Free SAFe® 5 DevOps: Scaled Agile Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What should the Enterprise do according to SAFe Principle #10 when markets and customers demand change?

Create a reliable decision-making framework to empower employees and ensure a fast flow of value
Apply development cadence and synchronization to operate effectively and manage uncertainty
Create an Agile Release Train to focus on value
Reorganize the network around the new value flow (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Reorganize the network around the new value flow

SAFe Principle #10 is 'Organize around Value.' When markets and customer demands change, the enterprise must adapt its organizational structure to align with the new value streams. This means reorganizing teams and Agile Release Trains (ARTs) to optimize the flow of value for the evolving needs, rather than sticking to rigid, functional silos.

Question 2: Which statement about ART events is true?

Team events run inside the ART events, and the ART events create a closed-loop system (Correct answer)
The Inspect and Adapt is the only ART event required to create a closed-loop system
The daily stand-up is an ART event that requires the scrum of scrums and Program Owner sync involvement in the closed-loop system
ART events run inside the team events, and the team events create a closed-loop system

Correct answer: Team events run inside the ART events, and the ART events create a closed-loop system

In SAFe, ART events (like PI Planning, System Demo, Inspect & Adapt) provide the overarching cadence and synchronization for the entire Agile Release Train. Team events (e.g., Iteration Planning, Daily Stand-ups) occur within the iterations, which are nested inside the Program Increment (PI). This hierarchical structure, with ART events providing feedback loops, forms a closed-loop system for continuous learning and improvement.

Question 3: Which role is the servant leader of the Agile Release Train?

Business Owner
Agile Coach
Scrum Master
Release Train Engineer (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Release Train Engineer

The Release Train Engineer (RTE) is the servant leader and coach for the Agile Release Train (ART). They facilitate ART events, coach leaders and teams, and help the ART deliver value by removing impediments and fostering continuous improvement. This role is crucial for the ART's success, embodying Lean-Agile leadership principles.

Question 4: When are adjustments to the plan agreed upon during the PI Planning event?

During the management review and problem-solving (Correct answer)
During breakout sessions
During the draft plan review
During Scrum of scrums

Correct answer: During the management review and problem-solving

During PI Planning, the 'management review and problem-solving' session is a dedicated time for management and stakeholders to review the draft plans, identify any issues, risks, or dependencies. It is during this session that necessary adjustments are agreed upon, ensuring the plan is realistic, aligned with strategic objectives, and addresses critical concerns before finalization.

Question 5: What responsibilities does the Scrum Master have?

To facilitate all team events (Correct answer)
To coach the interactions with the Scrum Framework
To escalate ART impediments
To prioritize and identify what is ready for Iteration Planning

Correct answer: To facilitate all team events

The Scrum Master is a servant leader for the Agile team, primarily responsible for facilitating all team events, such as Iteration Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Iteration Review, and Iteration Retrospective. They also coach the team in Agile practices, remove impediments, and help the team improve its processes. Facilitating team events is a core and explicit responsibility.

Question 6: Which of the following is an Agile Manifesto value?

Individuals and interactions over contract negotiation
Customer collaboration over a constant indefinite pace
Customer collaboration over following a plan (Correct answer)
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Correct answer: Customer collaboration over following a plan

The Agile Manifesto states 'Customer collaboration over contract negotiation' and 'Responding to change over following a plan.' Option C, 'Customer collaboration over following a plan,' combines the essence of these values, emphasizing the importance of active engagement with customers to shape the product over rigidly adhering to a predefined plan. This reflects the Agile principle of adapting to evolving needs.

Question 7: Which Lean Enterprise core competency supports the development of Built-in Quality practices?

Business Solutions and Lean Systems Engineering
Lean Portfolio Management
DevOps and Release on Demand
Team and Technical Agility (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Team and Technical Agility

The Team and Technical Agility core competency describes the critical skills and Lean-Agile principles that Agile teams need to create high-quality, working solutions. Built-in Quality is a foundational element of this competency, emphasizing practices like test-driven development, continuous integration, and pair programming to ensure quality is embedded from the start of development.

Question 8: What is the main purpose of SAFe to scale the concept?

Technical Solution Delivery
Lean Portfolio Management
Organizational and Functional Alignment
Business Agility (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Business Agility

The ultimate goal of SAFe is to achieve Business Agility, which is the ability to compete and thrive in the digital age by quickly responding to market changes and emerging opportunities with innovative business solutions. SAFe scales Lean-Agile principles and practices across the enterprise to enable this rapid adaptation and continuous delivery of value, making Business Agility its main purpose.

Question 9: How can Lean-Agile leaders set a good example?

By mastering the Seven Core Competencies of the Lean Enterprise
By applying empathic design and focusing on Customer Centricity
By modeling SAFe’s Lean-Agile Mindset, values, principles, and practices (Correct answer)
By using the SAFe Implementation Roadmap to script the way for change

Correct answer: By modeling SAFe’s Lean-Agile Mindset, values, principles, and practices

Lean-Agile leaders set a good example by embodying the core values, principles, and practices of SAFe and the Lean-Agile Mindset. They lead by example, demonstrating the desired behaviors, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement, and empowering their teams. This authentic modeling inspires others and drives the adoption of Lean-Agile ways of working.

Question 10: What else is included in SAFe's first Lean-Agile Principle, "Deliver early and often"?

Apply cadence
Deliver value incrementally (Correct answer)
Apply systems thinking
Decentralize decision-making

Correct answer: Deliver value incrementally

SAFe's Lean-Agile Principle #1, 'Take an economic view,' includes the concept of delivering value early and often. This is achieved by delivering value incrementally, breaking down large initiatives into smaller, testable increments that can be delivered frequently. This approach reduces risk, provides faster feedback, and allows for continuous adaptation.

Question 11: What are two characterizations of a cross-functional Agile team? (Select two.)

They release customer products to production continuously
They deliver value every six weeks
They are optimized for communication and delivery of value (Correct answer)
They are made up of members, each of whom can define, develop, test, and deploy the system
They can define, build, and test an increment of value (Correct answer)

Correct answer: They are optimized for communication and delivery of value

Cross-functional Agile teams are designed to be self-organizing and self-managing, possessing all the skills needed to define, build, and test an increment of value without external dependencies. This structure optimizes internal communication and collaboration, enabling them to deliver value efficiently and effectively. Therefore, they are optimized for communication and delivery of value, and can define, build, and test an increment of value.

Question 12: Which two items are on the program board? (Select two.)

Significant dependencies (Correct answer)
Capacity and load
Features (Correct answer)
Risks
Epics

Correct answer: Significant dependencies

The Program Board is a visual artifact used during PI Planning to display the planned Features for each team across the Program Increment (PI). Crucially, it also highlights significant dependencies between teams and with other ARTs, as well as Milestones, providing a clear overview of the ART's plan and potential integration points.

Question 13: What is it that optimizing flow entails?

Key performance indicators
Predictability issues of the train
Delays (Correct answer)
Activities that lack innovation

Correct answer: Delays

Optimizing flow in a Lean-Agile context primarily entails identifying and eliminating delays, bottlenecks, and waste in the value stream. By reducing the time items spend waiting or being handed off, the overall flow of value accelerates, leading to faster delivery and improved efficiency. Therefore, optimizing flow directly addresses delays.

Question 14: What three characteristics define lean-agile leadership? (Pick three.)

Lead the change (Correct answer)
Support organizational change
SAFe Core Values
Mindset and principles (Correct answer)
Emotional intelligence
Lead by example (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Lead the change

Lean-Agile leaders are characterized by their commitment to leading the change within the organization, embodying a Lean-Agile Mindset and principles, and leading by example through their actions and behaviors. They inspire and empower others to adopt new ways of working, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Question 15: What is a result of developing an enterprise strategy?

Portfolio Budgets (Correct answer)
Portfolio Vision
Portfolio Canvas
Portfolio Governance

Correct answer: Portfolio Budgets

Developing an enterprise strategy, particularly within SAFe's Lean Portfolio Management, leads to the allocation of Portfolio Budgets. These budgets fund Value Streams and their Agile Release Trains, ensuring that investments align with strategic themes and provide the necessary financial guardrails for decentralized decision-making.

Question 16: How can business and development establish trust?

Deliver predictability (Correct answer)
Release new value to production every day
Automate the delivery pipeline
Maintain Iterations as a safe zone for the team

Correct answer: Deliver predictability

Trust between business and development is built through consistent, predictable delivery of working solutions. When development reliably delivers on its commitments, the business gains confidence in its ability to execute, fostering a collaborative and trusting relationship essential for achieving Business Agility. Predictable delivery demonstrates reliability and builds confidence.

Free SAFe® 5 DevOps: Scaled Agile Questions and Answers

What should the Enterprise do according to SAFe Principle #10 when markets and customers demand change?