A team is transitioning to a 'Lean' lifecycle. What is the most likely change they need to make?
Lean lifecycle replaces phase-gated, batch-oriented working with continuous flow, so work moves steadily rather than waiting for stage boundaries. The team must therefore restructure around limiting work in progress and pulling items through, which is the defining behavioural shift from the previous lifecycle.
Why this answer
Lean lifecycle is built around the principle of continuous flow — moving work through the value stream in small batches with minimal wait states, handoffs, and inventory. A team transitioning to Lean must therefore restructure how work moves, reducing batch sizes and eliminating queues so value is delivered steadily rather than in large, infrequent releases.
Exam trap
DAF often tests whether candidates recognize that Lean is fundamentally about flow and small batches — options that increase batch size, documentation, or management layers are Lean anti-patterns dressed up as improvements.
How to eliminate wrong answers
Option A is wrong because increasing batch sizes directly contradicts Lean — larger batches increase work-in-progress, delay feedback, and amplify waste, which is the opposite of what Lean prescribes. Option B is wrong because adding a project manager introduces coordination overhead and a command-and-control role that Lean seeks to minimize; Lean favors self-organizing teams with flow-based coordination. Option C is wrong because requiring more documentation adds non-value-adding work and slows flow; Lean favors just-enough documentation and emphasizes working product over comprehensive artifacts.