PeopleCert DevOps-Foundation - PeopleCert DevOps Foundation v3.6 Exam

DevOps shifts the focus fromactivity-based metrics(outputs) toimpact-based metrics(outcomes and value). Measuring outcomes means assessing whether work delivers the intended business or customer benefit.

Outputslike lines of code, number of deployments, or velocity measure activity but not whether value is being delivered. PeopleCert emphasizes that outcomes should align with business objectives—such as improved customer satisfaction, revenue growth, or reduced failure rates.

Therefore,B—Outcomes and value—is preferred for guiding meaningful improvements.

Kanban boards are visual management tools used to track work and manage flow. They provide transparency, limit work in progress (WIP), and help teams focus on delivering value quickly.

A: Reducing WIP is a key Kanban principle that improves flow and delivery speed.

C: Visibility fosters collaboration and shared ownership.

D: By identifying bottlenecks and waste, Kanban helps reduce idle time.

B—defining policies and procedures—is not an inherent benefit of Kanban. While teams may display existing policies on a Kanban board, the board itself does not define them. Its role is to visualize work and flow, not to establish governance rules.

Thus,Bis the correct “NOT” benefit.

Continuous fundingreplaces rigid, annual budgeting with a more adaptive model. This approach aligns funding to value streams or long-lived products rather than fixed projects. Funds can be adjusted incrementally based on changing priorities, business feedback, and delivery performance.

This method supports DevOps by allowing teams to pivot quickly, experiment, and scale initiatives without waiting for lengthy budget approvals. It aligns financial governance with the iterative and adaptive nature of DevOps delivery.

A(project-based funding) locks budgets to specific outcomes and timelines, limiting flexibility.C(quarterly rolling waves) is more flexible than annual cycles but less responsive than continuous funding.Dis not a recognized funding approach in DevOps.

Therefore,Bis the correct choice.

Microservices architecturebreaks down applications into small, independent, loosely coupled services that can be developed, tested, and deployed independently.

Why does this improve release frequency?Each microservice can be updated, tested, and deployed on its own, reducing the risk and coordination overhead associated with monolithic releases.

This allows for faster feedback and more frequent delivery of value to users.

Extract-style reference:

“Microservices enable teams to deploy independently, reduce deployment risk, and increase release frequency by decoupling services.”

—Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps, Chapter 4

PeopleCert DevOps Foundation v3.6:Stresses modular architectures for enabling rapid, independent deployments and continuous delivery.

A core goal of DevOps is toeliminate isolationbetween roles, teams, and departments. Isolated teams—cut off from other parts of the value stream—create bottlenecks, reduce visibility, and slow feedback.

While flat hierarchies (A), continuous engagement (C), and balanced skills (D) are positive traits,Bis the opposite of DevOps principles.

Therefore,Bis the correct “NOT” choice.

Theory of Constraintsis a methodology that seeks to identify the single, most important limiting factor (constraint) in a process and systematically improve it until it’s no longer the limiting factor.

Extract-style reference:

“The Theory of Constraints provides a powerful framework for identifying bottlenecks (constraints) that limit system performance and focusing improvement efforts on these areas to maximize throughput.”

—Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints

DevOps Foundation syllabus discusses this as a foundational Lean concept, directly applicable to software delivery pipelines, where delays or resource shortages can restrict overall throughput.

Acentralized platformin DevOps provides standardized, reusable services to development teams, improving productivity and reducing duplication. Characteristics include:

A: Centralized version control with approved security libraries promotes consistent and secure coding practices.

B: Automated pipelines that include quality and security scans ensure compliance and quality are built-in, not bolted on.

C: Deployment to validated environments with monitoring enables quick detection and resolution of issues.

Since all three characteristics (A, B, C) are described in PeopleCert andThe DevOps Handbookas best practices,D—All of the above—is correct.

PeopleCert emphasizes thatarchitecturemust be planned before automating processes. This means mapping the value stream, understanding dependencies, identifying bottlenecks, and defining integration points before selecting or configuring tools.

Automating without a clear architecture can lead to fragmented processes, wasted effort, and technical debt. Once the architecture is sound, teams can implement automation in a way that supports scalability, maintainability, and interoperability.

A(building the toolchain) is important but comes after architecture.C(switching to open source) is a tooling decision, not the first automation step.D(self-service) is a benefit of automation, not the starting point.

Thus,B—Architect before automating—is the correct first step.

According to PeopleCert DevOps Foundation v3.6, theSecond Wayof DevOps focuses on creating and amplifyingfeedback loops. The primary purpose of shortening these loops is toaccelerate the flow of work and informationbetween all stages of the delivery pipeline, especially between Development and Operations.

When feedback loops are short, defects, performance issues, and risks can be identified and resolved earlier in the process, preventing costly delays and large-scale rework. This supportsfaster, safer releasesand improves the organization’s responsiveness to customer needs.

WhileA(learning) andD(knowledge sharing) are important benefits of feedback loops, they aresecondaryoutcomes. The main, direct effect is improvingflow efficiency—ensuring that handoffs between Dev and Ops happen smoothly, quickly, and with higher quality.

OptionC(value stream mapping) is a useful Lean practice to identify delays and bottlenecks, but it is adiagnostic tool, not the primary improvement gained from shortening feedback loops.

Thus, the correct answer isB—shortened feedback loops primarily improve IT performance by ensuringfaster flowbetween Development and Operations.