PMI-ACP® Cheatsheet — Agile Tables, Checklists & Decision Patterns

Use this as your last-mile PMI-ACP® review. Pair it with the Syllabus for coverage and Practice for speed.

For exam format and official policy details, see Overview.

Agile in one picture (the exam rewards learning + flow)

    flowchart TD
	  A["Vision + outcomes"] --> B["Backlog (ordered by value)"]
	  B --> C["Slice small + define acceptance"]
	  C --> D["Deliver an increment"]
	  D --> E["Review + measure + learn"]
	  E --> F["Adapt backlog + process"]
	  F --> C

If you can state these three items from any question stem, you’re usually close to the best answer:

• Learning goal: what do we need to validate (value, feasibility, usability, risk)?
• Smallest slice: what increment gives fast feedback?
• Flow risk: what blocks progress (WIP, dependencies, unclear acceptance, hidden work)?

“Best answer” elimination rules (fast)

• If a response delays feedback to “finish everything,” it’s usually wrong.
• If a response adds process without a clear problem, it’s usually wrong.
• If a response hides work/risks, it’s usually wrong (transparency first).
• If the scenario is unclear, clarify acceptance criteria / constraints / stakeholders before committing.

Mindset: complexity + approach choice

Cynefin cheat table (how to respond)

Exam cue: if requirements are changing and learning is needed, pick actions that reduce uncertainty quickly.

Team leadership: coach, don’t command

Training vs coaching vs mentoring (when to use)

Psychological safety checklist

• problems ≠ people (no-blame)
• dialogue over debate
• feedback is specific and acted on
• risks/impediments are safe to raise early

Scrum essentials (concept-level)

Anti-patterns: skipping refinement, using daily sync as reporting, treating sprint plan as contract.

Kanban + flow

WIP limits (why they matter)

• Lower WIP → less context switching → faster cycle time
• WIP + throughput → forecasts (don’t promise certainty; show ranges)

Flow metrics (quick definitions)

Backlog slicing patterns (fast)

• thin vertical slices (end-to-end value) beat layer slices (UI only, DB only)
• slice by workflow step, scenario, business rule, happy path then edges
• spikes are for learning; timebox them and turn outputs into backlog changes

Estimation and planning (what to pick)

Rule: estimates are for decisions; avoid false precision.

Risk and impediments (agile style)

• make impediments visible (owner + next action + escalation trigger)
• address root causes (systems thinking)
• use experiments for uncertainty, not debate
• capture learnings and change the system to prevent recurrence

Waste (Lean lens)

Common waste in knowledge work: waiting, handoffs, rework, overproduction, excess WIP, unclear acceptance, context switching.

Fix pattern: visualize flow → identify bottleneck → reduce WIP → remove constraint → repeat.

Continuous improvement loop (Kaizen)

1. observe (metrics + feedback)
2. pick one change (small and testable)
3. run experiment (timebox)
4. measure impact
5. standardize or revert