DASM study guide · 2026

The 7 DASM domains, explained

7 areas and 20 module topics. PMI does not publish weights for these areas, so each gets equal space here. Each guide explains what the area covers, how it is assessed and where candidates slip.

Start with Domain 1 See all domains
Questions
No exam listed: PMI's DASM page now describes an eLearning course with no published exam or question count
Time
8-hour self-paced eLearning course (8 PDUs, Ways of Working)
Passing score
Not published (PMI lists no exam or passing score for the course)
Outline
Disciplined Agile Foundations: Approaches to Team Agility eLearning course (PMI EL184, seven modules), served at PMI's DASM page as of October 2026; no DASM exam outline is currently published

Exam blueprint

PMI does not publish weights, so every area is drawn the same size.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  1. 1 Disciplined Agile Overview
  2. 2 Exploring the DA Knowledge Base
  3. 3 Solving Team Challenges
  4. 4 Accelerating Value Delivery
  5. 5 Scenario 1 – Enhancement Team
  6. 6 Scenario 2 – Maintenance Team
  7. 7 Exploring More Scenarios

All 7 domains

20 official module topics 14–21 hrs suggested study

  1. Domain 01

    Disciplined Agile Overview

    The module that explains what Disciplined Agile actually is: a decision framework, built on Lean and agile thinking, that helps a team choose and keep evolving its own way of working instead of adopting one method wholesale.

    Inside this domain

    • The DA decision framework
    • Lean and agile foundations of DA
    • Choosing and evolving a team's way of working

    Watch for Standardize every team

    Module topics
    3
    Questions est.
    No published exam questions
    Study time est.
    2–3 hrs
  2. Domain 02

    Exploring the DA Knowledge Base

    The module that turns the DA decision framework into a working tool: navigating the DA Browser and microsite to find options for a specific decision, then reading their trade-offs so a team picks what fits its context.

    Inside this domain

    • The DA Browser
    • The DA microsite
    • Finding proven practices and guidance

    Watch for Most popular practice

    Module topics
    3
    Questions est.
    No published exam questions
    Study time est.
    2–3 hrs
  3. Domain 03

    Solving Team Challenges

    The module where DA becomes diagnosis: using the DA Team Canvas and flow evidence to find what is really slowing a team down, then choosing a targeted fix instead of a generic process overhaul.

    Inside this domain

    • The DA Team Canvas
    • Diagnosing workflow problems
    • Identifying targeted solutions

    Watch for Add people

    Module topics
    3
    Questions est.
    No published exam questions
    Study time est.
    2–3 hrs
  4. Domain 04

    Accelerating Value Delivery

    The module that turns diagnosis into action: DA's three-step Value Acceleration Process and Quick Starts help a team build and order an improvement backlog so the changes that shorten time to value come first.

    Inside this domain

    • The three-step Value Acceleration Process
    • Quick Starts
    • Building an improvement backlog

    Watch for Speed up the visible step

    Module topics
    3
    Questions est.
    No published exam questions
    Study time est.
    2–3 hrs
  5. Domain 05

    Scenario 1 – Enhancement Team

    The first worked scenario: an enhancement team adding features to an existing product. You apply the knowledge base and the value acceleration process to its context and turn the findings into a realistic improvement plan.

    Inside this domain

    • Understanding the enhancement team's context
    • Applying the knowledge base and value acceleration process
    • Creating an improvement plan

    Watch for Rewrite the product

    Module topics
    3
    Questions est.
    No published exam questions
    Study time est.
    2–3 hrs
  6. Domain 06

    Scenario 2 – Maintenance Team

    The second worked scenario: a maintenance team facing unpredictable defects and small requests. You design a context-appropriate way of working, usually flow-based, and explain why it differs from what other teams need.

    Inside this domain

    • Designing a context-appropriate way of working for a maintenance team
    • Contrasting maintenance with other team needs

    Watch for Keep sprints, add buffer

    Module topics
    2
    Questions est.
    No published exam questions
    Study time est.
    2–3 hrs
  7. Domain 07

    Exploring More Scenarios

    The closing module: stretching the same context-first reasoning to complex delivery, where several teams must work as one, and to non-IT teams such as marketing or HR, then pulling the course together so you can apply DA principles at work.

    Inside this domain

    • Complex delivery teams
    • Non-IT teams
    • Consolidating learning and applying DA principles

    Watch for Central control for scale

    Module topics
    3
    Questions est.
    No published exam questions
    Study time est.
    2–3 hrs

Suggested study order

No official weights are published, so follow the outline order, across about 14–21 hrs of study.

  1. 1 Disciplined Agile Overview 2–3 hrs
  2. 2 Exploring the DA Knowledge Base 2–3 hrs
  3. 3 Solving Team Challenges 2–3 hrs
  4. 4 Accelerating Value Delivery 2–3 hrs
  5. 5 Scenario 1 – Enhancement Team 2–3 hrs
  6. 6 Scenario 2 – Maintenance Team 2–3 hrs
  7. 7 Exploring More Scenarios 2–3 hrs

Try one

Practice questionDomain 1: Disciplined Agile Overview

A newly formed team supports a product where requests arrive unpredictably and most take a day or two. The team lead proposes adopting the same two-week iteration cadence used by a nearby new-product team. What is the BEST response from a Disciplined Agile perspective?

One trap from every domain

The answer that looks right, and the clue that gives it away.

  • Domain 1

    Standardize every team

    Clue The scenario mentions teams with different kinds of work or constraints; govern outcomes, not practices.

  • Domain 2

    Most popular practice

    Clue A stated constraint such as skills, distribution or regulation points to a different option.

  • Domain 3

    Add people

    Clue A queue is growing in front of one specific stage.

  • Domain 4

    Speed up the visible step

    Clue The scenario gives durations where waiting exceeds working time.

  • Domain 5

    Rewrite the product

    Clue Stakeholders still need features while the debt is addressed.

  • Domain 6

    Keep sprints, add buffer

    Clue Most of the team's work arrives unpredictably, not only occasional interruptions.

  • Domain 7

    Central control for scale

    Clue Teams already have product owners and architecture owners who could coordinate.

Other Project Management certifications

Study guides for exams that overlap with DASM.

Practise what you read

DASM domains: common questions

How many domains are in the DASM exam?

DASM has 7 domains with 20 official module topics between them: Disciplined Agile Overview, Exploring the DA Knowledge Base, Solving Team Challenges, Accelerating Value Delivery, Scenario 1 – Enhancement Team, Scenario 2 – Maintenance Team and Exploring More Scenarios.

What is the DASM exam format?

Questions: No exam listed: PMI's DASM page now describes an eLearning course with no published exam or question count. Time allowed: 8-hour self-paced eLearning course (8 PDUs, Ways of Working). Passing score: Not published (PMI lists no exam or passing score for the course).

How long should I study for DASM?

Our planning estimate is 14–21 hrs across all domains, split by weight. It is an editorial estimate, not an official figure, so adjust it to your experience and to how you score on practice questions.

Where should I start?

Work through the areas in order, since each builds on the one before. Use the checklist on each page to confirm you can do what it asks before moving on.

Which outline is this guide based on?

This guide follows Disciplined Agile Foundations: Approaches to Team Agility eLearning course (PMI EL184, seven modules), served at PMI's DASM page as of October 2026; no DASM exam outline is currently published, published by PMI. It was last reviewed in October 2026.

Domain names, weights and module topics come from PMI's official outline (Disciplined Agile Foundations: Approaches to Team Agility eLearning course (PMI EL184, seven modules), served at PMI's DASM page as of October 2026; no DASM exam outline is currently published). Question counts and study hours are editorial planning estimates, not official figures. Last reviewed October 2026.