WGU D359 Agile HR Comprehensive
Study Guide Update with complete
solutions.
Competency 1: Explains Agile HR (Chapters 1-
6)
Chapter 1
- How does Agile help HR deliver value?
Agile helps HR deliver value by treating employees as internal customers
and actively involving them in the design, development, and improvement
of HR processes. Through small, high-performing teams, iterative feedback
loops, and continuous testing, HR can adjust processes in real time to
better meet employee needs. This creates more relevant, responsive, and
effective solutions that strengthen engagement and retention.
- What is a human-centric approach?
A human-centric approach in Agile HR puts employees at the center of
decision-making. It means seeking their input, co-creating solutions, and
designing processes that improve their work experience. This approach
values employees’ perspectives as essential to shaping policies, systems,
and workplace design, ensuring they feel connected to the organization’s
purpose and vision.
- How does Agile HR change the traditional operating model?
Agile HR shifts from rigid, top-down decision-making and long-term static
plans to a flexible, collaborative model that evolves continuously. Instead of
working in silos, HR forms cross-functional (“T-shaped”) teams that partner
with the business, test ideas quickly, gather feedback, and adjust
incrementally. This model encourages transparency, experimentation, and
rapid decision-making rather than delivering a final product all at once.
, - What is the difference between Agile for HR and HR for Agile?
Agile for HR means applying Agile principles within the HR function itself—
for example, improving HR’s own processes, recruiting methods, or
performance management through iterative testing and feedback.
- HR for Agile means enabling and supporting the entire organization in
adopting Agile ways of working, with HR acting as a coach, facilitator, and
culture driver to help teams across departments succeed in an Agile
environment.
Chapter 2
, - How has digitalization changed business?
Digitalization makes business faster, more competitive, and customer-
driven — forcing organizations to be more Agile, innovative, and people-
centered.
- What impact has digitalization had on HR?
Digitalization has made traditional HR models obsolete and pushed HR to
become more Agile, people-centered, and focused on enabling both
business agility and employee experience.
Chapter 3
- What is the waterfall approach to projects?
The waterfall approach to projects is a traditional project management
method where everything is planned upfront and carried out in a step-by-
step sequence (like water flowing down a waterfall).
- Give an example of when the waterfall approach can be beneficial to HR.
Payroll changes — rolling out a statutory raise with clear deadlines.
- What factors create a complex and an unstable HR environment?
- HR environments are unstable because needs change, dependencies shift,
outside forces disrupt, and too many players are involved — making
flexibility essential.
- Explain an Agile mindset.
An Agile mindset means focusing everything on the value delivered to the
customer. Instead of planning every detail upfront, Agilists expect change
and use constant feedback to adjust their work. Agile teams release value
in small, regular increments, check results, and improve continuously (plan,
do, check, act). It’s about being Agile (a mindset of flexibility, transparency,
and improvement) rather than just doing Agile (using tools like Scrum
boards).
- Who created Agile?
Agile was created in 2001 when 17 software development leaders met in
Utah. These leaders had been experimenting with lighter, more adaptive
methods (like Scrum and Extreme Programming) and came together to
define common values and principles.
- What is the Agile Manifesto?
The Agile Manifesto is a document written by those 17 leaders. It set out
the mindset, values, and principles that underpin Agile ways of working.
Study Guide Update with complete
solutions.
Competency 1: Explains Agile HR (Chapters 1-
6)
Chapter 1
- How does Agile help HR deliver value?
Agile helps HR deliver value by treating employees as internal customers
and actively involving them in the design, development, and improvement
of HR processes. Through small, high-performing teams, iterative feedback
loops, and continuous testing, HR can adjust processes in real time to
better meet employee needs. This creates more relevant, responsive, and
effective solutions that strengthen engagement and retention.
- What is a human-centric approach?
A human-centric approach in Agile HR puts employees at the center of
decision-making. It means seeking their input, co-creating solutions, and
designing processes that improve their work experience. This approach
values employees’ perspectives as essential to shaping policies, systems,
and workplace design, ensuring they feel connected to the organization’s
purpose and vision.
- How does Agile HR change the traditional operating model?
Agile HR shifts from rigid, top-down decision-making and long-term static
plans to a flexible, collaborative model that evolves continuously. Instead of
working in silos, HR forms cross-functional (“T-shaped”) teams that partner
with the business, test ideas quickly, gather feedback, and adjust
incrementally. This model encourages transparency, experimentation, and
rapid decision-making rather than delivering a final product all at once.
, - What is the difference between Agile for HR and HR for Agile?
Agile for HR means applying Agile principles within the HR function itself—
for example, improving HR’s own processes, recruiting methods, or
performance management through iterative testing and feedback.
- HR for Agile means enabling and supporting the entire organization in
adopting Agile ways of working, with HR acting as a coach, facilitator, and
culture driver to help teams across departments succeed in an Agile
environment.
Chapter 2
, - How has digitalization changed business?
Digitalization makes business faster, more competitive, and customer-
driven — forcing organizations to be more Agile, innovative, and people-
centered.
- What impact has digitalization had on HR?
Digitalization has made traditional HR models obsolete and pushed HR to
become more Agile, people-centered, and focused on enabling both
business agility and employee experience.
Chapter 3
- What is the waterfall approach to projects?
The waterfall approach to projects is a traditional project management
method where everything is planned upfront and carried out in a step-by-
step sequence (like water flowing down a waterfall).
- Give an example of when the waterfall approach can be beneficial to HR.
Payroll changes — rolling out a statutory raise with clear deadlines.
- What factors create a complex and an unstable HR environment?
- HR environments are unstable because needs change, dependencies shift,
outside forces disrupt, and too many players are involved — making
flexibility essential.
- Explain an Agile mindset.
An Agile mindset means focusing everything on the value delivered to the
customer. Instead of planning every detail upfront, Agilists expect change
and use constant feedback to adjust their work. Agile teams release value
in small, regular increments, check results, and improve continuously (plan,
do, check, act). It’s about being Agile (a mindset of flexibility, transparency,
and improvement) rather than just doing Agile (using tools like Scrum
boards).
- Who created Agile?
Agile was created in 2001 when 17 software development leaders met in
Utah. These leaders had been experimenting with lighter, more adaptive
methods (like Scrum and Extreme Programming) and came together to
define common values and principles.
- What is the Agile Manifesto?
The Agile Manifesto is a document written by those 17 leaders. It set out
the mindset, values, and principles that underpin Agile ways of working.
