RTE ART Execution 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What are the four SAFe flow metrics the RTE should track?
- Velocity, burn rate, defect density, test coverage
- Flow Distribution, Flow Velocity, Flow Time, and Flow Load (Correct answer)
- Story points, lead time, sprint goal completion, deployment frequency
- Throughput, NPS, CSAT, and time-to-market
Correct answer: Flow Distribution, Flow Velocity, Flow Time, and Flow Load
SAFe's four flow metrics are Flow Distribution, Flow Velocity, Flow Time, and Flow Load, which together give a picture of value delivery health.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a Scrum of Scrums (SoS) in ART execution?
- To replace the sprint retrospective for all teams
- To synchronize cross-team work, surface inter-team dependencies, and remove impediments (Correct answer)
- To review individual developer performance
- To conduct architecture reviews for the program
Correct answer: To synchronize cross-team work, surface inter-team dependencies, and remove impediments
The Scrum of Scrums enables cross-team coordination by having team representatives share progress, dependencies, and blockers at the program level.
Question 3: What is 'WIP' and why does the RTE monitor it?
- Work In Progress — monitored to ensure teams have unlimited capacity
- Work In Progress — limiting WIP reduces multitasking and improves flow and quality (Correct answer)
- Work In Planning — used to forecast future PI objectives
- Work In Progress — used only as a velocity benchmark
Correct answer: Work In Progress — limiting WIP reduces multitasking and improves flow and quality
WIP (Work In Progress) limits reduce multitasking and context-switching, improving flow, quality, and predictability across the ART.
Question 4: What should the RTE do when two teams have an unresolved cross-team dependency?
- Assign one team to own the dependency unilaterally
- Facilitate a cross-team discussion to agree on an integration plan and update the program board (Correct answer)
- Remove the dependency from the program board
- Escalate immediately to the CTO
Correct answer: Facilitate a cross-team discussion to agree on an integration plan and update the program board
The RTE facilitates cross-team dependency resolution by bringing the relevant teams together to agree on an integration approach and timeline.
Question 5: What is the role of the System Architect/Engineering in ART execution?
- Managing team capacity and sprint planning
- Defining the architectural runway and ensuring technical enablers support future business features (Correct answer)
- Approving all code commits before merging
- Scheduling deployment windows for each team
Correct answer: Defining the architectural runway and ensuring technical enablers support future business features
The System Architect defines the architectural runway, ensures technical enablers are prioritized, and supports teams with architectural guidance during execution.
Question 6: What is a Feature in SAFe, and how does it relate to ART execution?
- A single user story assigned to one developer
- A service or functionality that delivers business value, typically spanning one or more sprints across one or more teams (Correct answer)
- A milestone in the program roadmap with no associated work
- A non-functional requirement tracked separately from the backlog
Correct answer: A service or functionality that delivers business value, typically spanning one or more sprints across one or more teams
A Feature is a unit of functionality that delivers business value and is typically owned by Product Management, decomposed into team-level stories during ART execution.
RTE ART Execution 2
What are the four SAFe flow metrics the RTE should track?