Agile Manifesto Values and Principles — Distinguishing Values from Principles
Which THREE are principles of the Agile Manifesto? (Choose three.)
Quick Answer
The answer is "Welcome changing requirements, even late in development," which is one of the twelve principles underpinning the Agile Manifesto. This principle directly supports the Manifesto’s value of "responding to change over following a plan," emphasizing that Agile teams should harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage rather than rigidly adhering to a fixed scope. On the CAPM exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish the four core values from the twelve supporting principles—a common trap is confusing a value (like "individuals and interactions") with a principle (like "deliver working software frequently"). To avoid this, remember that values are broad philosophical statements, while principles are actionable guidelines that describe how to live those values. A useful memory tip: think of the acronym "C-W-A-R" for the four values (Customer collaboration, Working software, responding to change, individuals and interactions), then recall that each value has three corresponding principles—making twelve total.
⚠ Common exam trap
PMI often tests the distinction between the four Agile values and the twelve Agile principles, so candidates must memorize which statements belong to each category to avoid selecting a value when the question asks for a principle.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Deliver working software frequently, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
The Agile Manifesto explicitly states 'Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.' This principle emphasizes iterative delivery and rapid feedback cycles, which are core to Agile frameworks like Scrum and XP.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Deliver working software frequently, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
Why this is correct
This is principle #3.
- ✓
Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
Why this is correct
This is principle #4.
- ✓
Welcome changing requirements, even late in development.
Why this is correct
This is principle #2.
- ✗
Use pair programming for all production code.
Why it's wrong here
This is an XP practice, not an Agile principle.
- ✗
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
Why it's wrong here
This is a value, not a principle.
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Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on CAPM
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which THREE principles are common to multiple agile methodologies?
hard- A.Comprehensive documentation over working software.
- ✓ B.Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
- ✓ C.Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
- ✓ D.Responding to change over following a plan.
- E.Following a plan over responding to change.
Why B: Options B, C, and D are correct. These are three of the four values from the Agile Manifesto: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools (B), Customer collaboration over contract negotiation (C), and Responding to change over following a plan (D). Option A is the opposite of the Manifesto's value 'working software over comprehensive documentation'. Option E is the opposite of 'responding to change over following a plan'.
Variation 2. Which THREE of the following are core values of the Agile Manifesto?
hard- ✓ A.Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
- ✓ B.Responding to change over following a plan.
- C.Following a plan over responding to change.
- ✓ D.Working software over comprehensive documentation.
- E.Contract negotiation over customer collaboration.
Why A: The Agile Manifesto explicitly values 'Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.' This means that while processes and tools are important, the people doing the work and how they communicate take precedence. The Manifesto emphasizes that collaboration and human factors drive project success more than rigid adherence to prescribed procedures.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CAPM practice question is part of Courseiva's free PMI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CAPM exam.