Impressões sobre o Exame PMI Agile Certified Practitioner

Por João Gama Neto, publicado no site www.projetizado.com.br


Sobre o Exame:


1) -  Para quem já é PMP, é gratificante passar novamente por todo o processo de certificação: (muito) estudo, application, eligibilidade, agendamento e exame. Costumo dizer que o processo de certificação é mais importante que o título porque trás consigo um grande aprendizado e reflexões sobre nossa carreira. Mesmo sendo um Agilista antes mesmo deste nome existir (trabalhei com o DSDM nos anos 90) e  PMBOKeiro há mais de uma década, este processo me trouxe um aprendizado fantástico;


2) - As questões da prova são muito bem elaboradas e realmente exigem a experiência prévia em Agile Project Management  e o estudo de cada um dos 10 livros utilizados como bibliografia. Assim como o exame para o PMP, há tanto questões conceituais quanto situacionais, com duas ou mais respostas similares;


3) -  O que cai na prova? Acredito que não ficou nenhum tópico do PMI-ACP Certification Content Outline de fora do meu exame. Reitero que o PMI está de parabéns por ter utilizado sua bem-sucedida experiência nas outras certificações e ter criado um exame que realmente avalia o conhecimento da aplicação dos conceitos Agile. Tenho certeza que foi uma aposta certeira que terá uma excelente resposta pelo mercado;


4) -  Diferentemente do PMP, cuja prova é restrita a poucos locais, você pode fazer este exame em vários centros Prometric espalhados por todo o Brasil. A minha prova foi na Av. Paulista, por exemplo;


5) - O exame começa com o tradicional tutorial de 15 minutos. Depois são 3 horas para responder a 120 questões. Achei o tempo suficiente pois fiz a prova em 2 horas e utilizei 30 minutos para revisar as questões marcadas;


6) -  De hoje até o fim de novembro, o exame PMI-ACP permanecerá em status de "piloto". Isto significa que o resultado só sairá em dezembro. Porém, quem se inscrever e fizer a prova até 30 de novembro recebe de volta 20% do valor pago, além de se beneficiar em estar entre os pioneiros...

DSDM - Phases

The DSDM framework consists of three sequential phases, namely the pre-project, project life-cycle and post-project phases. The project phase of DSDM is the most elaborate of the three phases. The project life-cycle phase consists of 5 stages that form an iterative step-by-step approach in developing an IS. The three phases and corresponding stages are explained extensively in the subsequent sections. For each stage/phase, the most important activities are addressed and the deliverables are mentioned.

Phase 1: The Pre-Project

In the pre-project phase candidate projects are identified, project funding is realized and project commitment is ensured. Handling these issues at an early stage avoids problems at later stages of the project.

Phase 2: The Project life-cycle

The process overview in the figure above shows the project life-cycle of this phase of DSDM. It depicts the 5 stages a project will have to go through to create an IS. The first two stages, the Feasibility Study and Business Study are sequential phases that complement to each other. After these phases have been concluded, the system is developed iteratively and incrementally in the Functional Model Iteration, Design & Build Iteration and Implementation stages. The iterative and incremental nature of DSDM will be addressed further in a later section.

1. Feasibility Study
2. Business Study
3. Functional Model Iteration
4. Design and Build Iteration
5. Implementation

Phase 3: Post-project

The post-project phase ensures the system operating effectively and efficiently. This is realized by maintenance, enhancements and fixes according to DSDM principles. The maintenance can be viewed as continuing development based on the iterative and incremental nature of DSDM. Instead of finishing the project in one cycle usually the project can return to the previous phases or stages so that the previous step and the deliverable products can be refined.

DSDM - Core Concepts

The following list describes the core concepts of DSDM.

Active User Involvement

The people who will be using the product must be actively involved in its development. This important in order for the product to end up being useful to the people who will be using it.

The Team Must Be Empowered to Make Decisions

The team should be able to make rapid and informed decisions, without having to cut through red tape to get those decisions approved.

Frequent Releases

DSDM focuses on frequent releases. Frequent releases allow for user input at crucial stages in the product's development. They also ensure that the product is able to be released quickly at all times.

Iterative Development, Driven by User Feedback

The development is the system is done in iterations, which allows for frequent user feedback, and a partial but prompt solution to immediate needs, with more functionality being added in later iterations.

Changes Must Be Reversible

All products should be in a fully known state at all times. This allows for backtracking if a certain change does not work out well.

Requirements are Initially Defined at a High Level

High-level requirements are worked out at the beginning of the project, before any coding, leaving the details to be worked out during the course of the development.

Fitness for Business Purpose is the Goal

Meeting the business need is more important than technical perfection.

Integrated Testing

Testing is done at every step of the way, to ensure that the product being developed is technically sound and does not develop any technical flaws, and that maximum use is made of user feedback.

Collaboration and Cooperation are Essential

Collaboration and cooperation between all interested parties are essential for the success of the project. All involved parties (not just the core team) must strive together to meet the business objective.

20% / 80% Rule

DSDM assumes that 80% of the solution can be developed in 20% of the time that it would take to produce the total solution. DSDM focuses on this 80%, leaving another 20% for later revisions. DSDM assumes that not all of the requirements for the final solution are known to begin with, so it is likely that the final 20% of non-essential features are likely to be flawed anyway. 

DSDM - Dynamic Systems Development Method

Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is an organized, common-sense process focused on delivering business solutions quickly and efficiently. It is similar in many ways to SCRUM and XP, but it has its best uses where the time requirement is fixed.

DSDM focuses on delivery of the business solution, rather than just team activity. It makes steps to ensure the feasibility and business sense of a project before it is created. It stresses cooperation and collaboration between all interested parties. DSDM makes heavy use of prototyping to make sure interested parties have a clear picture of all aspects of the system.


Development flow: