Basics Flashcards
What are the 10 SAFe Lean-Agile Principles?
1) Take an economic view
2) Apply systems thinking
3) Assume variability; preserve options
4) Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
5) Base milestones on objective evaluation of working systems
6) Visualise and limit WIP, reduce batch sizes, and manage queue lengths
7) Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning
8) Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
9) Decentralise decision making
10) Organize around value
What are the 7 core competencies of business agility?
1) Enterprise Solution Delivery
2) Agile Product Delivery
3) Team and Technical Agility
4) Lean Portfolio Management
5) Organizational Ability
6) Continuous Learning Culture
7) Lean-Agile Leadership
WSJF relates most to ?
A) Cost of delay and job duration
B) Business value and risk reduction
C) Cost of delay and time criticality
D) Enterprise specific value
A) Cost of delay and job duration
Which statement about PI Planning is correct?
A) it’s optional
B) It’s sufficient, that only the SM, PO and RTE atend
C) PI Planning is done with the aim to identify critical dependencies
C) PI Planning is done with the aim to identify critical dependencies
What are inputs for the PI Planning event?
A) Business vision and sorted features
B) Businss vision and the backlog funnel
C) Business vision is enough - the rest will be done during PI
D) Business vision and PI objectives
A) Business vision and sorted features
A program backlog …
A) Is a sorted list of upcoming features
B) Controles the ART
C) Contains upcoming user stories
A) Is a sorted list of upcoming features
Manage program risks with ROAM, this is the abbreviation for …
A) Resolved, Owned, Accepted, Managed
B) Resolved, Owned, Acknowledged, Mitigated
C) Resolved, Owned, Accepted, Mitigated
C) Resolved, Owned, Accepted, Mitigated
What does CALMR stand for?
A) DevOps
B) Culture, Automation, Lean, Measurement, Recovery
C) Calm Down
D) Cesar, Alpha, Luca, Melchor, Rafael
B) Culture, Automation, Lean, Measurement, Recovery
The LPM function governs 3 essential collaborations, which one belongs to them?
A) Controlling & Budgeting
B) Agile Portfolio Operations
C) Governance
B) Agile Portfolio Operations
Which 2 are the dimensions of Strategy & Investment funding?
A) Take a short term view on necessary technology
B) Connect the portfolio to enterprise strategy
C) Maintain portfolio vision
D) Fund valuable projects
B) Connect the portfolio to enterprise strategy
C) Maintain portfolio vision
Strategic themes are relevant for …
A) Connecting a portfolio to the ART
B) Connecting the portfolio to the enterprise
C) Assuring management gets everything done
B) Connecting the portfolio to the enterprise
The portfolio kanban … (2 answers)
A) Make large business initiatives visible
B) Is the lowest level backlog in SAFe
C) Brings structure to analysis and decision making
D) Is a reporting instrument for management
A) Make large business initiatives visible
C) Brings structure to analysis and decision making
Which one is a qualitative guardrail?
A) Illustrate investment horizons
B) Use capacity allocation
C) Continous business owner engagement
C) Continous business owner engagement
What is part of the core competency of business agility “Team & technical agility” ?
►Agile teams
►Teams of agile teams
►Built-in quality
What is part of the core competency of business agility “Agile product delivery” ?
►Cusomter centricity & design thinking
►Develop on cadence and release on demand
►DevOps and the continuous delivery pipeline
What is part of the core competency of business agility “Enterprise solution delivery” ?
►Lean system and solution engineering
►Coordinate trains and suppliers
►Continually evolve live systems
What is part of the core competency of business agility “Lean-agile leadership” ?
►Leading by example
►Mindset & Principles
►Leading change
What is part of the core competency of business agility “Lean portfolio management” ?
►Strategy & Investment funding
►Agile portfolio operations
►Lean governance
What is part of the core competency of business agility “Organizational agility” ?
►Lean-thinking people and agile teams
►Lean business operations
►Strategy agility
What is part of the core competency of business agility “Continious learning culture” ?
►Learning organization
►Innovation culture
►Relentless improvement
What are the SAFe 4 core values?
►Alignment
►Transparency
►Built-in quality
►Program execution
Describe the different parts of the SAFe House of Lean.
Foundation: Leadership
Pillar 1: Respect for peaople & culture
Pillar 2: Flow
Pillar 3: Innovation
Pillar 4: Relentless improvement
Rooftop: Value
Describe the part “Value” of the SAFe House of Lean.
► The best quality and value to people and society
► High morale, safety, and customer delight
“There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company.” - Sam Walton
Describe the part “Respect for peaople & culture” of the SAFe House of Lean.
► Generative culture
► People do all the work
► Your Customer is whoever consumes your work
► Build long-term partnerships based on trust
► To change the culture, you have to change the organization
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” - Peter Drucker
Describe the part “Flow” of the SAFe House of Lean.
► Optimize sustainable value delivery
► Build in quality
► Understand, exploit, and manage variability
► Move from projects to products
“Operating a product development process
near full utilization is an economic disaster.” - Don Reinertsen
Describe the part “Innovation” of the SAFe House of Lean.
► Innovative people ► Provide time and space for innovation ► Go see ► Experimentation and feedback ► Innovation riptides ► Pivot without mercy or guilt
“Innovation comes from the producer.” - W. Edwards Deming
Describe the part “Relentless improvement” of the SAFe House of Lean.
► A constant sense of danger ► Optimize the whole ► Problem-solving culture ► Base improvements on facts ► Reflect at key Milestones
“Those who adapt the fastest win.”
Describe the part “Leadership” of the SAFe House of Lean.
► Lead by example ► Adopt a growth mindset ► Exemplify the values and principles of Lean-Agile and SAFe ► Develop people ► Lead the change ► Foster psychological safety
“People are already doing their best; the problems are with the system. Only management can change the system.” - W. Edwards Deming
Describe the Agile Manifesto.
Individuals and interactions > processes and tools
Working software > comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration > contract negotiation
Responding to change > following a plan
What are the principles of the Agile Manifesto?
1) Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
2) Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
3) Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for the shorter timescale.
4) Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
5) Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need and trust them to get the job done.
6) The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
7) Working software is the primary measure of progress.
8) Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
9) Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances
agility.
10) Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work not done - is essential.
11) The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from selforganizing teams.
12) At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
How are the 5 Whys used?
A) To coach a team through powerful questions
B) To identify a root cause(s) of a problem
C) To brainstorm ideas
D) To define acceptance criteria for a story
B) To identify a root cause(s) of a problem
Which statement is true about Scrum?
A) It is an ideal method for static design requirements
B) It is a software technical practice
C) It is based on empirical process control theory
D) It is a Lean System Engineering technique
C) It is based on empirical process control theory
What is one example of a servant leader behavior pattern?
A) Understands and empathizes with others
B) Focuses on individual task metrics
C) Thinks about the day-to-day activities
D) Uses authority rather than persuasion when necessary
A) Understands and empathizes with others
Section 6
What are the three pillars of Scrum?
A) Adaptation, Transparency, Acceptance
B) Collaboration, Acceptance, Progress
C) Retrospection, Inspection, Adaptation
D) Transparency, Inspection, Adaptation
D) Transparency, Inspection, Adaptation
page 17
Scrum Masters are effective by using Scrum methods, supporting SAFe principles and practices, and what else?
A) Delivering through Agile practices
B) Writing stories and enablers
C) Managing Architectural Runway
D) Serving as a customer proxy
A) Delivering through Agile practices
What are two common PI Planning anti-patterns? (Choose 2)
A) The team decides which changes need to happen and when
B) Stories are created for the PI Planning Iterations
C) Part-time Scrum Masters do not have time to plan as part of the team
D) Too much time is spent analyzing each story
E) Too much time is spent prioritizing features
C) Part-time Scrum Masters do not have time to plan as part of the team
D) Too much time is spent analyzing each story
(page 79)
What is the main reason why some teams never reach stage 4 (Performing) in the stages of high performing teams?
A) Because leadership is spontaneous
B) Because there is too much conflict
C) Because the team is not structured correctly
D) Because no one guides them
D) Because no one guides them
page 136
What is the recommended frequency range for PI Planning in SAFe?
A) Every 12 to 16 weeks
B) Every 8 to 12 weeks
C) Every 4 to 6 weeks
D) Every 6 to 8 weeks
B) Every 8 to 12 weeks
page 40
What is one time when a Scrum Master participates but does not necessarily facilitate?
A) If the entire team is present during the Daily Stand-up
B) When using ad-hoc teams for Inspect and Adapt
C) During team breakout sessions at PI Planning
D) When the Agile Release Train does not require any team coordination
D) When the Agile Release Train does not require any team coordination
Becoming a coach requires a shift from old behaviors to new ones. What are 3 examples of old behaviors?
A) Facilitating team problem solving B) Asking the team for the answers C) Focusing on deadlines D) Driving toward specific outcomes E) Fixing problems for the team F) Focusing on business value delivery
C) Focusing on deadlines
D) Driving toward specific outcomes
E) Fixing problems for the team
(page 140)
What is the purpose of the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust cycle?
A) To provide a regular, predictable development cadence to produce an increment of value
B) To give the Agile Release Train team members a process tool to keep the train on the tracks
C) To create a continuous flow of work to support the delivery pipeline
D) To allow the team to perform some final backlog refinement for upcoming Iteration Planning
A) To provide a regular, predictable development cadence to produce an increment of value
(https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iterations/)
What are 2 good Scrum Master facilitation practices?
A) Do not enforce accountability as it creates an environment of distrust
B) Allow for unproductive conflict to encourage open communication
C) Ensure all voices are heard
D) Create an environment of safety so that everyone feels comfortable contributing to the discussion
E) Allow for deep, meaningful conversations even if it is outside the scope of the agenda
C) Ensure all voices are heard
D) Create an environment of safety so that everyone feels comfortable contributing to the discussion
What is one truth about teams?
A) Products are more robust when individuals on teams have specific skill sets
B) Teams are more productive than the same number of individuals
C) Development Teams can manage daily interruptions
D) Changes in team composition do not impact productivity
B) Teams are more productive than the same number of individuals
A servant leader knows that his or her own growth comes from what?
A) Facilitating the growth of others
B) Management support
C) Effective training
D) Implementing a CALMR approach to SAFe
A) Facilitating the growth of others
What is this statement describing?
‘Agile Teams continuously adapt to new circumstances and enhance the methods of value delivery.’
A) Continuous Delivery
B) Continuous Improvement
C) Continuous Integration
D) Continuous Deployment
B) Continuous Improvement
Which 3 attributes summarize DevOps?
A) A set of technical practices B) Combined deployment and release C) Strong organizational structure D) A mindset E) A high performing DevOps Team F) A shared culture
A) A set of technical practices
D) A mindset
F) A shared culture
When does the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust cycle occur in Scrum?
A) As part of the Iteration Retrospective
B) At all formal Scrum events
C) At the Iteration Review
D) In the daily Scrum
B) At all formal Scrum events
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iterations/
In SAFe, who owns the decision for releasing changes into production?
A) Release Train Engineer
B) Solution Owner
C) System Architect
D) Product Management
D) Product Management
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/product-and-solution-management/
Good coaches do not give people the answer, but instead they do what?
A) They hold them to their commitments
B) They guide people to the solution
C) They make the decisions
D) They limit the number of questions
B) They guide people to the solution
The business must depend on the team for what in order for the business to do any meaningful planning?
A) Measurements
B) Team capabilities
C) Commitment to the plan
D) A cross-functional skill set
C) Commitment to the plan
What is an anti-pattern for the IP Iteration? (Choose 2)
A) To plan work for the IP Iteration during PI Planning
B) To ensure all stories and teams’ PI plans are completed prior to the IP Iteration
C) To allow for sufficient capacity in the program roadmap
D) To wait for the IP Iteration to fix defects
E) To minimize lost capacity when people are on vacation or holidays
A) To plan work for the IP Iteration during PI Planning
D) To wait for the IP Iteration to fix defects
(https://www.scaledagileframework.com/innovation-and-planning-iteration/; page 125)
The program board highlights feature delivery dates, milestones, and what else for Agile Release Train teams?
A) Requirements
B) Timeboxes
C) Dependencies
D) Objectives
C) Dependencies
The program board is often used during the Scrum of Scrums meetings to track dependencies, or it may not be maintained (manually) after that time. This depends upon the Agile project management tooling in place and the needs of the ART.
Which meeting should the Scrum Master attend (not facilitate)?
A) Daily Stand-up
B) Iteration Review
C) PO Sync
D) Scrum of Scrums
D) Scrum of Scrums
Why do teams have an Iteration Retrospective?
A) To evaluate metrics
B) To identify acceptance criteria
C) To iterate on stories
D) To adjust and identify ways to improve
D) To adjust and identify ways to improve
During PI Planning, which 2 tasks are part of the Scrum Master’s role in the first team breakout?
A) Identify as many risks and dependencies as possible for the Management Review
B) Facilitate the coordination with other teams for dependencies
C) Be involved in the Program Backlog refinement and preparation
D) Provide clarifications necessary to assist the team with their story estimating and sequencing
E) Review and reprioritize the Team Backlog as part of the preparatory work for the second team breakout
A) Identify as many risks and dependencies as possible for the Management Review
B) Facilitate the coordination with other teams for dependencies
(page 79)
What are features of Agile Teams?
A) Cross-functional - Teams have everyone they need to deliver value.
B) Collaboration - Teams deliver value together, both in their team and with customers.
C) Fast feedback - Teams constantly measure if they are delivering value and adjust if needed
