WGU C854 CAPSTONE CPE 2026/2027
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
1. When defining the project scope in an IT Capstone, which tool is primarily used to
decompose the project into smaller, manageable components?
A. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
B. Gantt Chart
C. Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
D. Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical
decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to
accomplish the project objectives.
2. In the context of software architecture, which principle suggests that a class should have
only one reason to change?
A. Liskov Substitution Principle
B. Interface Segregation Principle
,C. Dependency Inversion Principle
D. Single Responsibility Principle
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The Single Responsibility Principle (SRP) states that every
module, class, or function should have responsibility over a single part of the functionality
provided by the software.
3. Which of the following best describes ‘Technical Debt’ in a Capstone project?
A. The implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead
of a better approach.
B. The financial cost of licensing software for the project.
C. The amount of money owed to cloud service providers for hosting.
D. A measure of the lines of code that have not yet been written.
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Technical debt refers to the eventual consequences of poor
system design or quick-fix coding practices that must be addressed later.
4. Which methodology is characterized by iterative development, regular feedback, and a
focus on delivering small, functional increments?
A. Waterfall
B. Spiral
, C. V-Model
D. Agile
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Agile is an iterative approach to project management and
software development that helps teams deliver value to their customers faster and with
fewer headaches.
5. During the risk assessment phase, what does ‘Risk Mitigation’ specifically involve?
A. Ignoring the risk until it occurs.
B. Reducing the probability or impact of a potential risk event.
C. Transferring the risk to a third party.
D. Accepting the risk consequences without action.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Mitigation involves taking proactive steps to decrease the
likelihood of a risk occurring or to minimize its negative impact on the project.
6. In a relational database design for a capstone application, what does ‘Referential Integrity’
ensure?
A. That relationships between tables remain consistent and foreign keys point to valid
primary keys.
B. That all table names are unique.
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
1. When defining the project scope in an IT Capstone, which tool is primarily used to
decompose the project into smaller, manageable components?
A. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
B. Gantt Chart
C. Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
D. Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical
decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to
accomplish the project objectives.
2. In the context of software architecture, which principle suggests that a class should have
only one reason to change?
A. Liskov Substitution Principle
B. Interface Segregation Principle
,C. Dependency Inversion Principle
D. Single Responsibility Principle
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The Single Responsibility Principle (SRP) states that every
module, class, or function should have responsibility over a single part of the functionality
provided by the software.
3. Which of the following best describes ‘Technical Debt’ in a Capstone project?
A. The implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead
of a better approach.
B. The financial cost of licensing software for the project.
C. The amount of money owed to cloud service providers for hosting.
D. A measure of the lines of code that have not yet been written.
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Technical debt refers to the eventual consequences of poor
system design or quick-fix coding practices that must be addressed later.
4. Which methodology is characterized by iterative development, regular feedback, and a
focus on delivering small, functional increments?
A. Waterfall
B. Spiral
, C. V-Model
D. Agile
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Agile is an iterative approach to project management and
software development that helps teams deliver value to their customers faster and with
fewer headaches.
5. During the risk assessment phase, what does ‘Risk Mitigation’ specifically involve?
A. Ignoring the risk until it occurs.
B. Reducing the probability or impact of a potential risk event.
C. Transferring the risk to a third party.
D. Accepting the risk consequences without action.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Mitigation involves taking proactive steps to decrease the
likelihood of a risk occurring or to minimize its negative impact on the project.
6. In a relational database design for a capstone application, what does ‘Referential Integrity’
ensure?
A. That relationships between tables remain consistent and foreign keys point to valid
primary keys.
B. That all table names are unique.
