Scaled Agile SAFe Scrum Master Exam Dumps & Practice Test Questions
Question 1:
Which metric is most commonly shared during the Inspect and Adapt session in SAFe?
A. Overall Value Accumulation
B. ART Delivery Predictability
C. Program Cycle Speed
D. Rate of Value Completion
Answer: B
Explanation:
The Inspect and Adapt (I&A) session in the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) is primarily focused on evaluating the performance of the Agile Release Train (ART) and using feedback for continuous improvement. One of the most commonly shared metrics during the I&A session is ART Delivery Predictability. This metric measures how consistently the ART is able to deliver work that aligns with the objectives it committed to during the Program Increment (PI) planning. Delivery Predictability helps teams understand whether they are consistently meeting their delivery commitments and whether they are on track to achieve the planned business outcomes.
By assessing delivery predictability, teams and leadership can identify issues in execution, such as delays or scope changes, that could impact future PIs. This metric is crucial for improvement discussions because it highlights areas where the ART needs to improve to meet the expected value delivery within a set timeframe. The I&A session fosters alignment on these areas, and the insights gathered can drive actions to improve the predictability of future releases and the quality of delivery.
Option A, Overall Value Accumulation, is not commonly shared during I&A. While measuring value delivery is crucial in Agile, ART Delivery Predictability is a more actionable metric used during this session to drive improvements. Option C, Program Cycle Speed, could be a relevant metric but does not focus as specifically on predictability as the key measure. Option D, Rate of Value Completion, while important for measuring how much value is delivered, is not as commonly discussed as delivery predictability during I&A sessions.
In conclusion, ART Delivery Predictability is the most commonly shared metric during the Inspect and Adapt session, as it directly informs teams and leadership about how well the ART is performing against its commitments and objectives.
Question 2:
What is a common outcome generated from a successful Iteration Retrospective?
A. Defined Iteration Objectives
B. New Improvement Tasks
C. Revised Train-Level Metrics
D. Updated Task Dependencies
Answer: B
Explanation:
A key outcome of a successful Iteration Retrospective is the generation of new improvement tasks. The purpose of the Retrospective is to allow the team to reflect on the iteration's successes and challenges, and most importantly, to identify areas for improvement. The team discusses what went well, what didn’t, and what could be done differently in the future. Based on this discussion, the team comes up with actionable improvement tasks aimed at addressing issues and improving team performance, process efficiency, and overall outcomes in future iterations.
These improvement tasks are usually specific, measurable, and aimed at incremental improvements in how the team works. For example, if the team struggled with communication, they might introduce new practices to improve collaboration. If the team identified challenges with the flow of work, they might adjust their processes to reduce bottlenecks or improve prioritization. These actionable tasks are often added to the team's backlog and are tracked in subsequent retrospectives to assess their effectiveness.
Option A, Defined Iteration Objectives, refers to the goals or commitments the team agrees to at the beginning of an iteration, but this is not a direct outcome of the retrospective. Iteration objectives are set at the start of the iteration during planning, not during the retrospective. Option C, Revised Train-Level Metrics, relates to metrics at the Program Increment (PI) or ART level and is not typically the focus of a team-level retrospective. Option D, Updated Task Dependencies, could be part of the iteration planning process, but task dependencies are not the primary output of a retrospective. The retrospective is more focused on team-level improvement and process enhancements.
In conclusion, a common outcome of a successful Iteration Retrospective is the identification and creation of new improvement tasks, which help teams continuously evolve and improve their processes and performance over time.
Question 3:
How can a Scrum Master or Team Coach best support conflict resolution within a team?
A. Refer the issue to the Release Train Engineer
B. Set up a formal complaint procedure
C. Reinforce the team’s working agreements
D. Let team members handle it themselves
Answer: C
Explanation:
The Scrum Master or Team Coach plays a vital role in supporting conflict resolution within the team by helping to create a healthy, collaborative environment. The most effective way for a Scrum Master or Team Coach to support conflict resolution is by reinforcing the team’s working agreements. These agreements are the explicit rules and guidelines that the team has established to ensure a positive and respectful environment. They serve as a framework for behavior and can help clarify expectations during conflicts, encouraging team members to resolve issues collaboratively rather than escalating them.
When conflicts arise, the Scrum Master or Team Coach can refer to the working agreements to guide the discussion and encourage team members to resolve the issue within the established framework. By doing this, the Scrum Master fosters an environment where mutual respect and open communication are prioritized, allowing the team to resolve conflicts in a constructive manner.
Option A, referring the issue to the Release Train Engineer, is typically unnecessary unless the conflict has broader program-level impacts. It’s better for the team to resolve conflicts internally first, as they are most familiar with the issues at hand. Option B, setting up a formal complaint procedure, may create unnecessary bureaucracy and doesn’t align with Agile principles of collaborative problem-solving. Option D, letting team members handle it themselves, may sometimes work, but the Scrum Master should be actively involved in facilitating conflict resolution by mediating and guiding the team, not just leaving them to resolve it alone.
In conclusion, the best way for a Scrum Master or Team Coach to support conflict resolution is by reinforcing the team’s working agreements, encouraging collaborative and respectful communication to resolve disputes effectively.
Question 4:
What is the core function of Iteration Goals in Scrum?
A. Unite the team around shared intentions
B. Gather external feedback on progress
C. Select items to showcase in the demo
D. Indicate specific stories to complete
Answer: A
Explanation:
In Scrum, Iteration Goals (also known as Sprint Goals) are crucial because they help to unite the team around shared intentions for the current iteration (or sprint). The Iteration Goal is a short, concise statement that describes the objective the team aims to achieve by the end of the sprint. It provides a focus for the team, ensuring that everyone understands the outcome they are working toward. Having a clear Iteration Goal helps the team stay aligned and ensures that they are working on the most important tasks that will contribute to the overall success of the product.
While the Iteration Goal helps guide the team's efforts, it’s not about completing specific user stories (as stated in option D) or selecting items to showcase in the demo (option C). While those tasks may be a part of achieving the Iteration Goal, the goal itself is focused on value delivery and outcomes, not on individual tasks or demonstrations.
Option B, gathering external feedback, may occur during the review phase at the end of the sprint, but this is not the core function of the Iteration Goal. Instead, the goal is meant to focus the team’s effort and drive a specific result. The Iteration Goal should be something the team can work together toward and that aligns with the larger objectives of the product or project.
In conclusion, the core function of Iteration Goals in Scrum is to unite the team around shared intentions, guiding them towards delivering value with a clear, focused outcome in each iteration.
Question 5:
Which approach should a Scrum Master take to ensure a productive Iteration Review?
A. Restrict attendance to internal team only
B. Assign demo tasks to the best speaker
C. Instruct the team to prepare extensively
D. Identify demo focus areas during planning
Answer: D
Explanation:
To ensure a productive Iteration Review (or Sprint Review) in Scrum, the Scrum Master should identify demo focus areas during planning. This approach ensures that the team is aligned on what needs to be showcased, what aspects of the work should be highlighted, and which stakeholder feedback is critical to gather. The focus areas help direct attention to the most important features or completed work, ensuring that the review is structured, purposeful, and efficient.
During the Iteration Planning meeting, the Scrum Master should collaborate with the team and Product Owner to define the goals and focus areas for the upcoming review. By identifying these areas in advance, the team can be prepared to demonstrate the work that aligns with business objectives, deliver value to stakeholders, and foster meaningful discussions around progress, challenges, and potential next steps. This proactive planning helps avoid a disorganized or unfocused review meeting.
Option A, restricting attendance to internal team members, is not recommended, as the Iteration Review is meant to include relevant stakeholders (e.g., Product Owners, business representatives, customers) so they can provide feedback and ensure alignment. Option B, assigning demo tasks to the best speaker, may lead to uneven participation and exclude team members from sharing important insights or learning experiences. Option C, instructing the team to prepare extensively, may lead to over-preparation that could detract from the collaborative nature of the review. While preparation is important, the goal is to highlight progress and gather feedback rather than focus solely on extensive preparation.
In conclusion, the Scrum Master should identify demo focus areas during planning to ensure the Iteration Review is productive, structured, and focused on delivering value and actionable insights for the team and stakeholders.
Question 6:
What is the main advantage of holding Backlog Refinement sessions?
A. Reviewing progress on current iteration objectives
B. Setting clear commitments for the next sprint
C. Identifying process improvements
D. Getting stories ready for the next planning meeting
Answer: D
Explanation:
The main advantage of holding Backlog Refinement (or Grooming) sessions is getting stories ready for the next planning meeting. Backlog refinement is an ongoing process where the Product Owner and the team collaboratively work on the Product Backlog to ensure that the items in the backlog are well-defined, properly prioritized, and ready for the next sprint planning session. The goal is to ensure that the team has a clear understanding of the backlog items and that they are well-prepared to be pulled into the next iteration.
During Backlog Refinement sessions, the team will:
Clarify any ambiguous user stories.
Estimate the level of effort required to complete each story.
Prioritize the backlog items based on business value and urgency.
Break down larger items into smaller, more manageable tasks if needed.
These activities help ensure that the team is not wasting valuable time during the Sprint Planning meeting, as they can immediately pull well-prepared stories into the iteration. This leads to a more efficient and effective Sprint Planning session.
Option A, reviewing progress on current iteration objectives, is more appropriate for the Sprint Review or the Daily Scrum and is not the focus of Backlog Refinement. Option B, setting clear commitments for the next sprint, is more about Sprint Planning, where the team commits to the stories they will work on during the next sprint. Option C, identifying process improvements, is more aligned with Retrospectives, where the team reflects on their processes and identifies ways to improve.
In conclusion, the primary purpose of Backlog Refinement sessions is to get stories ready for the next planning meeting by ensuring they are clearly defined, prioritized, and estimated, allowing for a smoother Sprint Planning process.
Question 7:
During which Scrum event do teams typically assign relative estimates to backlog items?
A. Iteration Retrospective
B. Backlog Refinement
C. Iteration Review
D. Iteration Planning
Answer: B
Explanation:
In Scrum, Backlog Refinement (also known as Backlog Grooming) is the event where teams typically assign relative estimates to the items in the Product Backlog. During this session, the Product Owner and the team work together to ensure that the backlog items are well-defined, properly understood, and ready for the upcoming Iteration Planning session. One of the key activities during Backlog Refinement is estimating the size or complexity of each backlog item using techniques like Story Points or T-shirt sizing.
Relative estimation is a process where the team compares the complexity of a user story to others, providing estimates based on the relative effort required to complete the work. This helps the team understand the scope of work involved in a particular item and ensures that the team can plan their capacity for the upcoming sprint more accurately. These estimates are critical for making prioritization decisions and setting realistic goals for the iteration.
Option A, Iteration Retrospective, is focused on team reflection and process improvement, not estimating backlog items. Option C, Iteration Review, is where the team demonstrates completed work to stakeholders and gathers feedback, but it is not the time for estimating new backlog items. Option D, Iteration Planning, is when the team decides which items to commit to for the upcoming sprint, but the actual estimation of backlog items generally happens during Backlog Refinement rather than the planning meeting itself.
In conclusion, Backlog Refinement is the Scrum event where teams typically assign relative estimates to backlog items, preparing them for a more efficient and focused Iteration Planning session.
Question 8:
Which action by a Scrum Master or Team Coach is most effective in boosting ART performance?
A. Promote collaboration among different teams
B. Share the agenda for PI Planning
C. Facilitate team charter definition workshops
D. Take charge of prioritizing the ART backlog
Answer: A
Explanation:
To boost Agile Release Train (ART) performance, one of the most effective actions a Scrum Master or Team Coach can take is to promote collaboration among different teams. In the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), the ART consists of multiple Agile teams working together to deliver value at scale. The teams must collaborate across boundaries to ensure that dependencies are managed, and work is integrated seamlessly across teams. A Scrum Master or Team Coach facilitates this collaboration by helping to break down silos, improve communication, and foster a culture of shared responsibility.
The Scrum Master or Team Coach encourages collaboration in various ways, such as:
Organizing cross-team meetings to address inter-team dependencies.
Facilitating information sharing between teams working on different components of the product.
Helping the Release Train Engineer (RTE) ensure that all teams are aligned on Program Increment (PI) goals and objectives.
Effective collaboration between teams is crucial because ARTs often face challenges related to coordination and alignment across multiple teams working toward a common goal. The Scrum Master or Team Coach helps foster a collaborative mindset, which directly impacts ART performance by improving efficiency, reducing friction, and ensuring that the teams deliver integrated and valuable outcomes.
Option B, sharing the agenda for PI Planning, is important for setting expectations, but it’s not the main lever for improving ART performance. Option C, facilitating team charter definition workshops, may help set up individual teams, but it's not the primary factor in improving the performance of the entire ART. Option D, taking charge of prioritizing the ART backlog, is typically the responsibility of the Product Management and Product Owners, not the Scrum Master or Team Coach, although they can help facilitate this process by ensuring alignment.
In conclusion, promoting collaboration among different teams is the most effective action a Scrum Master or Team Coach can take to boost ART performance, as it ensures alignment, fosters better communication, and encourages collective problem-solving across teams.
Question 9:
What is a primary duty of a Scrum Master or Team Coach in an Agile team?
A. Performing software testing
B. Leading the product demo
C. Organizing and ranking the backlog
D. Enhancing workflow efficiency
Answer: D
Explanation:
A primary duty of a Scrum Master or Team Coach in an Agile team is to enhance workflow efficiency. The Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating the Agile process and ensuring that the team is working effectively and efficiently. This involves identifying and eliminating any impediments or bottlenecks in the team’s workflow, guiding the team in continuous improvement, and helping them adhere to Agile principles and practices. The Scrum Master works to ensure that the team has the necessary tools, resources, and support to improve their productivity and performance.
The Scrum Master helps create a collaborative environment, where team members can work smoothly, resolve conflicts, and communicate openly. They help the team with process improvements, such as optimizing Sprint planning, ensuring clear communication, and fostering a culture of accountability. This leads to a smoother flow of work and enables the team to deliver value more efficiently over time.
Option A, performing software testing, is not a primary responsibility of the Scrum Master or Team Coach. Testing is typically done by the development team or quality assurance professionals. Option B, leading the product demo, is the responsibility of the team, often guided by the Product Owner. The Scrum Master may facilitate the demo but is not typically the one presenting it. Option C, organizing and ranking the backlog, is the responsibility of the Product Owner, not the Scrum Master. However, the Scrum Master may assist by ensuring that the team follows the appropriate processes and that the backlog is well-managed.
In conclusion, the primary duty of a Scrum Master or Team Coach is to enhance workflow efficiency by facilitating processes, removing obstacles, and promoting continuous improvement within the team.
Question 10:
Which activity best supports continuous improvement in an Agile team?
A. Assigning tasks directly to team members
B. Skipping retrospectives when time is limited
C. Regularly inspecting and adjusting team practices
D. Focusing only on velocity during reviews
Answer: C
Explanation:
The activity that best supports continuous improvement in an Agile team is regularly inspecting and adjusting team practices. Agile teams are built on the principle of inspect and adapt, meaning they regularly review their processes, practices, and outcomes to identify areas for improvement. This activity is most commonly carried out during the Retrospective meeting, where the team reflects on what went well, what didn’t go as planned, and what can be improved in the next iteration.
During retrospectives, the team discusses what worked well, what didn’t, and identifies actionable improvements to implement in future sprints. The Scrum Master or Team Coach facilitates this process, ensuring that the discussion stays constructive and that the team focuses on specific improvements that can enhance their performance and productivity. These continuous reflections and adjustments help the team become more effective over time, adapt to new challenges, and optimize their workflow.
Option A, assigning tasks directly to team members, goes against the core principles of self-organizing teams in Agile. In Agile, team members should have the autonomy to select tasks and collaborate on their work, rather than being told what to do. Option B, skipping retrospectives when time is limited, undermines the principle of continuous improvement. Retrospectives are a crucial part of Agile teams' learning and evolution, and skipping them would result in missed opportunities for improvement. Option D, focusing only on velocity during reviews, is limited in scope. While velocity is an important metric, it doesn’t capture the full picture of how the team can improve, as it’s just one aspect of team performance. Continuous improvement requires looking at the overall process, collaboration, and quality, not just speed.
In conclusion, the best activity to support continuous improvement in an Agile team is to regularly inspect and adjust team practices to ensure that the team is always evolving, optimizing, and learning from their experiences.
