Scaled Agile SAFE-SSM Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

Scaled Agile SAFE-SSM Online Questions & Answers

• Question 1:

  According to SAFe, what is one Iteration Retrospective anti-pattern?

  A. The team only shares issues that are too small to result in real improvement
  B. The team only shares issues that are too big to be solved
  C. The team only shares issues that cannot be measured
  D. The team only brings up issues that are outside of their control to address
  D. The team only brings up issues that are outside of their control to address

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  Explanation

  One Iteration Retrospective anti-pattern is when the team only brings up issues that are outside of their control to address, such as organizational policies, external dependencies, or stakeholder expectations. This can lead to frustration,

  helplessness, and cynicism among the team members, as well as a loss of focus on their own improvement opportunities12 (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

  References:

  Iteration Retrospective - Scaled Agile Framework 21 Sprint Retrospective Anti-Patterns | Scrum.org

• Question 2:

  During which of the following stages of team development do team members stop focusing on their own goals and begin focusing on developing better ways of working together?

  A. Forming
  B. Norming
  C. Storming
  D. Transforming
  B. Norming

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  Explanation

  Norming is the stage of team development where team members stop focusing on their own goals and begin focusing on developing better ways of working together. Norming occurs after the team has gone through the Forming and Storming stages, where they have established their roles and responsibilities, and have resolved their initial conflicts and disagreements12 In the Norming stage, the team starts to build trust, respect, and cohesion among themselves. They also align on a common vision, mission, and goals, and agree on the norms and expectations for their collaboration and communication12 The team becomes more productive, efficient, and effective, as they leverage their collective strengths and skills, and support each other in overcoming challenges and delivering value12 The team also develops a sense of identity and pride, and celebrates their achievements and learnings12 (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

  References: Agile Teams - Scaled Agile Framework 5 Stages of Team Development | Agile Scrum Guide | Book | Blog

• Question 3:

  What is one potential root cause of Team Sync anti-patterns?

  A. Overcommunication between team members
  B. Lack of collective ownership
  C. Occasional conflict within the team
  D. Frequent verification and integration during the Iteration
  B. Lack of collective ownership

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  Explanation

  According to the SAFe 6 Scrum Master documentation, one of the potential root causes of Team Sync anti-patterns is the lack of collective ownership. Collective ownership means that the team members share responsibility for the quality and

  delivery of the team's work. They collaborate, communicate, and coordinate their efforts to achieve the team goals. They also support each other, provide feedback, and resolve issues together. When there is a lack of collective ownership,

  team members may exhibit some of the following Team Sync anti-patterns 1:

  Reporting to managers (status meetings): Team members use the Team Sync as a way to report their progress to the SM/TC or other managers, rather than to synchronize with their peers. This can create a hierarchical and command-andcontrol culture, where team members are not empowered to self-organize and self- manage.

  Monologues: Team members give long and detailed updates that are not relevant or useful to other team members. This can make the Team Sync boring, inefficient, and ineffective, as team members lose interest and attention. Cross-

  functional team standups (updates are not related to other people's work):

  Team members work on different features or components that are not aligned with the team goals or the Iteration goals. This can result in silos, dependencies, and integration issues, as well as reduced collaboration and coordination.

  "Nothing to report" can be a good thing: Team members say they have nothing to report, either because they have not done any work, or because they do not want to share their work with the team. This can indicate a lack of transparency,

  trust, and accountability, as well as a missed opportunity to get feedback and support from the team.

  To overcome these anti-patterns, the SM/TC should coach the team on the purpose and value of the Team Sync, and help them adopt the best practices for effective Team Syncs, such as 2:

  Having a clear agenda and timebox

  Focusing on the team goals and the Iteration goals Asking the three key questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Do I have any impediments?

  Using visual aids, such as task boards or Kanban boards, to track progress and identify issues

  Encouraging active participation, collaboration, and feedback Ending with clear action items and follow-ups

  (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

  References:

  Scrum Master/Team Coach

  Team Sync

  Top 7 Anti Patterns of Scrum Master - Simpliaxis Scrum Anti-Patterns Taxonomy | Scrum.org

  [11 Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns We Commonly Hear from Users In ... - Geekbot

• Question 4:

  What can a Scrum Master/Team Coach recommend to a team that is showing signs of burnout, not addressing increasing technical debt, and acting out of urgency rather than considering innovation?

  A. A constructive IP Iteration at the end of each PI
  B. A collective Iteration Review and demo each Iteration
  C. A communicative retrospective at the end of each Iteration
  D. A careful plan at the beginning of each Iteration
  A. A constructive IP Iteration at the end of each PI

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  Explanation

  A constructive IP Iteration is one of the recommended practices for Scrum Masters/Team Coaches to help teams avoid burnout, address technical debt, and foster innovation. An IP Iteration is a unique, dedicated iteration that occurs every PI and provides an estimating buffer for meeting PI Objectives and dedicated time for innovation, continuing education, PI Planning, and Inspect and Adapt events. During the IP Iteration, teams can work on activities such as hackathons, research and design, spikes, refactoring, automation, training, and other improvement initiatives that are difficult to fit into a continuous, incremental value delivery pattern. An IP Iteration also allows teams to prepare for and participate in the PI Planning and Inspect and Adapt events, which are essential for alignment, collaboration, and learning across the ART. A constructive IP Iteration can improve the predictability and flow of value delivery, increase employee engagement and satisfaction, enhance the agility and resilience of the teams, and create a competitive advantage for the enterprise. (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

  References: Innovation and Planning Iteration - Scaled Agile Framework The CALMR Approach to DevOps [Complete Guide] - KnowledgeHut SAFe Scrum Master Course Outline

• Question 5:

  What is one Agile development value?

  A. Healthy interactions over detailed plans
  B. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
  C. Risk-taking over process development
  D. Working teams over busy individuals
  B. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

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  Explanation

  One Agile development value is customer collaboration over contract negotiation. This value is one of the four core values of the Agile Manifesto, which states: "We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more." 1 This value emphasizes the importance of building a trusting and collaborative relationship with the customers, rather than relying on rigid and formal contracts that may limit the ability to respond to changing needs and expectations2 Customer collaboration means involving the customers throughout the development process, seeking their feedback, input, and validation, and delivering solutions that meet their requirements and expectations3 Customer collaboration also means respecting the customers' opinions and perspectives, and resolving any conflicts or issues in a constructive and respectful manner4 Customer collaboration helps the Agile teams to deliver value faster and more effectively, as well as to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty34 (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

  References: Manifesto for Agile Software Development Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation - Mountain Goat Software Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation - Agile Alliance Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation - Scrum Inc

• Question 6:

  According to SAFe, what is one output of a successful Iteration Retrospective?

  A. Updated ART metrics
  B. Iteration Goals
  C. Improvement Stories
  D. Updated dependencies between Stories
  C. Improvement Stories

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  Explanation

  According to SAFe, one output of a successful Iteration Retrospective is the creation of a few improvement Stories that enter the Team Backlog for the next iteration. These stories reflect the team's agreement on what they can do better in terms of their process, practices, and performance. The improvement stories are visible and prioritized along with the other stories in the backlog. They help the team implement the concept of relentless improvement, which is one of the core values of SAFe.

  References: Iteration Retrospective - Scaled Agile Framework, Exam Study Guide: SSM (6.0) - SAFeScrum Master

• Question 7:

  What is one Scrum value that can help Agile Teams create transparency?

  A. Persistence
  B. Respect
  C. Communication
  D. Empathy
  B. Respect

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  Explanation

  Respect is one of the five Scrum values that can help Agile Teams create transparency. Respect means that team members value each other's opinions, skills, and contributions, and treat each other with dignity and professionalism. Respect also means that team members are honest and open with each other, and share information and feedback without hiding or withholding anything. By respecting each other, Agile Teams can foster a culture of trust and collaboration, where everyone feels comfortable to express their ideas, concerns, and issues, and work together to solve them. Transparency is essential for Agile Teams to inspect and adapt their work, and to align their actions with the vision and goals of the organization.

  References: Scrum Values Poster | Scrum.org Core Values - Scaled Agile Framework Exam Study Guide: SSM (6.0) - SAFeScrum Master

• Question 8:

  What is one element on the Scrum Master/Team Coach responsibility wheel?

  A. Facilitate Coach Sync
  B. Facilitate PI Planning
  C. Facilitate a Community of Practice
  D. Facilitate an Agile Team charter workshop
  B. Facilitate PI Planning

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  Explanation

  According to the SAFe 6 Scrum Master documentation, one of the elements on the Scrum Master/Team Coach responsibility wheel is to facilitate PI Planning. PI Planning is a two- day event where all the teams and stakeholders of an Agile Release Train (ART) collaborate to align on a common vision, define and commit to the PI objectives, and identify and manage risks and dependencies. The Scrum Master/Team Coach facilitates PI Planning by 1: Helping the team prepare for the event, such as reviewing the business context, vision, and backlog, and creating draft plans Supporting the team during the event, such as facilitating breakout sessions, resolving issues, and ensuring alignment and collaboration with other teams Assisting the team after the event, such as finalizing the plans, updating the PI board, and conducting a retrospective Facilitating PI Planning is one of the ways the Scrum Master/Team Coach helps the team and the ART achieve their goals and deliver value. (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

  References: PI Planning Scrum Master/Team Coach Say Hello to SAFe 6.0! - Scaled Agile Framework

• Question 9:

  What is one responsibility of a Scrum Master/Team Coach?

  A. Demoing the system
  B. Testing the system
  C. Improving flow
  D. Prioritizing the backlog
  C. Improving flow

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  Explanation

  One of the responsibilities of a Scrum Master/Team Coach is to help the team achieve flow, which is a state of continuous and sustainable delivery of value. They do this by teaching and coaching the team on SAFe Scrum and SAFe Team

  Kanban practices, such as limiting work in progress, visualizing work, managing queues, and reducing batch sizes. They also help identify and eliminate impediments and bottlenecks that hinder the team's progress and performance.

  References:

  Scrum Master/Team Coach - Scaled Agile Framework Exam Study Guide: SSM (6.0) - SAFeScrum Master

• Question 10:

  What is one way uncommitted objectives help Agile Teams make a plan for the PI?

  A. They ensure the team has additional development options
  B. They generate additional ways to measure team progress
  C. They create an opportunity for teams to take on harder work
  D. They maintain the predictability of achieving the objectives
  D. They maintain the predictability of achieving the objectives

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  Explanation

  One way uncommitted objectives help Agile Teams make a plan for the PI is that they maintain the predictability of achieving the objectives. Uncommitted objectives are PI objectives that are not included in the team's commitment or counted against teams in the ART predictability measure. They are used to identify work that can be variable within the scope of a PI, such as stretch goals, spikes, innovation, or exploration1 Uncommitted objectives help improve the predictability of delivering business value since they allow the team to adjust their scope based on the actual progress and feedback during the PI. They also provide the team with some flexibility and capacity to respond to changing needs and expectations, as well as to pursue learning and improvement opportunities12 (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

  References: PI Objectives - Scaled Agile Framework PI Planning - Scaled Agile Framework