See Also During: Issue, Iteration, and Risk Connections

PMBOK v8 Definition

Issue: A current condition or situation that may have an impact on one or more objectives. See also opportunity, risk, and threat.

Iteration: A short cycle of development during which a product or deliverable is released or further matured. See also sprint.

Iteration Plan: A detailed plan for the current iteration.

Iteration Planning: A meeting to clarify the details of the backlog items, acceptance criteria, and work effort required to meet an upcoming iteration commitment.

Iteration Review: A meeting held at the end of an iteration to demonstrate the work that was accomplished during the iteration.

Why It Matters for the Exam

The "See Also" cross-references in PMBOK v8 are frequently tested because they reveal how PMI connects related concepts. Exam questions often ask you to distinguish between similar terms (issue vs. risk vs. threat) or to identify which concept applies in a given scenario. Understanding these relationships helps you eliminate wrong answers quickly.

Key Points to Remember (for the exam)

• Issue vs. Risk: An issue is a current condition; a risk is a future uncertain event. On the exam, if the problem already exists → it's an issue. If it might happen → it's a risk.
• Iteration vs. Sprint: These terms are interchangeable in PMBOK v8. Iteration is the broader term; sprint is a specific type used in Scrum.
• Iteration Planning Input: Backlog items + acceptance criteria + work effort estimation
• Iteration Review Purpose: Demonstrate completed work at the end of the iteration
• Issue Impact: Can affect one or more objectives (scope, schedule, cost, quality)
• Risk Appetite Connection: The measure of acceptable variation around an objective reflects risk appetite (see Passage 5)
• Agile Release Planning: Determines the number of iterations or sprints in a release (typically 3–6 months)

Typical PMI Exam Example

A project team is working on a software development project using an iterative approach. During iteration planning, the product owner identifies that a key stakeholder has changed their requirements for the current iteration. The team has already committed to delivering specific features. What should the team do first?

Answer approach: Recognize this is an issue (current condition) that impacts objectives. The team should address it during iteration planning by clarifying the details of backlog items and acceptance criteria.

PMI Exam Traps

• Trap: Confusing "issue" with "risk"

  • Reality: Issue = current condition (exists now); Risk = uncertain future event (may or may not happen)

• Trap: Thinking iteration and sprint are completely different concepts

  • Reality: Iteration is the general term; sprint is a specific type of iteration (Scrum). PMBOK v8 treats them as related.

• Trap: Assuming iteration planning only happens once

  • Reality: Iteration planning occurs at the beginning of each iteration; it's a recurring meeting

• Trap: Confusing iteration review with iteration planning

  • Reality: Iteration review = demonstrate completed work (end of iteration); Iteration planning = clarify upcoming work (start of iteration)

Important PMI Connections

Quick Review Questions

1. A team discovers that a required resource is unavailable for the current iteration. Is this an issue, risk, or threat?

2. During which meeting does the team demonstrate the work accomplished in an iteration?

3. What three elements are clarified during iteration planning?

4. How does agile release planning relate to iterations?

5. If a condition is currently affecting project objectives, is it an issue or a risk?

PMBOK v8 Reference

Section 3.4 - Definitions of Issue, Iteration, Iteration Plan, Iteration Planning, Iteration Review (from PMBOK v8 Glossary context provided)