SAFe-POPM Questions and Answers

Considering how and what to demo during Iteration Planning increases the effectiveness of System Demos, which are events that provide an integrated view of new features delivered by the Agile Release Train (ART) in each Iteration12. By thinking ahead of how and what to demo, the teams can:

•Align on the product vision and roadmap and ensure that the work items are aligned with the customer value and the PI objectives12.

•Define clear and testable acceptance criteria for each work item and plan how to verify them in the demo12.

•Identify and resolve any dependencies, risks, or impediments that may affect the demo12.

•Prepare the demo environment and the necessary tools and data to support the demo12.

•Practice the demo and rehearse the script and the roles of the presenters12.

Some additional information that might be helpful for you are:

•The other options (A, B, and C) are not actions that increase the effectiveness of System Demos, but rather actions that may reduce it.

•Spending a lot of time preparing for the demo may not be effective, as it may take away time and focus from the actual development and testing of the work items. Instead, the teams should aim for continuous integration and built-in quality practices that enable them to demo the work items as soon as they are done12.

•Limiting team attendance to minimize disruptions to the team may not be effective, as it may reduce the feedback and collaboration opportunities that the demo provides. Instead, the teams should invite and engage all the relevant stakeholders, such as Business Owners, executive sponsors, other Agile Teams, development management, and customers, to the demo12.

•Focusing on team-level metrics may not be effective, as it may not reflect the true value and progress of the integrated work across the ART. Instead, the teams should focus on system-level metrics, such as PI objectives, solution quality, and customer satisfaction, to evaluate the outcome and impact of the demo12.

The iteration retrospective is an Agile Team event that supports relentless improvement by allowing the team to reflect on the iteration just completed and to derive new ideas to improve the team’s process12. This reflection helps instill the concept of relentless improvement—one of the pillars of the SAFe House of Lean3—in the individuals and the team.

References:

•Iteration Retrospective - Scaled Agile Framework

•SAFe POPM 5 Flashcards | Quizlet

•SAFe Lean-Agile Principles - Scaled Agile Framework

Release on Demand is the process that makes value available to customers when it’s needed. It is the final aspect of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline, which represents the workflows, activities, and automation needed to guide new functionality from ideation to an on-demand release of value1. Release on Demand allows the business to release the solution to the end users or customers in acontrolled or staggered manner, based on the market and business needs2. Release on Demand enables the enterprise to respond quickly to customer feedback, optimize the timing and frequency of releases, and reduce the risk associated with each release3.

References:

•Continuous Delivery Pipeline - Scaled Agile Framework

•Release on Demand - Scaled Agile Framework

•What is Release on Demand? | Definition and Overview

The ART Planning Board is a physical or virtual board that helps visualize the work of the Agile Release Train (ART) during PI Planning. It shows the features and dependencies for each team and iteration in the Program Increment (PI)1. The ART Planning Board helps the teams and stakeholders to see the big picture, identify and resolve issues, and collaborate on the delivery plan2.

References:

•ART Planning Board - Scaled Agile Framework

•PI Planning - Scaled Agile Framework

Fostering Built-in Quality is a Product Owner responsibility that supports the team with value delivery. Built-in Quality is one of the four core values of SAFe® and it means that every aspect of the solution is continuously verified for quality1. The Product Owner fosters Built-in Quality in the following ways:

•Collaborating with the Development team and other stakeholders to define clear and testable acceptance criteria for each work item2.

•Participating in team events such as Iteration Planning, Backlog Refinement, and Iteration Review to provide feedback and guidance on the quality of the work2.

•Reviewing and approving the work items that meet the Definition of Done and the acceptance criteria2.

•Encouraging the team to apply Agile testing practices such as Test-First, Test-Driven Development, and Behavior-Driven Development3.

•Supporting the team’s continuous integration and continuous delivery practices to ensure fast and frequent feedback on the quality of the solution3.

Some additional information that might be helpful for you are:

•The other options (A, B, and C) are not Product Owner responsibilities that support the team with value delivery, but rather responsibilities that belong to other roles or activities.

•Understanding market forces is a responsibility of Product Management, who is accountable for the market and business aspects of the solution4.

•Supporting the Architectural Runway is a responsibility of System Architects/Engineers, who provide technical guidance and enablement to the teams.

•Testing benefit hypotheses is an activity that occurs in the Continuous Exploration step of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline, where Product Owners and Product Managers collaborate to validate their assumptions about the customer and the solution.

One responsibility of the Product Owner during Team Sync is to clarify the intent behind each user story or backlog item. This includes providing additional context, details, and answering any queries raised by the development team1. The Team Sync is a daily event where the members of the Agile team synchronize their work and plan for the next 24 hours2. The Product Owner participates in the Team Sync to ensure that the team is working on the right things and that the stories are aligned with the customer and stakeholder needs3.

References:

•What is one responsibility of the Product Owner during Team sync …

•Team Sync - Scaled Agile Framework

•What’s a Product Owner to Do – PO role within SAFe

One characteristic of writing effective PI Objectives is describing the value that the objectives will deliver to the customers and stakeholders. PI Objectives are a summary of the business and technical goals that the Agile Release Train (ART) intends to achieve in the upcoming Program Increment (PI)1. They are not just a list of features or stories, but rather a statement of the outcomes and benefits that the features or stories will provide2. By describing the value, the PI Objectives help align the teams and stakeholders to a shared vision and mission, and provide a basis for measuring the progress and performance of the ART3.

References:

•PI Objectives - Scaled Agile Framework

•Your Guide to Writing Great Iteration and PI Objectives - Scaled Agile

•How to Write PI Objectives - ValueGlide

A mitigated ART PI Risk is one that has an agreed-upon plan for alleviation, which may involve changing the scope, schedule, or resources of the PI. This reduces the impact or likelihood of the risk, but does not eliminate it completely