SAFe-SGP Questions and Answers

According to the Scrum Master article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, the Scrum Master should talk to the Product Owner, compare the new work to existing backlog priorities, and negotiate a sustainable solution when the Product Owner raises a red flag stating there is an additional requirement that needs to be added to the current Iteration. The article states that “The Scrum Master helps the Product Owner manage the backlog effectively by facilitating backlog refinement and prioritization. The Scrum Master also helps the Product Owner understand and apply the concepts of WSJF, MVP, MMF, and other economic prioritization methods. The Scrum Master supports the Product Owner in negotiating with stakeholders, customers, and the team to ensure that the backlog items are clear, concise, and ready for implementation.” Therefore, the correct answer is B, talk to the Product Owner, compare the new work to existing backlog priorities, and negotiate a sustainable solution. The other options are not accurate, as they do not follow the Scrum principles of self-organization, time-boxing, and delivering value. Meeting with the team and accepting the work if they agree to work overtime (A) would violate the team’s autonomy and sustainability. Accepting the work and extending the Iteration © would disrupt the cadence and synchronization of the team and the ART. Refusing the new requirement (D) would ignore the feedback and collaboration of the Product Owner and the stakeholders.

According to the House of Lean article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, the principle that explains the purpose of the PI Planning retrospective is relentless improvement. The article states that “Relentless improvement is a constant sense of danger combined with a paranoid desire to find a better way. It’s a culture of organizational self-assessment, problem-solving, and action. It’s a willingness to change before the crisis forces us to do so. It’s a commitment to relentless reflection and a continuous learning journey.” Therefore, the correct answer is D, relentless improvement. The other options are not accurate, as they are not the principles that directly relate to the PI Planning retrospective. Respect for people and culture is the foundation of the House of Lean, innovation is the roof, and flow is another principle that supports value delivery.

According to the SAFe® for Government course, strategic themes assist with epic evaluation and decision-making. Strategic themes are specific, itemized business objectives that connect a portfolio to the enterprise’s business strategy1. They provide guidance for the portfolio vision, budget allocation, and the prioritization of epics1. Strategic themes help to align the portfolio with the enterprise’s mission and vision, and to ensure that the epics deliver the most value to the customers and stakeholders1.

Strategic themes are specific business objectives that connect a portfolio to the enterprise strategy. They provide guidance for the portfolio vision, budget allocation, and metric selection. They also assist with epic evaluation and decision-making by providing a context for assessing the value and alignment of epics12

1: [Strategic Themes - Scaled Agile Framework] 2: Epic - Scaled Agile Framework

Taking an economic view is the SAFe principle that ensures the maximum benefit is generated by understanding trade-offs between risks, cost of delay, operational costs, and development costs for each program and value stream1. This principle requires a fundamental understanding of the economics of building systems and making decisions in a proper economic context. This includes the strategy for incremental value delivery and the broader economic framework for each value stream2. Taking an economic view helps to optimize the flow of value, reduce waste, and deliver solutions that meet customer and stakeholder needs3.

1: SAFe Lean-Agile Principles - Scaled Agile Framework 2: Principle #1 – Take an economic view - Scaled Agile Framework 3: Adopting Lean Budgeting Aligned to Development Value Streams

According to the Roadmap article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, in a SAFe Roadmap, only the first PI is committed. The article states that “The committed PI shows the results of the teams’ most recent PI Planning event where they committed to event the program’s PI Objectives. The forecast may provide the deliverables and milestones for the following two PIs.” Therefore, the correct answer is A, the first one. The other options are not accurate, as they imply that more than one PI is committed, which is not the case. The roadmap is a forecast, not a guarantee, of future PIs.

According to the Visualize and Limit WIP, Reduce Batch Sizes, and Manage Queue Lengths article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, batch size optimization happens over time as teams figure out the balance between holding cost and transaction cost. The article states that “To improve the economics of handling smaller batches—and thus increase throughput—teams must focus on reducing the transaction costs of any batch. This is a continuous improvement activity that happens over time as teams figure out the balance between holding cost and transaction cost.” Therefore, the correct answer is A, batch size optimization happens over time as teams figure out the balance between holding cost and transaction cost. The other options are not accurate, as they are not the statements that are true about optimizing batch sizes for newly-formed SAFe teams in a program. Batch size is not optimized immediately by looking at transaction and holding costs (B), as it takes time for teams to understand the nature of the work, identify bottlenecks, and find the optimal batch size that minimizes both costs. Batch size is not already optimized if there is continuous flow ©, as optimization involves finding the right balance between batch size and costs, even within a continuous flow environment. Batch size is not optimized when transaction and holding costs seldom change (D), as holding costs and transaction costs can change over time due to various factors such as team size, workload, and external dependencies.

Strategic themes are specific, defined business objectives that connect a portfolio to the enterprise’s strategy1. They provide business context for portfolio decision-making and influence the investments in value streams and solutions2. They also serve as inputs to the vision, budget, and backlogs of the portfolio, large solution, and program levels3. Strategic themes help align the portfolio with the mission and goals of the enterprise or government agency.

1: Strategic Themes - Scaled Agile Framework 2: Strategic Themes - Scaled Agile Framework 3: The Influence of Strategic Themes across a Portfolio - Scaled Agile Framework

According to the Government Article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, tagging backlog items with funding metadata for future reporting and calculating a fixed cost labor cost per ART based on actual salaries are two recommendations for tracking expenditures using the Program Backlog. The article states that “To track expenditures, the Program Backlog can be tagged with funding metadata for future reporting. Additionally, a fixed cost labor cost per ART can be calculated based on actual salaries. This simplifies the tracking of labor costs and allows for more accurate forecasting.” Therefore, the correct answers are A, tagging backlog items with funding metadata for future reporting, and E, calculating a fixed cost labor cost per ART based on actual salaries. The other options are not accurate, as they are not the recommendations for tracking expenditures using the Program Backlog. Organizing ARTs by funding classification (B) is not a recommended practice, as it may create silos and reduce collaboration across ARTs. Including a fiduciary expert in backlog refinement © is not a necessary step, as the backlog items should be prioritized based on value and not on cost. Using charge codes assigned by each program (D) is not a simple or effective way to track expenditures, as it may introduce overhead and complexity.