Quick Answer
The correct practice is to limit the Work in Progress (WIP) at each stage, especially testing. This is because Kanban’s core mechanism for exposing and resolving bottlenecks is capping WIP; by restricting how many tasks can be in the testing column at once, the team forces a pull-based flow where work cannot pile up, making the constraint visible and actionable. On the Certified Associate in Project Management CAPM exam, this concept tests your understanding of Kanban’s flow management principles, often appearing in questions about improving throughput or reducing delays. A common trap is to suggest adding more testers or automating testing, but the exam emphasizes that limiting WIP is the foundational practice to reveal and address the bottleneck itself. Memory tip: think of WIP limits as a “speed bump” for testing—they slow the inflow so the team can finish what’s already started, directly smoothing the Kanban flow.
This CAPM practice question tests your understanding of agile frameworks and methodologies. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
In Kanban, the team is experiencing frequent bottlenecks at the testing stage. Which practice should they adopt to improve flow?
Increase the batch size of work items.
Why wrong: Larger batches increase variability and delay feedback.
Conduct daily stand-up meetings.
Why wrong: Stand-ups are not a direct remedy for bottlenecks.
Add more testers to the testing phase.
Why wrong: Adding capacity may mask the underlying process issue.
Limit the WIP at each stage, especially testing.
WIP limits expose bottlenecks and encourage flow.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Limit the WIP at each stage, especially testing.
In Kanban, limiting Work in Progress (WIP) at each stage is a core practice to expose bottlenecks and improve flow. By capping the number of items allowed in testing, the team prevents work from piling up, forcing them to finish existing tasks before pulling new ones. This directly addresses the frequent bottlenecks by making the constraint visible and actionable, enabling the team to focus on completing testing rather than starting more work.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Increase the batch size of work items.
Why it's wrong here
Larger batches increase variability and delay feedback.
Conduct daily stand-up meetings.
Why it's wrong here
Stand-ups are not a direct remedy for bottlenecks.
Add more testers to the testing phase.
Why it's wrong here
Adding capacity may mask the underlying process issue.
Limit the WIP at each stage, especially testing.
Why this is correct
WIP limits expose bottlenecks and encourage flow.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse adding more testers (Option C) as a quick fix for a bottleneck, but the CAPM exam emphasizes that Kanban focuses on limiting WIP to expose and address constraints rather than simply adding resources.
Detailed technical explanation
Kanban's WIP limits are a pull-based mechanism derived from the Toyota Production System; they create a 'kanban signal' that authorizes new work only when capacity is available downstream. In practice, if the testing stage has a WIP limit of 3 and it is full, no new items can be pulled from development, forcing the team to swarm on testing completion. This exposes the bottleneck's true capacity and encourages systemic improvements like automation or process changes, rather than just adding more people.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CAPM exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Agile Frameworks and Methodologies — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Agile Frameworks and Methodologies practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All CAPM questions
503 questions across all exam domains
Certified Associate in Project Management CAPM study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
CAPM practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise CAPM questions linked to Agile Frameworks and Methodologies.
Practise CAPM questions linked to Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts.
Practise CAPM questions linked to Predictive Plan-Based Methodologies.
Practise CAPM questions linked to Business Analysis Frameworks.
Practise CAPM questions linked to CAPM fundamentals.
Practise CAPM questions linked to CAPM scenario.
Practise CAPM questions linked to CAPM troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Agile Frameworks and Methodologies — This question tests Agile Frameworks and Methodologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Limit the WIP at each stage, especially testing. — In Kanban, limiting Work in Progress (WIP) at each stage is a core practice to expose bottlenecks and improve flow. By capping the number of items allowed in testing, the team prevents work from piling up, forcing them to finish existing tasks before pulling new ones. This directly addresses the frequent bottlenecks by making the constraint visible and actionable, enabling the team to focus on completing testing rather than starting more work.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.