks effectively , has dedication to the project, and is expert on the process of the project
Agile Manifesto: Regular Reflection
This allows a team to learn how to become more effective, what changes need immediate implementation, and behavior that needs adjustment
Agile Mentoring
to pass on and teach based on experience, knowledge, and skills to other individuals in the team or that work for the organization
Agile Methodologies
a way to complete a goal effectively and efficiently.
Agile Modeling
A workflow depiction of a process or a system a team can review before it is turned in to code. Stakeholders shoulder understand the model.
Agile Planning
The most important aspect of the agile project. Planning happens at multiple levels such as strategic, release, iteration, and daily. Planning must happen upfront and can change throughout the project.
Agile practices
to make use of the agile principles through activities
Agile Smells
symptoms of a problem that effect agile teams and projects
Agile Space
a space that allows team members to establish collaboration, communication, transparency, and visibility.
Agile themes
Themes used to help the team focus on the functions of the iteration
Agile Tooling
To increase team morale through the use of software or artifacts
Analysis
To develop possible solutions by studying the problem and its underlying need and to understand the information provided
Approved iterations
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.
Architectural Spikes
Spikes that relate to any area of a system, technology, or application domain that is unknown
Artifact
A process or work output ex: document, code
ASD
Exhibits continuous adaptation to the project and its process with characteristics that include: mission focused, feature based, iterative, time-boxed, risk driven, and change tolerant
Automated testing tools
These tools allow for efficient and strong testing. Examples: peer review, periodical code reviews, refactoring, unit tests, automatic and manual testing
Being Agile
to work in a responsive way to deliver the products or services the customer needs and when they want the products or services.
Brainstorming
an effective and efficient way of gathering ideas within a short period of time for a group
Burn-down chart
a chart used to display progress during and at the end of an iteration. Burning down means the backlog will lessen throughout the iteration
Burn Rate
the rate of resources consumed by the team. also cost per iteration
Burn-Up chart
A chart that displayed completed functionality. Progress will trend upward as stories are completed. only shows complete functions, it is not accurate at predicting or showing works in progress
CARVER
an acronym to measure the goals and missions of a project with each letter meaning Criticality, Accessibility , Return, Vulnerability, Effect, and Recognizability
Ceremony
A meeting conducted during an agile project which consists of daily standup, iteration planning, iteration review, and iteration retrospective
Change
to change requirements that increase value to the customer
Charter
a document created during the initiation that formally begins the project. the document includes the projects justification, a summary level budget, major milestones, critical success factors, constraints, assumptions, and authorization to do it.
Coach
a team role that keeps the team focused on learning the process
Collaboration
A method of cooperation among individuals to achieve a common goal
Collective code ownership
The entire team is responsible for 100% of the code
Collocation
The entire team is physically present working together in one room
Common Cause
an issue solved through trend analysis because the issue is systemic
Communication
To share smooth and transparent information of needs
Command and Control
Decisions created by higher up individuals in the organization and handed over to the team.
Compliance
To meet regulations, rules, and standards.
Cone of Silence
An environment for the team that is free of distractions and interruptions.
Conflict
Disagreements in certain areas between individuals.
Conflict Resolution
An agreement made after a conflict.
Continuous Improvement
To ensure that self-assessment and process improvement occurs frequently to improve the product.
Continuous Integration
To consistently examine a team member’s work. To build, and test the entire system.
Coordination
To organize work with the goal of higher productivity and teamwork.
Cost Performance Index (CPI)
To measure the cost spent on a project and its efficiency. Earned Value / Actual Cost = CPI
Cross-Functional Team
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.
Crystal Family
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.
Cumulative Flow Diagram
A chart that displays feature backlog, work-in-progress, and completed features.
Customer-Valued Prioritization
To deliver the maximum customer value early in order to win customer loyalty and support.
Cycle Time
The time needed to complete a feature (user story).
Daily Stand Up
A brief meeting where the team shares the previous day’s achievements, plans to make achievements, obstacles, and how to overcome the obstacles.
Decide As Late As Possible
To postpone decisions to determine possibilities and make the decision when the most amount of knowledge is available.
DEEP
The qualities of a product backlog which include: detailed, estimate-able, emergent, and prioritized.
Deliverables
A tangible or intangible object delivered to the customer. Ex. Document, Pamphlet, Report
Disaggregation
To separate epics or large stories into smaller stories.
Dissatisfaction
The lack of satisfaction among workers such as, work conditions, salary, and management-employee relationships. Factors known as demotivators.
Distributive Negotiation
To reach a deal through tactics so both parties receive the highest amount of value possible.
Done
When work is complete, and meets the following criteria: complies, runs without errors, and passes predefined acceptance and regression tests.
Dot Voting
A system of voting where people receive a certain number of dots to vote on the options provided.
Dynamic Systems Development Model (DSDM)
A model that provides a comprehensive foundation for planning, managing, executing, and scaling agile and iterative software development projects based on nine principles that involve business needs/value, active user involvement, empowered teams, frequent delivery, integrated testing, and stakeholder collaboration.
Earned Value Management (EVM)
Earned Value Management, works well at iteration. It is a method to measure and communicate progress and trends at the current stage of the project.
Emergent
Stories that grow and change overtime as other stories reach completion in the backlog.
Emotional Intelligence
An individual’s skill to lead and relate to other team members.
Epic Story
A large story that spans iterations, then disaggregated into smaller stories.
Escaped Defects
Defects reported after the delivery by the customer.
Expectancy Theory
An individual chooses to behave in a particular way over other behaviors because of the expected results of the chosen behavior.
Exploratory Testing
To inquire how software works with the use of test subjects using the software and asking questions about the software.
Extreme Persona
A team-manufactured persona that exaggerates to induce requirements a standard persona may miss.
eXtreme Programming (XP)
A methodology in Agile with one-week iterations and paired development.
Feature-Driven Development (FDD)
A comprehensive model and list of features included in the system before the design work begins.
Feature
A group of stories that deliver value to the customers.
Feedback
Information or responses towards a product or project used to make improvements.
Fibonacci Sequence
A sequence of numbers used in Agile estimating, 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20, 40, 100.
Finish Tasks One by One
Tasks must be finished in all iterations to meet the “Definition of Done” requirements as a way to track progress and allow frequent delivery.
Fishbone Diagram
A root cause diagram.
Five Whys
The root causes analysis technique that asks WHY five times. The problem is looked into deeper each time WHY is asked. Toyota developed this technique.
Fixed Time Box
Assigned tasks prioritized for completion based on an estimated number of days. Top priorities are usually completed first.
Force Field Analysis
To analyze forces that encourages or resists change.
Functionality
An action the customer must see and experience from a system, which will add value to the customer.
Grooming
To clean up the product backlog by removal of items, disaggregation of items, or estimation of items.
Ground Rules
Unwritten rules decided and followed by team members.
Herzberg’s Hygiene Theory
A theory that states factors in the workplace create satisfaction and dissatisfaction in relation to the job.
High Performing Team
This team reaches maximum performance by creation of clear, detailed goals, open communication, accountability, empowerment, use of the participatory decision model, and the team consists of twelve dedicated members or less.
Ideal Time
The amount of time needed to complete an assignment without distractions or interruptions.
Information Radiator
Artifacts used to help maintain transparency of a project status to team members and stakeholders.
Information Refrigerator
Information that is not transparent or useful to the team and stakeholders.
Innovation Games
Practice used to induce requirements from product, owners, users, and stakeholders.
Integrative Negotiation
To reach an agreement collaboratively that creates more value for both parties by a win-win solution.
IRR
Internal Rate of Return- a discount rate that makes the net present value of all cash flows from a project equal to zero. Used to determine potential profitability of project or investment.
Intraspectives
To inspect within, during a meeting with the Agile team to review practices, usually when a problem or issue occurs.
Intrinsic Schedule Flaw
Poor estimation that occurs at the beginning of iteration.
INVEST
The benefits of good user stories, which include: Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimate-able, Small, and Testable.
Iteration H
Iteration used to prepare the launch of software, and to test software.
Iteration 0
Iteration to complete tasks before the development work occurs, for technical and architectural spikes and to gather requirements into the backlog.
Kaizen
Based on Japanese management philosophy, to continue improvement through small releases.
Kanban
A signal used to advance transparency of work-in-progress, a new task can begin once a previous one is complete.
Kanban Board
A chart that shows workflow stages to locate work-in-progress.
Kano Analysis
An analysis of product development and customer satisfaction based on needs fulfilled/not fulfilled vs. satisfaction/dissatisfaction.
Little’s Law
The law that limits work-in-progress efficiently with development of an appropriate cycle time.
Low Performing Team
This team has a lack of trust, no accountability, fear of conflict, less commitment, and less attention to details and results.
Lean Software Development (LSD)
This methodology focuses on the “Value Stream” to deliver value to customers. The goal is to eliminate waste by focusing on valuable features of a system and to deliver the value in small batches. Principles of Lean include: elimination of waste, amplify learning, to decide late as possible, deliver as fast as possible, empowerment of the team, to build in integrity, and to see the whole.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
This theory suggests the interdependent needs (motivators) of people based on five levels in this order: Physiological, Safety & Security, Social, Esteem, and Self-Actualization.
Minimal Viable Product (MVP)
A product with only the essential features delivered to early adopters to receive feedback.
Minimal Marketing Feature (MMF)
The smallest feature of a product that provides value to the end-user.
MoSCoW Analysis
An analysis used to help stakeholders understand the importance of each requirement delivered. MoSCoW is the acronym for Must have, Should have, Could have, and Would like to have.
NPV
Net Present Value- A value that compares the amount invested today to the present value of future cash receipts from the investment.
Osmotic Communication
To communicate by sharing an environment.
Pareto Principle
Known as the 80/20 rule. For Agile projects, it means that 80% of all development should be spent on the top 20% of the features the customers need.
Participatory Decision Models
To have stakeholder’s involvement in decision making with techniques such as a simple vote.
Persona
A depiction of the customer of system with applicable details about usage.
Pig
A committed individual impacted by the outcome.
Plan-Do-Check-Act
Work cycle in smaller, quick iterations than traditional.
Planning Game
To prioritize work and estimate effort required by creation of a release plan in XP.
Pre-Mortem
Team members asked to define reasons of a project’s failure and to identify causes of failure missed in previous analyses.
Present Value
A way to calculate the time value of money.
Process Tailoring
To perfect agile processes for a particular project and environment.
Productivity Variation
The difference between the planned and actual performance.
Product Vision
A document that describes what the product is, who will use the product, why the product will be used, and how the product supports the strategy of a company.
Product Vision Statement
A statement that defines the purpose and value of the product.
Progressive Elaboration
An approach for planning that occurs in cycles instead of upfront, which happens frequently.
Requirements at a High Level
Requirements are in the form of user stories, and collected at a high level to estimate a budget.
Requirements Prioritization Model
A model to rate each feature with the calculation of weighted formula defined by the team.
Requirements Review
To review the requirements so they fulfill the needs and priorities of stakeholders.
ROI
Return on Investment- The return an organization makes on an investment expressed by a percentage.
Risk-Adjusted Backlog
A product backlog adjusted to help balance the risk and value factors of product.
Risk-Based Spike
This spike helps the team remove major risks, and if the spike fails every approach possible, the project is defined as “fast failure”.
Risk Burn Down
A chart that displays risk and success with feature vs. time.
Risk Impact
To analyze the consequences of the risk if they occur based on their probability.
Risk Severity
How much the risk’s consequences will influence the success or failure of a project. Risk Probability (%) x Risk Impact ($) = Risk Severity
Schedule Performance Index
The ratio of earned value to planned value. EV/PV=SPI.
Self-Directing Team
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.
Self-Organizing Team
Naturally formed teams that interact with minimal management supervision.
Servant Leadership
Leaders collaborate with the team and do anything the team does when needed.
Shu-Ha-Ri Model
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.
Specification Breakdown
This occurs when requirements for the specification are incomplete or conflicting.
Story Map
A prioritization tool that backlogged stories made smaller and organized by user functionality.
Tabaka’s Model
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.
Technical Debt
Technical decisions a team chooses to not implement currently, but must do so or face difficulty in the future.
Test-Driven Development (TDD)
A written acceptance test for a module with the code built to pass the tests in order to ensure correct performance.
Tracker
A role in XP that measures the team’s progress, and communicates the measurements to the team.
Trend Analysis
This analysis provides trends that will occur in the future to help control and implement continuous improvement.
Two-Way Communication
To allow communication between parties so their concerns and perspectives are given for effective feedback.
Usability Testing
An exploratory test which uses a test subject to understand the usability of software.
Users Involvement
The active involvement of users in the development cycle of a project so team members can receive feedback about the user’s requirements.
Value-Based Prioritization
To allow the PO or customer determine which function to implement first based on the value it delivers.
Value-Driven Delivery
To realize the values needed to deliver a project.
