SAFe Principles

Question 1

What is SAFe Principle #1

Answer 1

1 - Take an economical view

Two practices are essential to achieving optimum economic outcomes via Lean-Agile methods:
- deliver early and often
- apply an economic framework.

Question 2

Why does the RTE need to know SAFE Principles? (3 answers)

Answer 2

1. RTE must understand why SAFe practices work
2. If a practice needs to change then understanding the principles helps move the ART in the right direction.
3. A shared understanding of principles helps decentral decision making.

Question 3

What is SAFe Principle #2

Answer 3

2 – Apply systems thinking

Systems thinking takes a holistic approach to Solution development.

Understanding the elements of systems thinking helps leaders and teams recognize the ‘why’ and ‘what’ of their actions, as well as their impact on those around them.

Question 4

What is SAFe Principle #3

Answer 4

3 – Assume variability; preserve options

Set-based design is one way to manage variability and preserve options. Also look at Principle #7

Set-based design allows you to assume variability and preserve options by keeping design options open for as long as possible, converging as necessary and producing more optimal technical and economic outcomes.

To mitigate the innovation vs. successful, proven Solution trade-off, they use set-based design. Create different options for each part and include a safe, known option that minimizes the risk of one of the parts not delivering as intended.

Question 5

What is SAFe Principle #4

Answer 5

4 – Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles

Integration points create knowledge from uncertainty

Question 6

What is SAFe Principle #5

Answer 6

5 – Base milestones on the objective evaluation of a working system

Question 7

What is SAFe Principle #6

Answer 7

6 – Make value flow without interruptions

Question 8

What is SAFe Principle #7

Answer 8

7 – Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning

Question 9

What is SAFe Principle #8

Answer 9

8 – Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers

Question 10

What is SAFe Principle #9

Answer 10

9 – Decentralize decision-making

Question 11

What is SAFe Principle #10

Answer 11

10 – Organize around value

Question 12

What are the two practices essential for achieving optimum economic outcomes?

Answer 12

Two practices are essential to achieving optimum economic outcomes via Lean-Agile methods:
- deliver early and often
- apply an economic framework.

Delivered value accumulates over time, customer has product longer. deliver often allows for faster feedback as the product is incrementally developed. An economic framework is a set of decision-making guidelines that align everyone to the financial objectives of a portfolio, and which inform the continuous decision-making process.

Question 13

What are the 3 aspects of System Thinking?

Answer 13

1. The solution itself is a system
2. The enterprise building the system is a system itself
3. Optimize the full value stream.

Question 14

Provide 3 ways for applying all 10 SAFe Principles in the ART is a key responsibility of the RTE.

Answer 14

► Reconnect to the Principles when discussing existing practices or potential improvements for the ART
► Build a shared understanding with stakeholders and the ART on why the Principles-based practices work
► Periodically ask the train to self-assess how well the Principles are applied

Question 15

Without a shared understanding of the SAFe Principles what are the consequences?

Answer 15

► There is no systematic way to adapt practices to local context
► Business outcomes suffer
► Once-beneficial decisions become problematic
► The Lean-Agile Mindset is unachievable
► Conflict on processes and practices are difficult to resolve

Question 16

What is a good example of decentralized decision making??

Answer 16

Franchise operations are a strong example of decentralizing decision-making.

Question 17

Making value flow without interruptions can best be achieved by adopting the eight ‘flow accelerators’

What are these flow accelerators?

Answer 17

1 - Visualize and limit work-in-process (WIP)
2- Address bottlenecks
3- Minimize handoffs and dependencies
4 - Get fast feedback
5 - Work in small batches
6 - Manage queue lengths
7 - Optimize ‘time in the zone’
8 - Remediate legacy policies and practices

Question 18

Organize people around four fundamental team topologies. What are those Topologies?

Answer 18

stream-aligned
complicated subsystem,
platform,
enabling teams

Each team topology has specific behaviors and responsibilities. By restricting team design to the four fundamental team topologies, the organization can use proven patterns to promote flow and deliver value faster

Question 19

As a rough guide, a single ART should contain no more than what number of complicated subsystem teams?

Answer 19

1-3 complicated subsystem teams

Question 20

Give a few examples of an enabling team? One example of an enabling team in SAFe is the System Team, which assists ART teams with (among other things) building and supporting the Continuous Delivery Pipeline.

Answer 20

System Team
DevOps Team : implementation Automated testing Continuous integration
Tools build team

Question 21

Draw the picture of the various team topographies.

Answer 21

[———– Agile Release Train —————————>
[ Stream-aligned +————+ ]
[ Complicated ] [ Stream-aligned |Enabling| ]
[ Subsystem ] [ Stream-aligned |_________| ]
[ Platform ]

Complicated

Question 22

Define the roles on the ART

Answer 22

RTE- Coach of the ART
System Architect
Product Manager -Owns/defines the ART backlog
Buisness Owners - key stakeholders on the ART
System Team - provides processes and tools to integrate and evaluate assets early and often

Question 23

What ART Role is responsible for having the primary business and technical responsibility for return on investment (ROI), governance, and compliance?

Answer 23

Business Owners (BOs)

Business Owners (BOs) are key ART stakeholders who have the primary business and technical responsibility for return on investment (ROI), governance, and compliance.

Question 24

What are the 5 responsibilities of the Business Owner?

Answer 24

Lead by Example
Engage with LPM (Lean Portfolio Management)
Align Priorities and PI Planning
Realizing Business Outcome
Sponsoring Relentless Improvement

Question 25

What are the 5 responsibility areas of the System Team?

Answer 25

1. Building Development Infrastructure
2. Supporting Solution Integration
3. Assisting with End-to-End Testing
4. Supporting System and Solution Demos
5. Facilitating Releases

Question 26

What is Design Thinking?

Draw a picture.
Hint: two diamonds with 4D’s

Answer 26

Design thinking represents a profoundly different approach to product and Solution development, in which divergent and convergent techniques are applied to understand a problem, design a solution, and deliver that solution to the market.

1st Diamond : Understand the Problem.
o Discover (Diverge)
o Define (Converge)
2nd Diamond: Design the right solution
o Develop (Diverge)
o Deliver (Converge