SA SAFe Agilist Program Execution & Delivery 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes a 'stretch objective' from a committed objective in PI Planning?
- Stretch objectives are assigned by Product Management only
- Stretch objectives are not counted in PI Predictability if missed (Correct answer)
- Stretch objectives are mandatory but lower priority
- Stretch objectives replace risks on the program board
Correct answer: Stretch objectives are not counted in PI Predictability if missed
Stretch objectives represent optional goals teams pull in if capacity allows; missing them does not negatively impact PI Predictability scores.
Question 2: Which role facilitates the ART-level process and ensures teams follow SAFe practices during program execution?
- System Architect
- Business Owner
- Release Train Engineer (Correct answer)
- Product Management
Correct answer: Release Train Engineer
The Release Train Engineer (RTE) is the servant leader and coach for the ART, responsible for facilitating events and removing impediments at the program level.
Question 3: A team discovers mid-sprint that a feature dependency on another team will not be delivered on time. What is the BEST immediate action?
- Cancel the sprint and replan
- Raise the dependency in the Scrum of Scrums (Correct answer)
- Escalate directly to senior management
- Add the issue to the Program Backlog
Correct answer: Raise the dependency in the Scrum of Scrums
The Scrum of Scrums is the proper ART synchronization forum for surfacing and resolving cross-team dependency issues quickly.
Question 4: What is the typical timebox for a SAFe sprint (iteration)?
- 1 week
- 2 weeks (Correct answer)
- 4 weeks
- 1 month
Correct answer: 2 weeks
SAFe recommends a fixed 2-week iteration cadence to create a predictable heartbeat for development teams across the ART.
Question 5: How does SAFe handle technical debt during Program Execution?
- Technical debt is deferred until a future release
- It is tracked in the Program Backlog as Enablers
- Teams allocate 20% capacity each iteration to debt reduction (Correct answer)
- It is resolved only during the IP Iteration
Correct answer: Teams allocate 20% capacity each iteration to debt reduction
SAFe recommends teams reserve approximately 20% of iteration capacity to address technical debt and keep the system healthy throughout execution.
Question 6: Which artifact captures the team's plan for a sprint, including stories and their acceptance criteria?
- Program Board
- Team Backlog
- Iteration Plan (Correct answer)
- PI Objectives
Correct answer: Iteration Plan
The Iteration Plan is the team-level commitment for a sprint, listing the stories selected from the Team Backlog along with acceptance criteria and tasks.
Question 7: What is the recommended frequency for the ART Sync event in SAFe?
- Daily
- Weekly (Correct answer)
- Every two weeks
- Once per PI
Correct answer: Weekly
The ART Sync (including Scrum of Scrums and PO Sync) is typically held weekly to maintain alignment across teams between PI Planning events.
SA SAFe Agilist Program Execution & Delivery 3
What distinguishes a 'stretch objective' from a committed objective in PI Planning?