Software Development Lifecycle & Methodologies Flashcards

What is the primary goal of 'shift-left testing' in modern software development?

Answer: Introducing testing activities earlier in the development lifecycle to detect defects sooner and reduce remediation cost

Shift-left testing moves quality activities earlier in the SDLC so defects are caught when they are cheapest to fix, rather than at system test or production.

In DSDM (Dynamic Systems Development Method), which principle states that quality and scope are fixed but time and resources may vary?

Answer: Never Compromise Quality

DSDM's 'Never Compromise Quality' principle means the fitness-for-purpose level is set early and fixed, so scope is reduced rather than quality degraded when deadlines approach.

Which term describes the practice of automatically deploying every code change that passes automated tests directly to production without human intervention?

Answer: Continuous Deployment

Continuous Deployment fully automates the pipeline so every passing change is released to production, eliminating manual release gates.

A software manager is evaluating technical debt in a legacy system. Which of the following BEST describes 'deliberate technical debt'?

Answer: A conscious decision to use a quick solution now with the intent to refactor it properly later

Deliberate technical debt is a known trade-off where a team chooses a faster but suboptimal solution consciously and plans to address it in the future.

In the context of software estimation, what does 'cone of uncertainty' represent?

Answer: The decreasing range of estimate variability as a project progresses and more information becomes known

The Cone of Uncertainty illustrates that estimates at project inception can vary widely but converge toward accuracy as the project matures and unknowns are resolved.

Which Agile principle from the Agile Manifesto directly supports sustainable development practices?

Answer: Agile processes promote sustainable development — sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely

The Agile Manifesto explicitly promotes sustainable pace, recognizing that teams consistently working at full speed leads to burnout and reduced quality.

What is the purpose of a 'Parking Lot' diagram used during sprint planning or backlog refinement?

Answer: Visually grouping topics or features that are out of scope for the current sprint but are noted for future consideration

A Parking Lot captures items raised during a meeting that are valid but out of scope for the current discussion, ensuring they are not lost but don't derail the session.