Scaled Agile SAFe Advanced Scrum Master SAFe-SASM SASM Exam Practice Test

Answer : D

The Portfolio Backlog in SAFe contains the larger initiatives, known as Epics. Epics are substantial pieces of work that require analysis, investment, and development effort over multiple Program Increments (PIs). They represent significant business or technical needs that drive the long-term strategy of the organization. These Epics are prioritized and managed in the Portfolio Backlog, where they can be decomposed into smaller, actionable items as they progress through the development process.

Answer : A, E

Iteration Planning:

Purpose: Iteration Planning is a crucial event where the team collaborates to determine what will be delivered in the upcoming iteration and how the work will be accomplished. The entire team, including the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers, come together to plan the iteration's work.

Process:

The Product Owner presents the prioritized backlog items to the team.

The team discusses each item, clarifies any ambiguities, and breaks down the items into tasks.

The team estimates the effort required for each task and commits to what they believe can be achieved in the iteration.

Outcome: A detailed iteration plan that includes the selected backlog items and a clear understanding of the tasks and responsibilities for each team member.

Backlog Refinement:

Purpose: Backlog Refinement (also known as Grooming) is an ongoing process where the team and the Product Owner collaborate to review and update the backlog. This ensures that the backlog is in good shape for future iteration planning.

Process:

The team reviews the items in the backlog to ensure they are well understood and ready for future iterations.

The Product Owner provides context and clarifications for each backlog item.

The team discusses the requirements, refines the acceptance criteria, and estimates the effort required for each item.

The backlog items are prioritized based on their value and urgency.

Outcome: A well-maintained and prioritized backlog that facilitates effective and efficient iteration planning.

SAFe Scrum Master Reference:

Iteration Planning:

SAFe Advanced Scrum Master training materials emphasize the importance of Iteration Planning as a key event for team collaboration, ensuring everyone is aligned on the iteration goals and tasks.

2020 Scrum Guide: The Iteration Planning section outlines the collaborative nature of this event and its role in setting the stage for successful iterations.

Backlog Refinement:

In the SAFe framework, Backlog Refinement is highlighted as an essential activity to maintain a healthy backlog, allowing the team to prepare for future iterations effectively.

Scrum Open: This document discusses the significance of Backlog Refinement in fostering team collaboration and ensuring the backlog is well-groomed and ready for planning.

Answer : D

Decentralized decision-making is a principle in SAFe aimed at distributing decision authority to the people closest to the information and most affected by the decisions. The primary goal of decentralized decision-making is to reduce delay in the decision-making process, which can often occur when decisions need to pass through multiple layers of hierarchy. By empowering individuals and teams to make decisions quickly, organizations can respond faster to changes, improve agility, and maintain a steady flow of work.

Answer : B, C

Identify Impediments:

Purpose: The Scrum of Scrums meeting helps identify and address impediments that affect multiple teams. This ensures that these blockers are resolved quickly, allowing teams to continue their work without disruptions.

Process: Representatives from different teams come together to discuss challenges, share updates, and seek assistance in removing impediments.

Facilitate Cross-Team Collaboration:

Purpose: The meeting fosters collaboration among teams working on the same product or solution, ensuring that their efforts are aligned and integrated.

Process: Teams share their progress, dependencies, and upcoming work, enabling better coordination and synchronization across the Agile Release Train (ART).

SAFe Scrum Master Reference:

SAFe highlights the importance of the Scrum of Scrums meeting for coordinating efforts and solving cross-team issues, ensuring that the ART functions smoothly and efficiently.

Answer : D

In SAFe, the Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration is reserved for activities such as innovation, planning, and preparation for the next Program Increment (PI), as well as for holding the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event. It is not intended for completing work that should have been finished during regular iterations. Planning work for the IP Iteration can lead to a lack of focus on essential planning and innovation activities and may indicate poor planning and risk management practices. Therefore, relying on the IP Iteration to complete Feature work is considered an anti-pattern.

SAFe Scrum Master Reference

SAFe 5.0 framework: guidelines on the purpose and use of the IP Iteration

SAFe Advanced Scrum Master learning materials

Answer : D

Cadence: Refers to a regular, predictable schedule that sets the rhythm for the team or ART (Agile Release Train) activities. It helps in aligning planning, development, and delivery cycles.

Synchronization: Ensures that multiple teams or ARTs work together in harmony, aligning their schedules, dependencies, and delivery efforts.

Benefit Explanation: Having both cadence and synchronization means that all teams within the ART are working in a coordinated manner, iterating together. This alignment ensures that dependencies are managed, integration happens regularly, and the system evolves cohesively.

SAFe Scrum Master Reference:

SAFe promotes cadence and synchronization to manage complex dependencies and ensure that all parts of the system evolve together, enhancing overall system integrity and quality.

Answer : C, D

In SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), lead time is an essential metric used to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of a process. Lead time is defined as the total time it takes for a work item to move through the entire process from the moment it is initiated until it is completed. To measure lead time accurately using a Team Kanban board, two specific timestamps are crucial:

When the Agile Team pulls a Story onto the board (Timestamp C):

This is the starting point of the lead time. It marks the moment when the team commits to working on a particular story by pulling it into the workflow. This action indicates that the story is now in progress and the clock starts ticking from this point.

When the Story is accepted by the Product Owner (Timestamp D):

This is the endpoint of the lead time. It signifies that the story has been completed to the satisfaction of the team and has met the acceptance criteria defined by the Product Owner. When the Product Owner accepts the story, it indicates that the work is done and the lead time measurement stops.

These two timestamps effectively capture the duration a story takes to go through the development process, providing valuable insights into process efficiency and identifying areas for improvement.

SAFe Scrum Master Reference

SAFe Advanced Scrum Master learning materials

SAFe 5.0 Scrum Master Certification resources

The 2020 Scrum Guide: Scrum Guide 2020

This information aligns with the principles and practices outlined in the SAFe framework and the Scrum Guide, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of lead time measurement within a Team Kanban board context.