DASM Practice Questions
Prepare for DASM with more than an answer.
- 1
In the context of Lean, what does 'Muda' refer to, and how should a DASM address it?
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Correct answer: C
Muda is the Japanese term for waste. In Lean, waste is anything that does not add value to the customer. The DASM's role is to help the team identify and eliminate Muda (e.g., waiting, defects, over-processing).
- 2
A team is using the 'Secure Funding' process goal during the Inception phase. They are debating between a 'Fixed Price' and a 'Time and Materials' funding model. According to the Disciplined Agile tool kit, which factor is crucial when making this decision?
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Correct answer: B
The DA tool kit highlights that Fixed Price is risky when uncertainty is high (leading to change requests), while Time and Materials is better suited for variable scope. Context Counts—the context of uncertainty drives the funding decision.
- 3
What is the primary difference between the 'Product Owner' in Disciplined Agile and the 'Product Owner' in standard Scrum?
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Correct answer: C
While similar, the DA Product Owner is explicitly expected to be 'Enterprise Aware', balancing team needs with organizational goals, and works closely with the Architecture Owner to prioritize technical debt and architectural runway, which standard Scrum leaves ambiguous.
- 4
A project team is in the Inception phase. They are creating a high-level map of the solution to identify dependencies and group features into potential releases. Which technique are they most likely using?
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Correct answer: B
User Story Mapping is a collaborative technique used (often in Inception) to visualize the user's journey, identify necessary functionality, and slice work into releases or MVPs.
- 5
A financial services company is transitioning to Disciplined Agile. The team consists of members who are new to agile and require significant guidance on the process. They have a fixed delivery date for a regulatory compliance module. Which Disciplined Agile life cycle is best suited for this team's current context?
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Correct answer: C
The Agile Life Cycle (Scrum-based) is ideal for teams new to agile as it provides a prescriptive rhythm (iterations) and clear ceremonies. It is also well-suited for situations with fixed delivery dates where a project mindset is currently prevalent.
- 6
Which of the following roles in Disciplined Agile is explicitly responsible for mitigating technical risk and facilitating the creation of the solution design, while still acting as a contributing team member?
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Correct answer: C
The Architecture Owner is a primary role in DA responsible for architectural decisions and mitigating technical risk. Unlike a traditional architect who might dictate from outside, the Architecture Owner is an active team member who also performs development tasks.
