Agile: KPI versus Speed to Market

Hi everyone,

I came across the following practice Study Hall (Support Organizational Change) question and I’d like to hear your thoughts:

Question:

A project manager new to an organization has been tasked with running the first agile project. The project manager has decided to begin by assessing the organization's ability to adapt to an agile project.

Which three characteristics of the organization will help to set up the project for success? (Choose three)

A. Safe work environment

B. Key performance indicators (KPIs)

C. Willingness to experiment

D. Speed to market

E. Predictability

Official solution given: A, B, C

My doubt:

I understand why safe work environment and willingness to experiment are critical. But I find it hard to agree that KPIs (B) are more important than speed to market (D) when assessing readiness for agile.

In practice, wouldn’t an organization that values speed to market be more aligned with agile principles (delivering early and often) than one that emphasizes traditional KPIs, which can sometimes feel more waterfall-oriented?

Am I missing a subtle PMI perspective here, or is this more of a “test-taking nuance” where KPIs are treated as a baseline measurement tool rather than a cultural trait?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

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