APMG Agile Foundation Practice Exam

What type of requirements might be painful to leave out but can still result in a viable solution?

1. Must

2. Could

3. Won't

4. Should

The correct answer is: Should

In Agile methodologies, requirements are often categorized into different priority levels: must-haves, should-haves, could-haves, and won't-haves. The classification helps teams focus on delivering maximum value while accommodating the project's constraints. When considering what requirements might be painful to leave out but can still result in a viable solution, the should-haves category comes into play. These are important requirements that enhance the product’s overall value and user experience but are not absolutely critical for the functionality or initial release. Leaving out should-haves may indeed cause some dissatisfaction among users or stakeholders, as they may have anticipated these features as part of the solution. However, the project can still proceed and be functional without them, ensuring that essential must-haves are delivered on time. This allows teams to prioritize their efforts and deliver a working product while planning to potentially incorporate should-haves in future iterations or releases. Prioritizing must-haves over should-haves facilitates a manageable approach to fulfilling user needs and adapting the project scope according to real-world constraints.