SAFE Quizlet Antwoorden

What is the best measure of progress for complex system development
System demo
Why do business owners assign business value to terms PI objectives ?
To provide the terms with guidance value to the business
How can an Organization gain trust between the business and development
Deliver predictability
What is the roof of the scaled agile framework house of Lean
Value
What is an example of applying cadence and synchronization to safe
Conducting a PI planning meeting
What are two problems that can be understood from the program board?
1. A significant dependency leading to a feature
2. Too much work in progress in one iteration
What is this statement defining: " a series of activities that have proven to be effective
in successfully implementing safe"
The safe implementation roadmap
What do the three continuous cycles on the continuous delivery pipeline enable?
Ongoing implementation
Which SAFe Principle includes providing autonomy with purpose, mission, and
minimum constraints?
Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
Who serves as the servant leader for the AGILE Release Train?
Release train engineer
If small batches go through the system faster with lower their variability, then which
two statements are true about batch size
1. Severe project slippage is the most likely result of large batches
2. Proximity (co-location) enables small batch size
Weighted shortest job first gives preference to jobs with which two characteristics
1. Higher cost of delay
2. Shorter duration
What are the top two reasons for adopting AGILE in an organization
1. Increase predictability by reducing changes
2. Accelerate product delivery
What are attributes of applications built incorporating DevOps
1. Manage the flow of value through the continuous delivery pipeline
2. overlay measurements with events (deployment and releases)
What are the two ways to describe cross functional agile teams
1. They are optimize for communication and delivery of value
2. They can define, build, and test a feature or component
Scrum is built on transparency, inspection, and what else?
Adaptation
If A program repeatedly show separate feature branches rather than a true system
demo which practice should be reviewed to address the issue
Continuous integration
What is an example of cross functional iteration
Iteration 1: Define Build Test
What is another name for technical or functional spikes needed to uncover
knowledge or risk in the next PI?
Exploration enablers
A team has just adopted the Safe implementation Roadmap and in the process of
training executives, managers and leaders. what is their next step?
Identified value streams and Agile Release Trains
Which three types of decisions should remain centralized even in a decentralized
decision making environment?
1. Decisions with significant economics of scale
2. Infrequent decisions
3. Long lasting decisions
Optimizing the solution means identifying and reducing what?
Delays
When would Large Solution SAFe be needed?
Whenever they are two or more Agile release trains
What is a key purpose of DevOps?
DevOps joins development and operations to enable continuous deployment
A successful safe implementation can be challenging because of an organizations
strong culture, what will change the culture?
New work habits must be created
Safe's first lean agile principle includes "delivery early and often". What else?
Deliver value incrementally
Which two areas are part of the scaled Agile framework core values
1. Alignment
2. Built in quality
Strategic themes are differentiated business objectives which help guide solutions.
Where are strategic themes found in the safe big picture?
Portfolio
Which leadership skills helps create a safe environment for learning, growth, and
mutual influence?
Leader as servant
Safe's core values
Alignment
Build in quality
Transparency
Program execution
Why It important to decouple deployment from releases?
To enable releasing upon demand
How does SAFe extend the Agile Manifesto foundation to the level of team of teams?
By applying Lean thinking to understand and improve the systems that support the
teams
When are team planning adjustments mad during the PI planning?
At the beginning of day two
Which statement is true about Lean portfolio management and budgeting
It empowers stakeholders to adapt the current backlog and roadmap context
According to the Harvard business review article entitled, "The new new product
development game' what does it mean to create built-in instability?
Provide challenging requirements, a half degree of freedom to meet the
requirements, and get out of the way
One team has no stretch objectives identified on day two at the end of PI Planning.
When asked, the team members explain that all the functionality must be completed
in this PI, otherwise the organization will not comply with regulatory requirements.
What is the next step or action?
Consider teams helping each other at the cost of reducing the original scope of work
What is the benefit of enhancing Enterprise agility
It allows for a faster response to changing market opportunities
Which statement is a value from the Agile manifesto?
Working software over comprehensive documentation
The analyzing step of the portifolio Kaban system has a new epic with a completed
Lean business case. What best describes the next step for the epic?
It would be moved to the portfolio backlog if it receives 'Go' decision from Lean
portfolio management
Which statement is true about Solution Context when defining large solutions?
It defines the environment in which the solution operates
During which event are the Team PI objectives agreed-upon
PI planning
Which pillar of the house of lien can help explain why projects often block Enterprise
agility
Innovation
Which statement is true about program events
Team events run inside the program events and the program events create a closed
loop system
What is the primary focus of lean portfolio management
Align Lean-Agile development with business strategy
At the end of the PI planning after dependencies are resolved and wrist are
addressed a confident vote is taken what is the default method used to vote
Fist of five
Who is responsible for managing the portfolio Kanban
Lean portfolio management
Applying systems thinking means identifying the systems in the process which
includes the solution itself and what else?
The enterprise building the system 3-13
Which statement is true when continuously deploying using a DevOps model?
It lessens the severity and frequency of release failures pg 134 in v.4.5.1
In the Program Kanban some steps have Work-in-Process limits. Why is this
necessary?
To help continuous deployment https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-
and-solution-kanbans/
How do leaders build-in instability?
They provide a high degree of freedom as to how teams meet requirements 1-22
What is one component of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline?
Continuous Exploration 6-6
Which statement is true about the Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration?
Without the IP Iteration, there is a risk that the tyranny of the urgent outweighs all
innovation activities 6-52
When basing decisions on economics, how are cycle time, product cost, value, and
development expense used?
To identify different parameters of the economic framework 3-10
What is the recommended way to express a Feature?
Phrase, benefit hypothesis, and acceptance criteria 6-17
What is found on a program board?
Features 5.42
Which statement fits with the SAFe Core Value of Built-in Quality?
You cannot scale crappy code 6-33
Who has content authority to make decisions at the user story level during PI
Planning?
Product Owner 5.28
What are the three primary keys to implementing flow? (Choose three.)
-Visualize and limit WIP 3-31
-Manage queue lengths 3-31
-Reduce the batch sizes of work 3-31
SAFE Principle #6
What is the biggest benefit of decentralized decision-making?
Delivering value in the shortest sustainable lead time •
www.scaledagileframework.com/decentralize-decision-making/
How is the flow of Portfolio Epics managed?
In the Portfolio Kanban (study guide 7.4.6)
What is the focus of the Daily Stand-up meeting?
Iteration goals versus what got done
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-execution/
What is the recommended frequency for updating Lean budget distribution?
On demand (fund Value Streams, not projects 8-16)
During the final plan review, Program risks are addressed using ROAM. What do the
letters in ROAM represent?
Owned, Mitigated, Resolved, Accepted 5.46
Who is responsible for the Solution Backlog?
Solution Management
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-and-solution-backlogs/
Which statement is true about DevOps?
DevOps is an approach to bridge the gap between development and operations 6-30
Product Management has content authority over the Program Backlog. What do
Product Owners have content authority over?
Team Backlog
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/product-owner/
Which statement is a value from the Agile Manifesto?
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation 2-13
What are the first three steps of the SAFe Implementation Roadmap?
Reach the tipping point, train Lean-Agile change agents, and then train executives,
managers and leaders 1-29
When is a Pre-PI Planning event needed?
When multiple Agile Release Trains working on the same Solution need to align and
coordinate https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pre-and-post-pi-planning/
The Agile Release Train uses which type of teams to get work done?
Cross-functional teams 4-6
What is considered an anti-pattern when assigning business values to Team PI
Objectives?
-Business Owners assign high values to important enabler work
A value of 10 given to all of the PI Objectives
Business Owners assigning the business value
Assigning business values to stretch objectives
On day two of PI Planning, management presents adjustments based on the
previous day's management review and problem solving meeting. What is one
possible type of adjustment they could make?
Business priorities 5-39
Which statement accurately characterizes Strategic Themes?
They are business objectives that connect the SAFe Portfolio to the Enterprise
business strategy 8-9
What is a Minimal Viable Product?
-A minimal product that can validate a hypothesis
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/continuous-delivery-pipeline/
What is one of the Agile Release Train sync meetings?
Scrum of Scrums 6-8
What is an example of applying cadence-based synchronization in SAFe?
Teams align their iterations to the same schedule to support communication,
coordination, and system integration 3-44
The Agile Release Train passes through four steps in order to deliver Solutions which
includes: defining new functionality, implementing, acceptance testing, and what
else?
Deploying 4-6
What is SAFe's release strategy?
Release on demand 6-4
What is the best measure of progress for complex system development?
-System Demo
Refined Backlog
ROAMing Risks
Iteration Review
What is one benefit of unlocking the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers?
To provide autonomy with purpose, mission, and minimum constraints
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/unlock-the-intrinsic-motivation-of-knowledge-
workers/
What must management do for a successful Agile transformation?
Strive to think of adoption as an area they can control
Change Scrum Masters in the team every two weeks - NO
Send someone to represent management, and then delegate tasks to these
individuals - NO
-Commit to quality and be the change agent in the system
Which statement describes a Capability?
It must be structured to fit within a single Program Increment (sized to fit within PI,
often take multiple ARTs to implement)
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/features-and-capabilities/
What should the team focus on in order to optimize flow?
Delays 3-14
Peter Drucker defines knowledge workers as individuals who know more about the
work they perform than who?
Their bosses 7-25
What is the recommended way to estimate Epics?
Split an Epic into potential Features, estimate each potential Feature in normalized
story points, and add up the estimates 8-31
When does a Roadmap become a queue?
When it is longer than one Program Increment 6-15
Which statement describes aspects of the team's commitment during PI Planning?
A team does not commit to stretch objectives 5-8
Implementing SAFe requires buy-in from all levels of the organization. What level of
leadership is most important for effecting cultural change?
Executive Management 2-10
What can be used as a template for putting SAFe into practice within an
organization?
SAFe Implementation Roadmap 1-29
What is the foundation of the SAFe House of Lean?
Leadership 2-10
The House of Lean is a classic metaphor describing the mindset essential for Lean
thinking. Which one of the four pillars advocates a "Get out of the office" mindset?
Innovation 2-8
To identify different parameters of the economic framework
Better answer - Local integration points -
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/build-incrementally-with-fast-integrated-
learning-cycles/

knowledge or reduce risk in the next PI
Exploration Enables
Which leadership style helps create a safe environment for learning, growth, and
mutual influenc
Leader as the developer of people
Scrum is built on transparency, inspection, and what els
Adaption
During which event are the Team PI Objectives agreed upon
PI Planning
Which role serves as the Servant Leader for the Agile Release Train
Release Train Engineer
Which statement is true about Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) and budgeting
LPM empowers stakeholders to adapt the current backlog and roadmap context
Who is responsible for managing the Portfolio Kanban
Lean Portfolio Management
Optimizing flow means identifying and reducing what?
Delays
Which statement is true about Program events?
Team events run inside the Program events, and the Program events create a closed
loop system
How can trust be gained between the business and development
When are planning adjustments communicated back to the Agile Release Train after
the management review
At the beginning of day two
Why do Business Owners assign business value to Teams' PI Objectives
To provide the teams with guidance of value to the business
What is this statement defining: "A series of activities that have proven to be effective
in successfully implementing SAFe"?
The SAFe Implementation Roadmap
What is an example of cross-functional Iterations?
Iteration 1: Define, Build, Test; Define, Build, Test
What are two ways to describe a cross-functional Agile team? (Choose two.)
They are optimized for communication and delivery of value
They can define, build, and test a feature or component
What are two items that appear on the program board? (Choose two.)
Features
Significant dependencies
Which two areas are part of the Scaled Agile Framework Core Values? (Choose
two.)
Built-in Quality
Alignment
What is the primary focus of Lean Portfolio Management?
Which statement is true about stretch Team PI Objectives?
They are part of the load but are not part of the commitment
What is an example of applying cadence and synchronization in SAFe?
Conducting a PI Planning Meeting
Which statement is a value from the Agile Manifesto?
Why is it important to decouple deployment from release?
To enable deploying upon demand
What are the top two reasons for adopting Agile in an organization? (Choose two.)
Enable changing priorities
Accelerate product delivery
When would Large Solution SAFe be needed?
When there are more than two Agile Teams
If small batches go through the system faster with lower variability, then which
statement is true about batch size?
Severe project slippage is the most likely result of large batches
If a program repeatedly shows separate feature branches rather than a true System
Demo, which practice should be reviewed to address the issue?
Continuous Integration
Which statement is true about Solution Context when defining large solutions?
It defines the environment in which the Solution operates
According to the Harvard Business Review article titled, "The New New Product
Development Game", what does it mean to create built-in instability?
Provide challenging requirements and a high degree of freedom to meet the
requirements
The analyzing step of the Portfolio Kanban system has a new Epic with a completed
Lean business case. What best describes the next step for the Epic?
It will be moved to the Portfolio Backlog if it receives a "Go" decision from Lean
Portfolio Management
Which statement is a principle from the Agile Manifesto?
Working software is the primary measure of progress
At the end of PI Planning after dependencies are resolved and risks are addressed, a
confidence vote is taken. What is the default method used to vote?
Fist of Five
What is the roof of the SAFe House of Lean?
Value
What is a benefit of enhancing enterprise agility?
Weighted Shortest Job First gives preference to jobs with which two characteristics?
(Choose two.)
Shorter duration
Higher Cost of Delay
What does the Continuous Delivery Pipeline enable?
Continuous learning cycles
System Demo
Which three types of decisions should remain centralized even in a decentralized
decision-making environment? (Choose three.)
Long lasting decisions
Infrequent decisions
Decisions with significant economies of scale
Which SAFe Principle includes providing autonomy with purpose, mission, and
SAFe's first Lean-Agile Principle includes "Deliver early and often" and what else?
Deliver value incrementally
What is one key purpose of DevOps?
DevOps joins development and operations to enable continuous delivery
A team has just adopted the SAFe Implementation Roadmap and is in the process of
training executives, managers, and leaders. What is their next step?
Identify Value Streams and Agile Release Trains
Strategic Themes are different business objectives which help guide Solutions.
Where are Strategic Themes found in the SAFe Big Picture?
Portfolio Level
What is one pillar of the SAFe House of Lean?
Flow
When should new approaches be anchored in an organization's culture?
Culture change comes last as a results of changing work habits
What is an attribute of an application built with DevOps in mind?
It ensures continuous integration with manual deployment
What is the best measure of progress for complex system development
System demo
Why do business owners assign business value to terms PI objectives ?
To provide the terms with guidance value to the business
How can an Organization gain trust between the business and development
What is the roof of the scaled agile framework house of Lean
Value
What is an example of applying cadence and synchronization to safe
Conducting a PI planning meeting
What are two problems that can be understood from the program board?
1. A significant dependency leading to a feature
2. Too much work in process in one iteration
What is this statement defining: " a series of activities that have proven to be effective
in successfully implementing safe"
The safe implementation roadmap
What do the three continuous cycles on the continuous delivery pipeline enable?
Ongoing implementation
Which safe principal includes providing a autonomy with purpose mission and
Who serves as the servant leader for the AGILE Release Train?
Release train engineer
If small batches go through the system faster with lower their variability, then which
two statements are true about batch size
1. Severe project slippage is the most likely result of large batches
2. Proximity (co-location) enables small batch size
Weighted shortest job first gives preference to jobs with which two characteristics
1. Higher cost of delay
2. shorter duration
What are the top two reasons for adopting AGILE in an organization
1. Increase predictability by reducing changes
2.accelerate product delivery
What are attributes of applications built incorporating DevOps
1. Manage the flow of value through the continuous delivery pipeline
2. overlay measurements with events (deployment and releases)
What are the two ways to describe cross functional agile teams
1. They are optimize for communication and delivery of value
2. they are defined built and test for features or compounds
Scrum is built on transparency, inspection, and what else?
Adaptation
When would large scale solution be needed?
Whenever there are more than 2 release trains needed
If A program repeatedly show separate feature branches rather than a true system
demo which practice should be reviewed to address the issue
Continuous integration
What is an example of cross functional iteration
Iteration 1: Define build Test Define build Test
knowledge or risk in the next PI?
Exploration enablers
A team has just adopted the Safe implementation Roadmap and in the process of
training executives, managers and leaders. what is their next step?
Identified value streams and Agile Release Trains
Which three types of decisions should remain centralized evening in a decentralized
decision making environment?
1.Decisions with since since significant economics of scale
2. Infrequent decisions
3. long lasting decisions
Delays
Optimizing the solution means identifying and reducing what?
Whenever they are two or more Agile release trains
When would Large solution Safe be needed?
DevOps joins development and operations to enable continuous deployment
What is a key purpose of DevOps?
New work habits must be created
A successful safe implementation can be challenging because of an organizations
strong culture, what will change the culture?
Safe's first lean agile principle includes "delivery early and often". What else?
Deliver valve incrementally
1. Alignment
2. built in quality
Which two areas are part of the scaled Agile framework core values
Portfolio
Strategic themes are differentiated business objectives which help guide solutions.
where are strategic things found in the safe big picture?
Leader as servant
Which leadership skills helps create a safe environment for learning, growth, and
mutual influence?
Safe's core values
Alignment
build in quality
transparency
program execution
Why It important to decouple deployment from releases?
To enable releasing upon demand
Why does SAFe extend the Agile manifesto foundation to the level of teams of teams
?
By applying Lean thinking to understand and improve the systems that support the
teams
When are team planning adjustments mad during the PI planning?
At the beginning of day 2
Which statement is true about Lean portfolio management and budgeting
It empowers stakeholders to adapt the current backlog and roadmap context
According to the Harvard business review article entitled, "The new new product
development game' what does it mean to create built-in instability?
Provide challenging requirements, a half degree of freedom to meet the
requirements, and get out of the way
One team has no stretch objectives identified on day two at the end of PR planning.
When asked, the team member explain that all the functionality must be completed in
this PI, otherwise the organization will not comply with regulatory requirements what
is the next step of action
Consider teams helping each other at the cost of reducing the original scope of work
What is the benefit of enhancing Enterprise agility
Which statement is a value from the Agile manifesto?
The analyzing step of that portifolio Kaban system has a new epic with a completed
Lean business case. what best describes the next step for the epic?
It would be moved to the portfolio backlog if it receives 'Go' decision from Lean
portfolio management
Which statement is true about solution contacts when defining large solution?
It defines the environment in which the solution operates
During which event are the Team PI objectives agreed-upon
PI planning
Which pillar of the house of lien can help explain why projects often block Enterprise
agility
Innovation
Which statement is true about program events
Team events run inside the program events and the program events create a closed
loop system
What is the primary focus of lean portfolio management
At the end of the P at planning after dependencies are resolved and wrist are
addressed a confident boat is taken what is the default method used to vote
Fist of five
Who is responsible for managing the portfolio Kanban
Lean portfolio management
What is: House of Lean?

Goal: Value, Foundation: Leadership, Respect for People, Product Development
Flow, Kaizen
What is: Lean Goal?
Speed, quality, value. Sustainably shortest lead time, best quality and value to
people and society, most customer delight, lowest cost, high morale, safety
What is: Respect for people?
Lean principle, your customer is whoever consumes your work. Develop individuals
and teams, empower teams, build partnerships based on trust and mutual respect
What is: Kaizen?
Lean principle. We can do better. Reflection, continuous improvement as an
enterprise value
What is: Leadership?
Lean foundation, management is trained, take responsibility, develop people
What is: Product development flow?
Lean principle. Principles: 1. take an economy view, 2. actively manage queues, 3.
Understand and exploit variability, 4. Reduce batch sizes, 5. Apply WIP constraints,
6. Control flow under uncertainty; cadence and synchronization, 7. Get feedback as
fast as possible, 8. Decentralize control
What is: Take an economic view?
Lean principle of product development flow #1. Base your decisions on economics.
The goal is to optimize the time from concept to cash.
What is: Actively manage queus?
Lean principle of product development flow #2. Understand little's law. Control wait
times by controlling queue lengths.
What is: Understand and exploit variability?
Lean principle of product development flow #3. Risk-taking is central to value
creation.
What is: Reduce batch size?
Lean principle of product development flow #4. Smaller batches go through the
system faster, with lower variability and risk. Large batch sizes and high utilization
increase variability, causing project slippage. Co-location and good infrastructure
enable small batches.
What is: Apply WIP constraints?
Lean principle of product development flow #5. WIP constraints force capacity
matching, increases flow. Principles: Timebox, purge lower value projects when WIP
is too high, constrain local WIP pools, make WIP continuously visible. High WIP and
utilization cause reduction in throughput.
What is: Control flow under uncertainty?
Lean principle of product development flow #6. Cadence + Synchronization. Cadence
transforms unpredictable events into predictable events, requires scope or capacity
margin, makes waiting times predictable, helps manage load by limiting available
time. Regular systemwide integration provides higher fidelity tests and objective
solution assessment.
What is: Get fast feedback
Lean principle of product development flow #7. Product development is the process
of converting uncertainty to knowledge. Fast feedback accelerates knowledge.
What is: Decentralize control
Lean principle of product development flow #8. Centralize control for decisions that
are infrequent and can be applied globally, have significant economies of scale or
high-risk. Decentralize control for time critical, local decisions that have better
information.
What is: Planning is for alignment
Part of Lean principle of product development flow #6. Principle: there is more value
created with overall alignment than with local excellence. Agile aims to change the
plan when something changes.
Agile values: individuals and interactions
Over processes and tools
Agile values: working software
Over comprehensive documentation
Agile values: customer collaboration
Over contract negotiation
Agile values: responding to change
Over following a plan
What are agile drivers in the triangle?
Value and quality driven, The Vison crates feature estimates, fix the dates and float
the scope
What are agile benefits?
Early value delivery drives first to market, fast feedback, profitability, makes money
faster, reduces risk,delivers better fit for purpose
What are SAFe Core values?
Alignment, quality, transparency, program execution
What are the four SAFe business results?
Increased employee engagement, 20-50% increase in productivity, 30-75% faster
time to market, 50% defect reduction
Describe an agile team?
Empowered, self organizing, self managing, cross functional, deliver fully tested code
every two weeks
How does agile team deliver value?
In user stories
Describe safe team that is scaled to program level?
Self organizing, self managing team of agile teams, continuous value delivery,
aligned to a common mission via single program backlog
How does program level safe teams deliver value?
In features and benefits
Describe how SAFe is scaled to the portfolio level?
Using Lean approaches to strategy and investment funding, program management,
and governance. Centralized strategy and decentralized execution. Kanban system
provide portfolio visibility and WIP limits. Objective metrics support governance and
Kaizen.
How does portfolio level safe deliver value?
In business and architectural epics
What is product owners content authority?
User stories
What is product management content authority?
Features
What is the typical ratio of product management to product owners?
One PM to four PO
What is the typical size of an agile release train?
5 to 12 teams or 50 to 125 people
What is the typical ART program increment timebox?
10 weeks
What are the shared teams in the agile release train?
Dev ops, UX, system architect, RTE
How often is the team demo in the agile release train?
Every two weeks
How often is the inspect and adapt in agile release train?
Every 10 weeks
What makes a good agile team?
They are independent, cross functional, self managing, define, build, test code,
optimized for communication to deliver value every two weeks. Team size is 7+ -2
What are the agile team scrum master responsibilities?
Run team meetings, enforce agile behavior, remove impediments, protect the team
from outside influence, attend integration meetings (SoS)
What are the agile team product owner responsibilities?
Define and except stories, act as the customer for developer questions, work with
product management to plan releases
What are the developer or tester responsibilities in the agile team?
Create and refine user stories and acceptance criteria, define - build - test and deliver
stories, develop and commit to team PI objectives and sprint plans
What is the release train engineer's role in ART?
The chief scrum master for the train
What is the product management role in that ART?
Own, define, and prioritize the program backlog
What is the system architect role in the ART?
Provide architectural guidance and technical enablement to the teams on the train
What is the system team role in the ART?
Provide process and tools to integrate and evaluate assets early and often
What are business owner responsibilities in the ART?
The key stakeholders on the agile release train
What is the ART program vision?
Expresses strategic intent, may be expressed in a variety of forms
What is the ART roadmap?
Series of prioritized features and planned release dates. Commitment is made only to
the next release. Subsequent releases are best estimates
What is the function off features in the program backlog?
Features are cervices that fulfill user needs
What does the estimates in the team backlog mean?
They are only estimates and do not imply committed delivery
What is the key driver for the team backlog?
Program priorities
What are spikes?
Could be technical spikes or functional spikes. can be used for analysis, design or to
try to type an idea.spikes are demonstrable like any other story and included in the
demo
What does a story point represent?
Single number for volume, complexity, knowledge, uncertainty
Is ART cadence without synchronization enough?
No. Synchronize with cadence to assure delivery.
Does ART value follow organization silos?
No. ART is based on cross-functional, self organized teams that define, build and test
a feature to deliver value.
What is estimating poker?
Estimating poker combines expert opinion, analogy, and dis aggregation for quick but
reliable estimates
Who are included in the estimating poker?
Team members. The PO participates but does not estimate.
What are the benefits of estimating in the team?
Increases accuracy by including all perspectives, builds understanding, creates
shared commitment.
Who should not create estimates for the team backlog?
Managers, architect, select group
What is normalized estimation?
Normalized story point estimating provides the economic basis for estimating work
within and across programs
Are defects estimated?
Yes. Defects are estimated.
Are defects included in the team backlog?
Yes. Defects are included in the team backlog
What is release planning?
Cadence-based release planning meetings are the pacemaker of the agile enterprise
How often is release planning done for ART?
Every 8-12 weeks
How long is release planning meeting for ART?
Two days
Who owns the feature priorities in the ART release planning?
PM
Who owns the story planning and high level estimates in the ART release planning?
Development team
Who are the intermediaries for governance, interfaces, and dependencies in the ART
release planning?
Architects and UX
What is the result of the ART released planning meeting?
A committed set of program objectives for the next PI
What are the inputs to the ART release planning process?
Vision and top ten features
What are the outputs from the ART release planning process?
Team and PI objectives, and program board
What does the program board visualize?
Features, WIP, dependencies - divided into sprints and by team
What are objectives?
Brief summaries in business terms of what each team intends to deliver in the
upcoming PI
How can we align to a mission in the release planning?
Using PI objectives
What are team's PI objectives?
They often will map directly to the features but not always
Examples of team's objectives?
Features, aggregation of set of features, milestone, architectural feature, major
refactoring
What are stretch objectives?
They provide a reliability guard band
Are stretch objectives counted in the velocity?
Yes. They are planned.
Are stretch objectives included in the commitment?
No. This makes it more reliable. Unknowns should be moved here.
What is the single most important goal of the release planning event?
Alignment
Who facilitates and kicks off the release planning event?
RTE
Who presents the business context in the release planning event?
The executive
Who presents the vision, feature and benefits in the release planning event?
PM
Who presents the swot in the release planning event?
The executive
Who gives the planning guidance in the release planning event?
RTE
Who conducts SoS in the release planning event?
RTE
What is ROAM?
Addressing program risks: Resolved, Owned, Accepted, Mitigated.
What is the last activity of release planning day 1?
Management review and problem solving
What does release planning Management review and problem solving include?
Make adjustments to scope and objectives
What are possible changes presented in the release planning day 2 first session?
Changes to business priorities, plan, scope, movement of stories or people
What do business owners do in the team breakout 2 of release planning?
Assign business value to release objectives
What happens in day 2 - during team breakout #2?
BO adding business value to release objectives, team finalize PI plan, consolidates
program risks, impediments and dependencies, and add stretch objectives.
What is the final plan review - in release planning day 2?
Teams and BO peer review all final plans
What is included in the final plan review agenda?
Changes to velocity and load, final PI objectives with biz value, program risk and
impediments, Q&A
What happens after all PI release plans have been presented?
Review of remaining program risks and impediments
What is release planning confidence vote?
Fist of five, for hitting objectives
Retrospective
What is the vision?
It communicates strategic intent
What is the content of vision?
Where are we headed with this solution, what problem does it solve, features and
benefits, to who, NFR
What are common formats for vision?
Rolling wave briefings, vision doc, preliminary data sheet, draft press release
What are sources for vision?
Strategic themes, portfolio backlog, customer, PM, architect and team input
What is a roadmap?
It guides the delivery of features over time
What are program epics?
They carry large initiatives into program backlog (split portfolio epics for
implementation)
How are program epics handled?
They are split into features in the program backlog. May require budget approval and
lightweight biz case
How is portfolio epic implemented?
Via one or more ART
How is program epic implemented?
Via one ART. Can span multiple PI
What are the sources of program epics?
Portfolio epics, large local team scope
What are features?
Services that fulfill user needs
How is a feature expressed?
As a phrase
How is value expressed?
In terms of benefits
How are features handled?
They are identified, prioritized, estimated, and maintained on the program backlog
What do features deliver?
Business benefits
What is feature acceptance criteria?
Used to prove the value is there
What do business benefits justify?
Feature implementation cost, provide high level view when making scope decisions
What do business benefits impact?
Economic prioritization of the feature, and are consistent with key strategic themes
When are acceptance criteria defined?
During program backlog refinement
What do acceptance criteria contain?
They reflect functional requirement and system qualities
What is the key to economic outcomes in a flow system?
Job sequencing
If you only quantify one thing quantify...?
The cost of delay
To prioritize based on lean economics we need to know two things that are?
Cost of delay CoD, and what is the coat to implement the valuable thing
How you prioritize features for optimal ROI?
Using WSJF
What is WSJF?
Weighted shortest job first
When the cost of delay is equal...?
...do the shortest job first
When the time is equal..?
...do the highest CoD job first
When nothing is equal...?
Do the WSJF first
Formula for WSJF?
CoD / Duration (job size)
What are the components of CoD?
Business value, Time criticality, Risk reduction
How to estimate the components of CoD?
Involve team, use modified Fibonacci, give always 1 value first in the column
How is program backlog features prioritized?
Using WSJF
What is agile architecture?
Every team deserves to see the big picture, and are empowered to design their part
Principles of agile architecture?
Emergent design, intentional architecture, architectural runway
What is emergent design?
Teams grow the system design as user stories require
What is intentional architecture?
It fosters team alignment and defines architectural runway
What is architectural runway?
Existing code is ready to immediately support new functionality
What is used to support architectural decisions?
Prototyping and modeling
Where is architectural runway located in safe?
At the boundary on the program level
What build up the architectural runway?
Architectural features
What consume the architectural runway?
Business features
Define decentralized architectural decision making?
It supports emergent design and intentionality
What is sys arch role in decentralized arch decision making?
General guidance, system level constraints, integrity, maintainability, avoid
duplication
What is Team role in decentralized arch decision making?
Emergent design, dev contributes runway, improve refactoring techniques
What is refactoring?
Improve design, code base without changing external system behavior
Architectural runway is built...?
Incrementally, validated early and often, provides "just enough"
Architectural runway is assisted by...?
Design spikes, emergent design, refactoring, modeling, test automation
What are NFRs?
System qualities which support end user functionality and system goals
Examples of NFR?
Reliability, usability, scalability, maintainability
Are NFR backlog items?
No. But they are constraints
Portfolio level NFR apply to..?
All ARTs
Program level NFR apply to..?
System as a whole
Team level NFR apply to..?
Feature or component in team's domain
House of Lean
Goal: Value Foundation: Leadership, Respect for People and Culture, Development
Flow, Innovation, Relentless Improvement
Lean Goal
Speed, quality, value. sustainably shorted lead time, best quality and value to people
and society, most customer delight, lowest cost, high morale, safety
Respect for People
Lean principle, your customer is whoever consumes your work. Develop individuals
and teams, empower teams, build partnerships based on trust and mutual respect
Kaizen
Lean principle,. We can do better.Reflection, continuous improvement as an
enterprise value
Leadership
Lean foundation, management is trained, take responsibility, develop people
Product development flow
Lean principle. 1. Take an economic view. 2. Actively manage queues. 3. Understand
and exploit variability. 4. Reduce batch sizes. 5. Apply WIP constraints. 6. Control
flow under uncertainty; cadence and synchronization. 7. Get feedback as fast as
possible. 8. Decentralized control
Take an economic view
Lean principle of product development flow. #1. Base your decisions on economics.
The goal is to optimize the time from concept to cash
Actively manage queues
Lean principle of product development flow. #2. Understand Little's Law. Control wait
times by controlling queue lengths
Understand and exploit variability
Lean principle of product development flow. #3. Risk taking is central to value
creation
Reduce Batch Size
Lean principle of product development flow. #4. Smaller batches go through the
system faster, with lower variability and risk. Large batch sizes and high utilization
increase variability, causing project slippage. Co-location and good infrastructure
enable small batches
Apply WIP constraints
Lean principle of product development flow. #5. WIP constraints force capacity
matching, increases flow. Time box, purge lower value projects when WIP is too high,
constrain local WIP pools, make WIP continuously visible. High WIP and utilization
cause reduction throughput
Control flow under uncertainty
Lean principle of product development flow. #6. Cadence + Synchronization.
Cadence transforms unpredictable events into predictable events, requires scope or
capacity margin, makes waiting times predictable, helps manage load by limiting
available time. Regular systemwide integration provides higher fidelity tests and
objective solution assessment
Get fast feedback
Lean principle of product development flow. #7. Product development is the process
of converting uncertainty to knowledge. Fast feedback accelerates knowledge
Decentralized control
Lean principle of product development flow. #8. Centralize control for decisions that
are infrequent and can be applied globally, have significant economies of scale or
high-risk. Decentralized control for time critical, local decisions
Planning is for alignment
Lean principle of product development flow. #9. There is more value created with
overall alignment than with local excellence. Agile aims to change the plan when
something changes
Agile values: Individuals and interactions
Over processes and tools
Agile values: working software
Over comprehensive documentation
Agile values: customer collaboration
Over contract negotiation
Agile values: responding to change
Over following a plan
Agile drivers in the triangle.
Value and quality driven, the vision creates feature estimates, fix the dates and float
the scope
Agile benefits
Early value delivery drives first to market, fast feedback, profitability, makes money
faster, reduces risk, delivers better fit for purpose
SAFe core values
Alignment, Code quality, Transparency, program execution
Four SAFe business results
Increased employee engagement, 20-50% increase in productivity, 30-70% faster
time to market, 50% defect reduction
Describe an Agile team
Empowered, self organizing, self managing, cross functional, deliver fully tested code
every two weeks
How does an Agile team deliver value?
In user stories
Describe a SAFe team that is scaled to program level
Self organizing, self managing team of Agile teams, continuous value delivery,
aligned to a common mission via a single program backlog
How do program level safe teams deliver value?
In features and benefits
Describe how SAFe is scaled to the portfolio level.
Using Lean approaches to strategy and investment funding, program management,
and governance. Centralized strategy and decentralized execution. Objective metrics
support governance and kaizen
How does portfolio level SAFe deliver value?
In business and architectural epics
What is the product owner's content authority?
User stories
What is product management content authority?
Features
What is the typical ratio of product management to product owners?
One PM to four PO
What is the typical size of an Agile Release Train
5-12 teams 50-125 people
What is the typical ART program increment time box?
10 weeks
What are the shared teams in Agile Release Train?
DevOps, UX, System Architect, RTE
How often is the team demo in the ART?
Every two weeks
How often is the inspect and adapt in an ART?
Every 10 weeks
What makes a good Agile team?
They are independent, cross functional, self organizing, self managing, define, build,
test code, optimized for communication to deliver value every two weeks. Team size
7 +/- 2
What are the Agile team Product Owner responsibilities?
Define and accept stories, act as the customer for developer questions, work with
product management to plan releases
What are the developer or tester responsibilities in the Agile team?
Create and refine user stories and acceptance criteria, define - build - test and deliver
stories, develop and commit to team PI objectives and Sprint plans
What is the Release Train Engineer's role in ART?
The Chief Scrum Master for the train.
What is Product Management's role in the ART?
Own, define,and prioritize the Program Backlog
What is the System's Architect role in ART?
Provide architectural guidance and technical enablement to the teams on the train.
What is the Systems team role in the Art?
Provide process and tools to integrate and evaluate assets early and often
What are the Business Owner's responsibilities in the ART?'
The key stakeholders on the Agile Release Train
What is the ART program vision?
Expresses strategic intent, may be expressed in a variety of forms.
What is the ART roadmap?
Series of features and planned release dates. commitment is made only to the next
release. Subsequent releases are best estimates.
What is the function of features in the program backlog?
Features are those behaviors of the system that directly fulfill some user need.
What do the estimates in the program backlog mean?
They are only estimates and do not imply committed delivery
What is the key driver for the Team backlog?
Program priorities
What are Spikes?
Could be technical spikes or functional spikes. Can be used for analysis, design out
to try to type an idea. Spikes are demonstrable like any other story and included in
the demo
What does a story point represent?
Single number for volume, complexity, knowledge, uncertainty
Is ART cadence without synchronization enough?
No. Synchronize with cadenence to assure delivery.
Does ART value follow organizational silos?
No. ART is based on cross-functional, self organized teams that define, build and test
a feature to deliver value
What is estimating poker?
Estimating poker combines expert opinion, analogy, and disaggregation for quick but
reliable estimates
Who are included in estimating poker?
Team members. The PO participates but does not estimate
What are the benefits of estimating in the team?
Increases accuracy by including all perspectives, builds understanding, creates
shared commitment
Who should not create estimates for the team backlog?
Managers, Architect, Select Group
What is normalized estimation?
Normalized story point estimating provides the economic basis for estimating work
within and across programs
Are defects estimated?
Yes. Defects are included in the team backlog
What is release planning?
Cadence based release planning meetings are the pacemaker of the Agile Enterprise
How often is release planning done for ART?
Every 8-12 weeks
How long is the release planning meeting for ART?
Two days
Who owns the feature priorities in the ART release planning?
Program Management
Who owns the story planning and high level estimates in the ART release planning?
Development team
Who are the intermediaries for governance, interfaces, and dependencies in the ART
release planning?
Architects and UX
What is the result of the ART release planning meeting?
A committed set of program objectives for the next PI
What are the inputs to the ART release planning process?
Vision and top ten features
What are the outputs from the ART release planning process?
Team and PI objectives, and program board
What does the program board visualize?
Program board visualizes Features, WIP, dependencies divided into sprints by team
What are objectives?
Brief summaries in business terms of what each team intends to deliver in the
upcoming PI
How can we align to a mission in the release planning?
Using PI objectives we can align to a mission
What are team's PI objectives?
Team PI Objectives often will map directly to the features but not always
Team objectives
Features, aggregation of a set of features, milestones, architectural feature, major
refactoring
What are stretch objectives?
They provide reliability and guard bandwidth
Are stretch objectives included in the commitment?
No. This makes it more reliable. Unknowns should be moved here
What is the single most important goal of the release planning event?
Alignment is the single most imports oak of the release planning event
Who facilitates and kicks off the release planning event?
Who represents the business context in the release planning event?
The Executive
Who presents the vision, feature and benefits in the release planning event?
Program Manager
Who presents the SWOT in the release planning event?
The Executive
Who gives the planning guidance in the release planning event?
Who conducts the SoS in the release planning event?
What is ROAM?
Addressing. Program risks: Resopved, Owned, Accepted, Mitigated
Management review and problem solving
What does release planning Management review and problem solving include?
Make adjustments to scope and objectives
What are the possible changes presented in the release planning day first session?
Changes t o business priorities, plan, scope, movement of stories or people
What do business owners do in the team breakout 2 of release planning?
Assign business value to release objectives
What happens in day 2 - during the am breakout #2?
Business Owner adding business value to release objectives, team finalize PI plan,
consolidates program risks, impediments and dependencies, and stretch objectives
What is the final plan review - in release planning day 2?
Teams and Business Owner peer review all final plans
What is included in the final plan review agenda?
Changes to velocity nod load, final PI objectives with business value, program risk
and impediments, Q&A
What happens after all PI release plans have been presented?
Review of the remaining program risks and impediments
What is release planning. Confidence vote?
Fist of five for hitting objectives
Retrospective
What is the vision?
It communicates strategic intent
What is the content vision?
Where are we headed with this solution, what problem does it solve, features and
benefits, to who, NFR
What are common formats for the vision?
Rolling wave briefings, vision doc, preliminary data sheet, draft press release
What are sources for vision
Strategic themes, portfolio backlog, customer, PM, architect and team input
What is a roadmap?
It guides the delivery of features over time
What are program epics?
They carry large initiatives into program backlog split portfolio epics for
implementation
How are Program Epics handled?
They are split into features in the program backlog. May require budget approval and
lightweight business case
How is portfolio epic implemented?
Via one or more ARTs
How is Program Epic implementes
via one ART. Can be multi PI
What are the sources of Program Epics?
Portfolio epics, large local team scope
What are features?
Behaviors of the system that directly fulfill some user need
How is a feature expressed?
As a phrase
How is value expressed?
In terms of benefits
How are features handled?
They are identified, prioritized, estimated, and maintained on the program backlog
How do features deliver?
Business benefits
What is feature acceptance criteria?
Used to prove the value is there
What do business benefits impact?
Economic prioritization of the feature, and are consist met with key strategic themes
When is acceptance criteria defined?
During program backlog refinement
Why does acceptance criteria contain?
They reflect functional requirements and system qualities
What is the key to economic outcomes in a flow system?
Job sequencing
If you only quantify one thing quantify?
Cost of delay
To prioritize based on Lean economics we need to know two things that are?
Cost of Delay and what is the cost to implement the valuable thing
How do you prioritize features for optimal ROI?
Using WSJF
What is WSJF?
Weighted Shortest Job First
When the cost of delay is equal...
Do the shortest job first
When the time is equal...
Do the highest CoD first
When nothing is equal...
Do the WSJF first
Formula for WSJF?
COD / Duration (job size)
What are the components of CoD?
Business value, Time critically, Risk reduction
How to estimate the components of CoD?
Involve the team, use modified Fibonacci, give always 1 value first in the column
How are program backlog features prioritized?
Using WSJF
What is Agile Architecture?
Every team deserves to see the big picture, and are empowered to design their part
Principles of Agile Architecture?
Emergent design, intentional architecture, architectural runway
What is emergent design?
What is intentional architecture?
It fosters team alignment and defines architectural runway
What is Architectural Runway?
Existing code is ready to immediately support new functionality
What is used to support architectural decisions?
Prototyping and modeling
Where is the architectural runway located in SAFe?
At the boundary on the program level
What builds up the architectural runway?
Architectural features
What consumes the Architectural runway?
Business features
Define decentralized architectural decision making
It supports emergent design intentionally
What is systems architect role in decentralized architectural decision making?
General guidance, system level constraints, integrity, maintainability, avoid
duplication
What is the Team role in decentralized decision making?
Emergent design, development contributes runway, improve refactoring techniques
What is refactoring?
Improved design, code base without changing external system behavior
Architectural runway is built...
Incrementally, validated early and often, provides "just enough"
Architectural runway is assisted by?
Design spikes, emergent design, refactoring modeling, test automation
What are NFRs?
System qualities which support end user functionality and system goals
Examples of NFR?
Reliability, usability, scalability, maintainability
Are NFR backlog items?
No. But the are constraints
Portfolio level NFRs apply to...?
All ARTS
Program level NFRs apply to ..?
System as a whole
Team level NFRs apply to...?
Feature or component in team's domain
How to handle a NFR in backlog?
Create items to implement or evolve them
Who is responsible for the Architectural Runway?
PM has feature authority, and systems architect has design authorization
How to ensure that architectural runway is built continuously?
Plan for capacity and resources, add work to program backlog
What is a system demo?
Occurs every two week to provide integrated view of all team's work
Why do Lean-Agile Leaders try to connect the silos of business, system engineering,
hardware, software, test, and quality assurance?
To align around value
Which statement describes one element of the CALMR approach to DevOps?
Establish a work environment of shared responsibility
Which statement is true about Work-In-Process (WIP) limits?
Lower limits improve flow [4-5]
What replaces detailed requirements documents?
User Stories
Which two statements describe the responsibilities of the Product Owner? (Choose
two.)
Single voice for customer and stakeholders, and to own and manage team backlog
[2-15, 2-17]
implementing quality in Lean-Agile environment
Culture
What is an example of a Program event?
Scrum of Scrums
What is the goal of the SAFe House of Lean model?
Value [1-28]
Which responsibility belongs to the Product Owner in the team?
To sequence backlog items to program priorities, events, and dependencies
Which two views does the Iteration Review provide into the Program? (Choose two.)
How the team is doing in the Program Increment, and how the team did on the
iteration (sprint) [4-38]
What is an example of a modified Fibonacci sequence?
...5, 8, 13, 20, 40...
What is the benefit of separating release elements from the Solution?
Allows Agile teams to do "Dark" launches, or untested Features [4-26]
The Agile Release Train aligns teams to a common mission using a single Vision and
what else?
The Program Backlog [2-21]
The "3 Cs" is a popular guideline for writing user stories. What does each of the three
C's represent? (Choose three.)
Card (WIT, Feature, User Story), Conversation (Acceptance Criteria), and
Confirmation (Acceptance) [3-10]
What is the role of the System Architect/Engineer?
To guide the teams and support the Architectural Runway [2-21]
What is typically included in the Definition of Done for the team increment?
Stories are accepted by the Product Owner [4-37]
The Inspect and Adapt event always starts with which activity?
The PI System Demo [5-38]
When should a component team be used
To gain the fastest velocity with well-defined interfaces [2-12]
Iteration Planning, Iteration Review, and Backlog Refinement are examples of which
type of event?
Team events [5-31]
Which factor helps unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers?
Autonomy [2-4]
Which practices are demonstrated during the Inspect and Adapt event?
Reflect, problem solve, and identify improvement actions
Which statement describes a cadence-based PI Planning event?
It is an all-hands, two day event with the goal to identify impediments that could
happen [5-4]
Which statement is true about Iteration planning for Kanban teams?
Kanban teams publish Iteration Goals [3-33]
Which concepts are part of Kanban for teams?
Visualize work flow, limit WIP, improve flow [1-52]
What is one of the typical Kanban class of service for Agile Teams?
Funnel
Why is the modified Fibonacci sequence used when estimating?
It reflects the uncertainty in estimating larger items
A Cumulative Flow Diagram focuses on which curves?
Arrival curve ("to-do") and Departure curve ("done")
What is the recommended size of an Agile Team?
5-9 people (7 +/- 2) but 5-11 on test
SAFe Core Values
Built-in Quality, Alignment, Program Execution, and Transparency
What is the role of the Scrum Master?
To act as a servant leader who helps teams self-organize, self-manage, and deliver
using effective Agile practices
What are two reasons Agile development is more beneficial than waterfall
development? (Choose two.)
It allows businesses to deliver value to the market more quickly
It increases productivity and employee engagement
If the PI System Demo shows the current state of the Solution, then who is this demo
intended for?
The Business Owners
Which statement is true about the PI Planning event?
Everyone in the program over two day period
Goal of SAFe House of Lean model
Value
How does relentless improvement support value in the SAFe House of Lean?
It optimizes the whole
What is the purpose of the Iteration Review?
1. To serve as a forecasting meeting where the work is estimated for the Program
Increments [4-34]
2. How the team did on the Iteration
3. How the team is doing on the Program Increment
An Agile Team collects the Iteration metrics they have agreed upon during which part
of the team retrospective?
During the quantitative part of the team retrospective [4-40]
What is the role of the Release Train Engineer?
1. To coach teams to improve their results
2. To serve as the Scrum Master for the Agile Release Train
During Iteration Execution, a team's velocity tends to be most affected by what?
Changing team size, team makeup, and technical context
How can a technical exploration enabler be demonstrated?
Show the knowledge gained by the exploration [3-11]
Which three questions should each team member answer during the Daily Stand-up?
(Choose three.)
What did I do yesterday to advance the Iteration goals?
What will I do today to advance the Iteration goals?
Are there any impediments that will prevent the team from meeting the Iteration
goals? [4-30]
Which practice promotes built-in quality?
Backlog refinement [4-32]
What are the four levels of the Scaled Agile Framework?
Team, Program, Large Solution, Portfolio [1-15]
What visibility should Scrum Masters provide during the Agile Release Train Sync?
Visibility into progress and impediments
Which statement reflects one of the steps for setting initial velocity?
The team members assess their availability, acknowledging time off and other
potential duties [3-23]
Which activity is key to successfully implementing the Scaled Agile Framework?
Use a cadence-based PI Planning process
Jane is a Product Owner. It is day seven of the Iteration and her team tells her that
they may miss their Iteration commitment. What should Jane do?
Agree to add a person from the System Team to complete the work
Quality is first and foremost a function of what in a Lean-Agile environment?
Culture of shared responsibility [4-22]
What are the Five Core Competencies of the Lean Enterprise introduced by SAFe
4.6?
1. Lean-Agile Leadership
2. Team and Technical Agility
3. DevOps and Release on Demand
4. Business Solutions and Lean Systems Engineering
5. Lean Portfolio Management
On the seventh day of the iteration, the team realizes that they will not complete 5 of
13 Stories. The Product Owner (PO) says she cannot negotiate the scope of the
remaining Stories any further. What is the PO's best course of action?
Stop the current iteration and plan new iteration with new knowledge
What is the major benefit of reducing batch size?
Increases throughput
What is one responsibility of the Scrum Master?
To remove impediments in order to help protect the team
Which statement is true about Features and Stories?
Features can be larger than an Iteration, but Stories should be small enough to fit
into an iteration. Each Feature should have at least five stories.
What best supports Innovation in the SAFe House of Lean?
Fast learning cycles
What information does Cumulative Flow Diagram provide?
The data for the team to identify current bottlenecks
Which two statements describe and Agile Release Train
1. It is the primary value delivery construct in the Scaled Agile Framework
2. It is long lived, self-organizing, virtual organization of 5-12 Agile Teams that plan,
commit and execute
Which statement defines the purpose of Iteration Planning?
It is to organize the work and define a realistic scope for the Iteration
A decrease in variability leads to an increase in what?
Predictability
What are two behaviors of an effective Scrum Master?
1. To facilitate the team's progress towards the Iteration goals
2. To act as a servant leader and exhibit Lean-Agile leadership
Which statement describes the balance between emergent design and intentional
architecture when talking about building quality?
It is required for speed of value and solution intent
What is one recommended way of splitting Features into Stories during a PI Planning
event?
Implement the simplest variant of the functionality first them implement the rest as an
enhancement
Which statement describes the event that occurs at the end of each Iteration to
identify the team's opportunities for continuous improvement?
The Iteration Retrospective
What should be taken into account when estimating Story point size?
Complexity
Product Management is responsible for "what gets built" as defined by the Vision,
Roadmap, and what else?
Program backlog
Which statement is true about Iteration Planning?
It is required for every Iteration to enable fast learning cycles
What are three practices of Extreme Programming (XP)?
1. Pair Programming
2. Continuous Integration
3. Test-driven Development
The Scrum Master wants to establish a team's initial velocity. A team has two testers,
three developers, one full-time Scrum Master, and a Product Owner split between
two teams. What is their normalized velocity before calculating time off?
40
What is one key benefit of a Backlog Refinement session?
It provides time to identify dependencies and issues that could impact the next
iteration
The Release Train Engineer is a servant leader who displays which two actions or
behaviors?
1. Creates an environment of mutual influence
2. Listens and supports teams in problem identification and decision-making
The Daily Stand-up timebox should not exceed how many minutes?
15 minutes
A user story includes which three things?
1. What
2. Why
3. Who
Continuous Deployment (CD) has six elements that, when followed, keep each team
member, team, and the Agile Release Train on track. Which two statements best
describe elements of CD?
1. Maintain a staging environment that emulates production
2. Automate testing features and Non-functional Requirements
Which statement describes a cross-functional team?
Each team can define, build and test a component or feature
How does a Team Demonstrate Progress?
With an Iteration Review
When is the System Demo conducted during Program Execution?
At the end of every iteration
What is the recommended length of an iteration?
2 weeks
What is the goal of the PI Planning event?
To create a plan for the upcoming PI showing how stories map to the iteration
Which statement is true of the Iteration Goals?
They align a team to a common vision of work in the iteration
Which statement is true about pair work in the Scaled Agile Framework?
It comes from pair programming in Extreme Programming (XP)
Which statement describes the information within a Story?
A story provides just enough information for the intent to be understood by both
business and technical people
What is Scrum?
A lightweight process for cross-fucntional, self-organized teams
During the Inspect and Adapt event, how are reflection, data collection, problem
solving, and identification of improvement actions used?
To increase the quality and reliability of the next PI
A team finishes developing all of their Stories in the first six days of the Iteration, test
them in the following two days, and fixes bugs in the days remaining. How is the
team behaving?
They are waterfalling the Iteration
Which statement is true about the purpose of a Work-In-Process constraint?
It encourages collaboration and enables flow
What does a Program Board help Teams identify?
Dependencies between teams
Which practice promotes built-in-quality?
Iteration Planning
The CALMR approach to DevOps includes Automation, Lean Flow, Measurement,
and Recovery. What does the "C" represent?
Culture
What is the role of the Product Owner?
To represent the customer to the Agile Team. To write the stories that make up the
team backlog.
What type of visibility should Product Owners provide during the Agile Release Train
Sync?
Visibility into Scope and Priority backlog
Which two statements describe Agile Release Train?
1. It is long-lived, self-organizing, virtual organization of 5-12 Agile teams that plan,
commit, and execute together
2. It is primary value delivery construct in the SAFe Agile Framework
What type of information can be easily seen in Cumulative Flow Diagram?
Work in Progress across the team. The data for the team to identify current
bottlenecks.
According to definition of "Done", who must provide final approval?
The Release Management
What is one of the six steps in problem solving workshop?
Identify the biggest root cause using Pareto analysis
What is the benefit of separating release elements from Solution?
It allows the release of different Solution elements at different times
During iteration execution, a team's velocity tends to be most affected by what?
Changing team size, team makeup, and technical context
User Stories include which three things?
1. Why
2. What
3. Who
Jane is a Product Owner. It is day seven of the iteration and her team tells her that
they will miss their iteration commitment. What should Jane do?
Support pulling a story that has not been started.
Why do Lean-Agile Leaders try to connect the silos of Business, System
Engineering, hardware, software, test, and quality assurance?
To optimize vertical communication
The "3 Cs" is a popular guideline for writing user stories. What does each of the the
Cs represent?
1. Confirmation
2. Card
3. Coversation
Which statement is true about Iteration planning for KanBan Teams?
Kanban teams publish iteration goals
If the PI Systems Demo shows the current state of the Solution, then who is the
demo intended for?
Business Owners
Which two statements describe the responsibilities of the Product Owner?
1. To own the Team Backlog
2. To be a single voice for the customer and stakeholders
When should a component team be used?
To obtain high reuse and technical specialization with a focus on non-functional
requirements
What is an example of a Program Event?
Scrum of Scrums
What are two reasons Agile Development is more beneficial than waterfall
development?
1. It allows businesses to deliver value to the market more quickly
2. It increases productivity and employee engagement
What are the SAFe core values?
1. Built-in Quality
2. Program Execution
3. Alignment
4. Transparency
Inspect and Adapt event always starts with which activity?
The PI systems demo
Modified Fibonacci Sequence
5, 8, 13, 20, 24
Which is an example of a part of an Iteration Retrospective?
Team discussion around opportunities for continuous improvement
How does a team demonstrate progress?
Agile Team measures and then demonstrates its progress by showing working
stories to the Product Owner (PO) and other stakeholders to get their feedback.
https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/
Which activity happens in the Inspect and Adapt workshop?
Refining the Program Backlog
An Agile team has which two characteristics?
1. Agile Team is cross-functional group of 5-11 people who have the responsibility to
define, build, test, and where applicable deploy, some element of Solution value
2. A group of dedicated individuals who are empowered, self-organizing, self-
managing, and deliver value
Which situation should use the Large Solution SAFe configuration?
Organizations that operate in an environment which requires compliance for high-
assurance systems
What are the FOUR core values of SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)?
Built-In Quality, Program Execution, Transparency and Alignment
Which of the five core competencies serve as the foundation for SAFe Lean
Enterprise?
Lean-Agile Leadership
The SAFe Lean-Agile Mindset is the combination of beliefs, assumptions, and
actions of leaders and practitioners who embrace the concepts in the Agile Manifesto
and ?
SAFe House of Lean
Continuous delivery is a triple feedback loop and is comprised of continuous
integration, continuous deployment and what else?
Continuous exploration
What core competency must a team focus on building to be high performing and
technically adept while delivering value frequently?
Team and Technical Agility
In order to deliver large complex solutions, an enterprise must apply systems thinking
and build system of systems. Which SAFe core competency provides guidance
around this?
Business Solutions and Lean Systems
Which SAFe core competency aligns strategy and execution by applying Lean and
systems thinking approaches to strategy and investment funding, Agile portfolio
operations, and governance?
Lean Portfolio Management
The Scrum Master should cancel the Sprint Planning, if the Sprint Goal is not
composed beforehand.
FALSE. The Sprint Goal is composed by the whole Scrum Team during the Sprint
Planning.
Which of the following is the best way a Scrum Master can increase the team
productivity?
Facilitation (as requested or needed), removing impediments and solving problems,
training, coaching, consulting, and convincing people to do the right thing are the
things we expect from the Scrum Master. S/he is not supposed to block the team's
self-organization by giving developers orders, or deciding for them, and s/he is not
supposed to do other people's jobs (e.g. ordering the items instead of letting the
Product Owner do so).
Which two of the following are true about the Scrum Master role?
It's a management position. Helps those outside the team interact with the Scrum
Team. The Scrum Master does not manage people, but, manages the process.
The role can be part-time.
The Scrum Master has a lot of unresolved issues. Which three of the following
actions can be taken to facilitate it?
Prioritize the issues and work on them in order. Inform management of the
impediments and their impact. Consult the Development Team.It's always a good
idea to ask the rest of the team for help (consultation), but we prefer not to get help
from outside the team, because it will weaken our self-organization.
Which of the following is a right action from the Scrum Master in response to a
Product Owner who has problems managing the Product Backlog?
Help the Product Owner order the items. The Scrum Master is supposed to know the
tools and techniques, and to help everyone in that regard. However, it's only about
helping, training, coaching, and consulting, rather than taking over.
Remember that we're not supposed to have dependencies (at least not many
dependencies) among items; so, dependencies are not a basis for ordering the
backlog. The only basis is the business value.
Which two of the following are the best ways a Scrum Master can teach teams to
help them self-organize?
Timebox events to manage risk.
Create a releasable Increment at the end of each Sprint. Both timeboxing and having
the goal of creating Increments help developers focus on real problems, take
accountability, and make right decisions for the delivery. Both of them are mandatory
in Scrum.
Maintaining and increasing velocity is important, but doesn't help with self-
organization.
Pair-programming is a helpful Agile practice, but it is not mandatory, and it doesn't

serve self-organization.
Which 3 of the following are Scrum Master responsibilities during the Sprint?
Facilitate meetings as requested or needed. Ensure the Development Team stays
self-organized. Solve problems.
The Scrum Master ensures that Scrum is understood and enacted entirely, removes
impediments (solves problems), and facilitates the meetings as requested or needed.
Who supports the Scrum Master in removing impediments?
The Development Team can help the Scrum Master because of their understanding
of how the work is done. Some impediments are rooted in external causes, and that's
why the Scrum Master might need to have the senior management's support in
removing them
The Scrum Master is a participant in Sprint Retrospective.
True. The Scrum Master ensures that the meeting is positive and productive. The
Scrum Master teaches all to keep it within the time-box. The Scrum Master
participates as a peer team member in the meeting from the accountability over the
Scrum process. But anyway it doesn't mean that he is not a participant in the
Retrospective meeting
Which of the following is a valid service from the Scrum Master to the Product
Owner?
Scrum Master serves the Product Owner in several ways, including:
Ensuring that goals, scope, and product domain are understood by everyone on the
Scrum Team as well as possible;
Finding techniques for effective Product Backlog management;
Helping the Scrum Team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog
items;
Understanding product planning in an empirical environment;
Ensuring the Product Owner knows how to arrange the Product Backlog to maximize
value;
Understanding and practicing agility;
Facilitating Scrum events as requested or needed.
The Product Owner is using burn-up charts instead of burn-down charts. What would
be your response as the Scrum Master?
There is nothing wrong with it.It is on Product Owner decision which type of diagram
to use
How many Product Owners do 3 teams need if there is one product for all teams?
One. One Product Backlog = One Product
Which of the following is the LEAST productive way for the Scrum Master to improve
the Development Team's communications with the Product Owner?
Acting as a go-between weakens the team and blocks their self-organization. The
Scrum Master is supposed to teach and coach
At the end of a Sprint a Product Backlog items worked on during the Sprint does not
meet the definition of "Done". What two things should happen with the undone
Product Backlog items?
If there is undone Product Backlog items in Sprint the team must:-Put it on the
Product Backlog for the Product Owner to decide what to do with it.- Do not include
the item in the Increment this Sprint
The Product Owner doesn't spend enough time on the project. Which of the following
options is the best response from the Scrum Master?
Train the Product Owner why it's important for her/him to spend enough time on the
project.
The Scrum Master is responsible to train and coach team members in a proactive
way, and convince them to do the right thing.All other options are either reactive or
not self-organized.
The Product Owner and Scrum Master should not be part of the Development Team.
False.
It's OK for one person to have more than one of the three Scrum roles, even though
it's not recommended.
How can a Scrum Master help multiple teams keep their output aligned in a single
product?
Teach them that it's their responsibility to work with the other teams to create aligned
outputs and an integrated Increment.
The answer should be compatible with the self-organization concept; the Scrum
Master or the Product Owner is not supposed to do anything directly in this regard;
it's only the responsibility of the Development Team(s) to find their way.
Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint. However, the
Development Team is trying to convince the Product Owner that the Sprint should be
cancelled. What's the right response from the Scrum Master?
It's OK. Only the Product Owner can cancel a Sprint, and the final decision belongs
to her/him. However, this decision can be influenced by the customer, developers,
and Scrum Master.
It is forecasted that the project will be over in 3 Sprints. The Product Owner wants to
design acceptance tests for all items. What's the best response from the Scrum
Master?
This is not necessary. The items should be discussed in more detail before
development, rather than upfront.Scrum doesn't use upfront planning and design,
and what described in this question is a form of upfront preparation.
If a member of the development team expresses their concerns to the Scrum Master
about system performance issues of specific backlog items, what should the Scrum
Master do?
The Scrum Master should ask the member to share the issue with the Development
team
One of the Scrum Teams chose to have a Development Team member also playing
the role of Scrum Master. A Development Team member cannot also play Scrum
Master's role
False. Scrum Master or even Product Owner may be the same time the member of
the Development Team
The Development Team decides to divide the Sprint Backlog and assign ownership
of every Sprint Backlog Item to separate individuals on the team. The Scrum Master
Should coach the Team to collectively take ownership of the Sprint Backlog Items
even though an individual works on a specific team
What is the role of scrum master during Sprint Review:
This is an informal meeting, not a status meeting, and the presentation of the
Increment is intended to elicit feedback and foster collaboration. The Scrum Master
ensures that the event takes place and that attendees understand its purpose. The
Scrum Master teaches everyone involved to keep it within the time-box.
The Scrum Master should ask each member to answer the three standard question
at the Daily Scrum and forbid other discussions.
False. It's true that each developer should answer the three standard questions and
no one should start any discussion, even about the solutions to the impediments
mentioned by developers. However, the developers themselves should manage it
rather than the Scrum Master, unless it's needed or they ask the Scrum Master to
facilitate the meeting for them.
The Development Team cannot forecast how much work they can do in the
upcoming Sprint, because of the uncertainties in the Product Backlog which the
Product Owner is not able to overcome. What two actions should the Scrum Master
recommend?
It is a problem that the items are not clear and it will certainly create more issues
through the Sprint. Therefore, it's a very important topic for the next Sprint
Retrospective, when everyone should try to fix it.
The Sprint Planning is timeboxed; never extended. It's also not possible to cancel the
meeting and hold it another time (it's almost like extending the duration).
What the two primary reasons to change?
A burning platform - The company is failing to complete and the existing way of
working is inadequate to achieve a new solution in time.
Proactive leadership - In the absense of a burning platform, leadership must create

the sense of urgency to proactively drive change by taking a stand for a better, future
state
Why should you establish the vision for change?
Without a good vision, a clever strategy or logical plan can rarely inspire the kind of
action needed to produce major change.
www.scaledagileframework.com/invitation-based-safe-implementation/
...
Little's Law
...
When you find a value stream, go all in and all at once for each ART. The one-week
launch is proven adoption model.
Quickstart approach to ART Launch
SAFe for Teams Monday, Tuesday
PI Planning Wednesday, Thursday
Workshops Friday
Three benefits of Big Room Training
1. Accelerated learning
2. A common scaled Agile paradigm
3. Cost efficiency
What are the importance of the first PI Planning?
First Impression of SAFe
Generating a short-term win
Builds the Art as a team
Teaches teams about assuming responsibility for planing and delivery
Creates visibility into the program
Creates confidence in the commitment of Lean-Agile Leaders to the transformation
Things to remember when prepping for distributed team PI Planning
1. Have a dedicated facilitator and tech support person at each location
2. Test Audio, video, and presentation-sharing connectivity, and then test it again
3. Have a common understanding of how plans will be shared (video, wiki, email, etc)
4. Establish team- based audio/video communication for breakout sessions.
What type of PI Planning agenda is recommended for large time zone differences ?
2.5 days, flowing respect people and cultures, we want to avoid asking teams to stay
up all night
What does training the leaders do?
Helps them create the mindset they need to empower employees for further action
What does training the stakeholders do?
Gives the Stakeholders the skills and motivation the need to change the organization.
Which is the most important ART to launch?
the first one.
What does the ART as a team of teams do?
removes Silos that inhibit flow
What can you find in the ART readiness workbook?
Readiness Checklist
Team Summary
Team Roster
Program Roster
Content
Facilities
Supplies
What is the next step once the Lean-Agile change Agents have been trained?
Train Executives, Managers, Leaders
What do you do after Executives, Managers, and leaders have been trained?
Identify the Value steams.
What is the next step after the value stream has been identified?
Create the implementation Plan
What happens after the implementation plan has been created?
Prepare for Art Launch. Train Scaled Agile(Leading SAFe), POPM, SSM.
What is the step that follows Preparing for the ART launch?
Train Teams and launch the ART
Once the teams have been trained what is the next step?
Coach ART Execution
Once you have coached Art execution what do you do next?
Launch more ARTS and Value streams
What is the step after Launching more ARTS and value streams?
Extend to the Portfolio
What do you do once you have extended to the Portfolio?
Sustain and improve
What are the SAFe Core Values?
Alignment
Transparency
Built-in-Quality
Program execution
This Provides the relevant briefings and participate in Program Increment (PI))
Planning.
Helps with backlog visibility, review, and preparation
Helps with Value Stream organization and coordination
Constantly check for understanding
Communicate the mission, visions and strategy at every opportunity
Alignment
Visualize all relevant work
Take ownership and responsibility for errors and mistakes
Admit your own mistakes
Support other who acknowledge and learn from their mistakes-never punish the
messenger
Transparency
Demonstrate quality by refusing to accept or ship low quality work
Support investments in capacity planning for maintenance and reduction of technical
debt
Ensure UX, Architecture, operations, security, compliance, and other are part of flow
of work.
Built-in quality
Participate as an active business owner in PI execution
Celebrate high quality and predictability delivered program Increments
Aggressively remove impediments and demotivates
Program Exection
What are the four pillars of the house of lean?
Flow
Respect for people and culture
Innovation
Relentless Improvement
What is the foundation of the house of lean?
Leadership
What is the roof of the house of lean?
Value
People do all the work
Your Customer is whoever consumes your work
-Don't Overload them
-Don't make them wait
-Don't force them to do wasteful work
-Don't impose wishful thinking
build long-term partnerships based on trust
Culture change comes last, not first
To change culture change the organization
Respect for people and culture
Optimize continuous and sustainable throughput for value
build in quality; flow depends on it
Understand, exploit, and mange variability
Avoid start-stop-start project delays
Use informed-decision making via fast feedback
Flow
Producers innovate; customers validate
Get out of the office
Provide time and space for creativity
Apply innovation accounting
Pivot without mercy or guilt
Innovation
A constant sense of danger
Optimize the whole
Consider facts carefully, then act quickly
Apply lean tools to identify and address root causes
Reflect at key milestones; identify and address shortcomings
Relentless Improvement
Shortest sustainable lead time. Best quality and value to people and society. High
morale, safety, customer delight
Value
Management applies and teaches Lean-Agile thinking, based decisions on this long-
term philosophy. Principles of lean-Agile Thinking
Leadership
Individual and interactions
over processes and tools
Working software
over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration
over contract negotiation
Responding to change
over following a plan
What is the first SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
Take an economic view
What is the second SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
Apply Systems thinking
What is the third SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
Assume Variability, preserve options
What is the forth SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
What is the fifth SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
Based milestones on objective evaluation of working systems
What is the sixth SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
Visualize and limit WIP, reduce batch sizes, and manage queue length
What is the seventh SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning
What is the eight SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
What is the nineth SAFe Lean-Agile Principle?
Decentralize decision-making
A lean-Agile transformation will deliver substantial benefits
However, it is a significant change and every implementation is different
Leaders should understand why the practices work; its part of knowing what it is they
do
If a practice need to change, understanding the principles will assure the change
moves the moves the enterprise in the right direction
Why the focus on principles?
What are the Five primary dimensions of Built-In Quality?
Flow
Architecture & Design Quality
Code Quality
System Quality
Release Quality
Once you have launched the ART, what is the next step?
Showcase the success.
showcase that the ART is meeting its PI objective s and relentlessly improving its
program performance.
Invite stakeholders and showcase the success of the team demos and system demo
communicate real wins not gimmicks
provide ongoing program consulting and team coaching to build the organizations
lean-Agile capabilities.
Is inspect and adapt qualitative or quantitative?
Quantitative?
What are the three parts to inspect and adapt?
PI system Demo of the solution's current state to program stakeholders
Quantitative measurement
Retrospective and problem solving workshop
1. Name primary reasons for failure
"1. Development practices have not kept pace with the changing needs.
2. Agile could bring in value; but is designed for small teams
2. Name the main problems identified - during the retrospective
1. Low visibility | 2. High Complexity | 3. SDLC frameworks are not effective. | 4.
Problems are identified very late | 5. Design is accepted at a early stage | 6. Under
estimated dependencies | 7. Delivery is very late | 8. No way to improve
systematically | 9. Hard to mange distributed teams | 10. Poor Morale
3. Define SAFe
Is a set of integrated practices that will help scale agile
4. What does SAFe synchronize
Alignment, Collaboration and Transparency
5. What are the core values of SAFe
1. Quality Code | Transparency | 2. Alignment | 3. Program Execution.
6. Team characteristics
"1. Empowered, Self Organizing, Cross Functional, Self Managing Teams.
2. Make use of Scrum Agile Framework.
3. Value Delivery : Use Stories.
4. Deliveries : tested, valuable working system
7. Team and Team Characteristics
"1. Self Organizing, Cross functional Team, Self Managing
2. Operates with Solution Vision, Architecture and UX guidelines.
3. Common Iteration Length
4. Common Estimation.
5. Face-to-Face collaboration, Alignment and adaptation.
6. Value delivery : Features.
7. Delivers integrated system increments.
8. Value Stream Characteristics
"1. Integration of suppliers as partners.
2. Synchronization of ART Value Streams.
3. Manage Solution Intent.
4. Value delivery : Epics.
5. Delivery of Large Solutions
"
9. Agile Portfolio Characteristics
"1. Organized along the flow of value.
2. Agile Budgeting.
3. Kanban systems - portfolio visiblity.
4. Enterprise Architecture - Technology decisions.
5. Objective metrics - support governance and improvement.
6. Value delviery : Epics
"
10. What is 1-2-3 impl strategy
"1. Train the Change agents.
2. Train the Team members.
3. Train the Leaders
"
11. Char of Business Results
"1. Time-to-market.
2. Higher Quality.
3. Higher Productivity.
4. Engagement
"
12. Issues when bringing change
"1. Not able to define a coalition.
2. Underestimate the power of vision.
3. Undercommunicate the power of vision.
4. Permitting obstacles to vision.
5. Failure to create short term wins.
6. Declaring victory too soon.
7. Neglecting to anchor changes
1. What are the pillars of the Lean MindSet
"1. Value
* Respect People and Culture.
* Flow
* Innovation
* Continious Improvement
2. Leadership.
"
2. What are the char of Leadership
"Short lead time to...
...deliver quality and value.
... morale, safety and customer delight.
"
3. What are the char of "Respect for people and culture"
"* People will do all the work
Customer consumes work from you
- Don't make them wait.
- Do not overload them
- Do'n t make them do wastfull work
- Don't give to Wishfull thinking.
* Change in Culture must happen through Chagne the organization
"
4. What are the char of "Flow"
"Avoid Start-Stop-Start Project Delays.
Understand and manage variability.
Integrate frequently.
Build Quality.
Informed Decision-making via fast feedback
"
5. What are the char of "Innovation"
"Provide Time and Space - for creativity.
Get out of the office.
Apply innovation accounting
"
6. What are the char of "Continious improvement"
"Constant sense of danger.
Reflect at Key milestones,
Idenify and address shortcomings.
Consider facts carefully
Act Quickly
Apply Lean tools to identify and adderss root causes.
Optimize the whole
"
7. What is the char of "Value".
"Develop the people.
Emphasize life long learning.
Align with mission
Minimize Constrints.
Decentralize Decision making
"
8. Values of Agile
"Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.
Workign software over comprehensive documetnation.
Responding to change over following a plan
"
9. Principles of Agile.
"1. Our heighest priority to satisfy the customer through early and continious delivery
of valuable software.
2. Welcome changing requiremetns, even late in the development.
3. Deliver working software frequently.
4. Business people and developers must work together.
5. Most effective and efficient method of communication is : face-to-face
communication.
6. Build projects around motivated people.
7. Working software is the primary measure of progress
8. Agile processes promote sustainable development.
9. Continious attention to technical excellence and good design.
10. Simplicity art of maximizing the amount of work NOT done - is essential.
11. The best requirements, design adn architectures emerge from self organizing
teams.
12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then
tunes and adjusts the behavior accordingly
1. What is one reason for product failures( Principle 1)
1. Failed Economics in one reason for product failures.
2. Name two important factors to consider for the business to see success( Principle
1)
"2. Two important factors to consider are:
* Deliver early and Deliver often.
* Understand the economic trade-off parameters for each program and value stream.
"
"
3. What are the model char( Principle 1)
" "3. Model characteristics:
Incremental Development | Early and Continious Value Delivery
"
4. What are the advantages of agile( Principle 1)
4. Value is delivered early to the customer | Value integrates over time - the longer
the customer has it, more is the value percevied by the customer | Faster feedback
from the customer | Things delivered early to the market are more valuable.
5. What rules at the end of the day( Principle 1)
5. Features become commoditized and cost not value differentiation rules the day.
Minimum Viable Product can be worth more to an early buyer than a more fully
featured product delivered later.
6. Economic perspective of an investment( Principle 1)
6. Economic perspective of an investment : Development Expense, Cycle Time,
Product Cost, Product Value.
7. What is dev expense( Principle 1)
7. Development Expense : Cost of labor + materal to develop the capability.
8. What is cycle time( Principle 1)
8. Cycle Time : Time to implement the capability.
9. What is product cost( Principle 1)
9. Product Cost : Deployment and Operational Cost
10. What is value( Principle 1)
10. Value : Economic worth of the product.
11. What is risk( Principle 1)
11. Risk : Uncertanity of the technical or business viability of the solution
12. Why should we understand tradeoff( Principle 1)
12. Understanding trade-offs helps optimize life cycle profits.
13. Name the main principles( Principle 1)
"13. Name the key principles:
* First Decision Rule Principle | Optimum Decision Timing |Continious Economic
Trade-offs | Quantified Cost of Delay |Sunk Cost Principle.
"
14. What is First Decision Rule Principle( Principle 1)
"14. First Decision Rule Principle : Use Decision rules to decentralize economic
control
"
15. What is Optimum Decision Timing( Principle 1)
15. Optimum Decision Timing : Each decision has its optimum economic timing.
16. What is Continuous Economic Trade Off( Principle 1)# 16. Continious Economic
Trade-offs : Economic choices must be made continuously.
17. What is Quanitifed Cost of Delay( Principle 1)
17. Quanitifed Cost of Delay : If you want to quanity only one thing: Quantify the cost
of delay.
18. What is Sunck Cost Principle( Principle 1)
18. Sunk Cost Principle : Do not consider money already spent.
1. Understanding the problems faced in the workplace was driven by (Principle 2)
Series of complex interactions that occurred within the systems the workers used to
do their work
2. SAFe's purpose to systems developers (Principle 2)
Achieve the shortest sustainable lead time, along with best quality and value to
people and society
3. Char of the systems.(Principle 2).
"* System builders must clearly understand the
.....what it is
.... boundaries of the system, and
......how it interacts with the environment and ...
... ..how it interacts with the systems around it
......how its components interact to ahcieve the larger aim of hte system.
* The value of the system passes through its interconnects - interfaces and
dependencies.
* For the system to behave well - architecture, intended system behavior, non-
functional sytem behavior msut be understood
* Optimizing a component does NOT optimize the system.
* A system can evolve no faster than its slowest intergration point.
* Faster the system can be integrated and evaluated, the faster the actual knowledge
of the system grows
"
4. Char of "Enterprise as a system.(Principle 2).
"* Creating an environment where the people can collaborate on the best way to build
the best system.
* Suppliers and Customers must be treated as partners.
* Acceleartion of value requires elimination of functional solios or creation of a virtual
organization.
* Value crosses organizaiton boundaries.
* Leaders must take a long term view. Decisions made today will impact future
outcomes.
"
5. Who can change the system (Principle 2)
Maangement can change the system
6. Conclusions drawn w.r.t Systems thinking are. (Principle 2).
"* Teach Agile, Lean, Systems thinking values, principles and practices.
* Build effective long term Supplier and customer relationships.
* Eliminate functional silos and barriers
* Partner with teams to identify shortcomings
* Constranlty engage in Problem solving and elimination of impediments.
* Apply and teach root cause analysis.
* Empower knowledge workers by unlocking intrinsic motivation
* Decentralize decision making
1. What determines the outomes (Principle 3)
"Timing of Variability.
Type of Variability
"
2. Impact of elminating variability too soon (Principle 3)
Defines a risk avoidance culture - people cant make mistakes and gain experience
by learning what works and what does not work
3. Char of Traditional Design Practices (Principle 3)
Trive developers to converge on a single option - modify the design until it meets the
system intent.
4. What is the root cause of sub-optimal design (Principle 3)
Wrong starting point of convergence - modifying the design. As very little is known if
the point of convergence is way too early, this leads to sub-optimal design
5. What is the solution for sub-optimal design (Principle 3)
Set based design or set-based concurrent engineering
6. What is set-based or concurrent engineering (Principle 3)
"* Consider multiple design choice at the start
* Continiously evalaute economic and technical trade-offs based on objective
evidence.
* Eliminate weaker options.
* Converge at a final design - based on the knowledge gained at that point
1. In a traditionl stage-gated development, Disadvantages?(Principle 4)
"*. Investment Cost begins immediately and accumaltes until a solution is
delivered.There is little or NO VALUE delivered until all the committed feature are
delivered
*. Incremental capabilities cannot be evaluated by the Customer
*. During development, no meaningfull feedback can be obtained
"
2. In lieu to traditional stage-gated development, what is the non-agile effort placed to
resolve the problem to eliminate high cost(Principle 4)
"* Try even harder to define the requirements correctly.
* Select the best upfront design
"
3. What is the agile solution to the problem of traditional stage-gated development
approach(Principle 4)
"Instead of picking a single design choice or requirement early,
* system builders work within a range of design options and requirements
* Build the solution incrementally in a series of short timeboxes
* Define integration points
* Each integration point acts as a pull event - (a) pulls various solution elements to a
integrated whole (b) pull the stakeholder together - that help ensure that the solution
meets real and current business needs. (c) Converts uncertanity into knowledge.
* Each integration point can serve as minimum viable solution - to test the market,
usability or gain customer feedback.
* Each integration point can help choose a alternative course of action - that better
serves the need of the customer
"
4. How do you get to have faster learning cycles(Principle 4)
Have a large number of integration points
5. Char of Integration points in complex systems(Principle 4)
"* Local integration points - ensure that the capability of the system meets the
required responsibiltiies, contributes to the overall solution intent.
* These local points must further integrate at the next higher sysatem level.
* More complex the system, more the integration levels.
"
6. What is the only true measure of system progress - wrt integration point(Principle
4)
Top level, least frequent integration point
7, When is the project in trouble(Principle 4)
When the timing of the integration point slips
7. How can you get the project aligned to revised expectations(Principle 4)
At each slipage in timing of the integration point, adjust scope, cost, tech approach or
delivery timing.
1. What is the primary reason for an investment to be made (Principle 5)
Ensure that the investment in new solution delivers the necessary economic benefit
2. To ensure investment is of a economic benefit, what must be done (Principle 5)
Ensure econmic benefit throughout the development process
3. To address the challenge of "Economic benefit througout the dev process" what
must be done (Principle 5)
Phase gate development process - progress is measured and control is exercised via
specific milestones
4. What is the root of failures in traditional approach (wrt miestones defined)
(Principle 5)
"1. Single option of requirements and design defined.
2. Requiremetns and design are defined in silo functions.
5. Taking upfront decision - crates large batch of requiremetns, code and tests
creating long queues.
3. Too early design decisions.
4. False positive feasibility.
5. Assuming that a single option solution exists.
6. Assuming that the perfect solution can be built the first time.
"
5. What is the solution for traditional approach for milestones model (Principle 5)
"* Build systems as incremental development with fast learning cycles.
* Define intergration points.
* Each integration point - acts as a pull event - (a) to gather stakeholders (b) integrate
all the solution elements ('c) Convert uncertainity to knowledge (d) creates an
increment of value.
* Reflect viability of the current solution in progress.
* System at the integration point - can be measured and assessed, evaluted by
stakeholders frequently - throughout the development lifecycle.
* Hence provides the technical, financial, fitness-for-purpose governance to check on
the investment - to produce a good return
1. How will you achieve the sustainably shortest lead time (Principle 6)
* State of continious flow.
2. How do you obtain the state of continious flow (Principle 6)
* Elimination of start-stop-start project initiation and development process.
3. Name the 3 steps to implement continious flow (Principle 6)
"* Manage Queues.
* Reduce the batch size of work items
* Visualize and limit Work in progress
"
4. Objective of Managing Queues (Principle 6)
* Objective : Reduce the queue length OR Increase processing rate | Keep backlogs
short and uncommited | Visutalize the work.
4. What is Wait Time (Principle 6)
* Wait time = Length of the Queue / Average processing rate
4. Impact of Longer Queue Length (Principle 6)
* Longer the queues, longer the waiting time
4. What if one is required to improve the efficiency of the tasks, with longer queues
(Principle 6)
* No matter how efficient one is in executing tasks, the longer quene, longer the wait
time.
5. Why should the Queue length be reduced (Principle 6)
Decreases delays, reduces waste and increases predictability of outcome
7. 2nd Way to reduce WIP and improve flow (Principle 6)
* Decrease the batch size
8. What is the adv of smaller batch sizes (Principle 6)
"* Batch sizes travel to the system faster,
* With less variability.
* Foster faster learning
"
9. What is the optimial batch size determined (Principle 6)
Holding Cost and Transaction Cost.
10. What is the char of Holding Cost (Principle 6)
The cost of delaying feedback and value
11. What is the char of Transaction cost (Principle 6)
Cost of implementing and testing the batch
12. What should be reduced to decrease batch size (Principle 6)
Reduce the transaction cost
13. How will you redice Transaction cost (Principle 6)
"* Investment on
- build environment | infrastructure | DevOps automation | Task automation |
continious integration | Automated Tests.
"
14, Why should you reduce the WIP (Principle 6)
"Multiplexing and frequent context switching.
Overloads the people doing work.
Reduces the focus on task on hand.
Reduces productivity.
Reduces throughput.
Increaess wait time
"
15. What are the Steps (Principle 6)
"* Make the current WIP visible.
* Balance the amount of work in process against available development capacity.
* If any step reaches the WIP, no further work is taken.
1. What conflicts with the business need (Principle 7)
Solution development uncertanity
2. One needs to manage ________ ,......... to be able to.... (Principle 7)
Investment, track progress, sufficient certainity of future outcomes, to be able to plan
and commit to a reasonable course of action
3. Lean systems builder operates in .........where ____________ provides
_________, while _______ allows ________ to operate (Principle 7)
"Safety zone, uncertanity, freedom for innovation, certanity, business
"
4.What is the primary means to achieve balance between uncertainity for innovation
to occur and certanity for business to operate (Principle 7)
Candence, Synchronization and cross domain planning
5. What is Cadence (Principle 7)
Is a rhythmic pattern
6. System developers can devote time to (Principle 7)
managing the variable parameters
7. What does Candence transform (Principle 7)
Unpredictable events to predictable events
8. What are the benefits of Cadence (Principle 7)
"1. Facilitates planning.
3. Effective use of resources.
4. Lowers the transaction costs of key events - planning, integration, demonstrations,
feedback and retrospectives
2. Make waiting times predictable.
"
9. What is Synchronization (Principle 7)
Multiple perspectives to be understood, resolved and integrated at the same time
10. What are the uses of Synchronization (Principle 7)
"1. Align the development teams and business to a common mission.
2. Pull the disparate assets of a system together to asses solution level viability.
3. Integrate the customers into the devleopment process
"
11. How can you make systems builder operate reliably within the uncertanity safety
zones (Principle 7)
Cadence and Synchronization
12. What does Release PI Planning serve (Principle 7)
Synchronization + Cross Domain Planning
13. What provides true knowledge of the current state (Principle 7)
Synchronization + Cross Domain Planning
14. What is the purpose of "Sychronization + Cross Domain Planning" (Principle 7)
"Realignment of the stakeholders to a common business + technical vision.
Assessment of the current state of the solution.
Plan and commit to the next program increment
."
15. How can you re-align stakeholders to a common business and technical vision
(Principle 7)
Based on the current state, the mission is re-set with minimum possible constraints.
16. How do you assess the current state of the solution (Principle 7)
By Integrated solution level demonstration and assessment
17. How can you plan and commit ot the next program increment (Principle 7)
Based on new knowledge - the team can decide on what can be accomplised.
18. How can the teams create the best possible plans to achieve the best possible
solution (Principle 7)
Distibution of planning and control
1. How can you unlock the intrinsic motivation of the knowledge workers (Principle 8)
"4. Create an environment of Mutual Influence
3. Provide Autonomy with Prupose, Mission and minimum possible constraints.
1. Leverage the systems view.
2. Understand the concept of compensation.
"
2. How do you leverage the systems view (Principle 8)
"1. Every principle is a system.
2. Each of the components of the system interact with each other to create a
paradigm.
"
3. What is the paradigm (Principle 8)
"Participate in continious, incremental learning and mastery | Participate in productive
and fullfilling solution development process | Knowledge workers communicate cross
functional boundaries | Achieve fast feedback Make decisions based upon the
understanding of the economics
"
4. What is the understanding about motivation (Principle 8)
"1. People wont be motivated initially, hence pay them well.
2. After a certain point, money is no longer a motivator. Point of intellectual freedom
and self-acutalization.
3. After this point, adding incentive compensation is a de-motivator.
4. Causes the worker to focus on money rather than work
"
5. Char of "Providing autonomy with Purpose, Mission and Min Possible constrints"
(Principle 8)
"1. Knowledge workers have a need for autonomy - the ability to self direct and to
manage their own lives
2. Harnessing autonomy to the larger aim of the enterprise.
3. Motivation of self-directin must be within the context of a larger objective.
4. Leaders must provide a larger purpose - connection between the aim of the
enterprise and the workers daily activities.
"
6. How can leaders inspire the teams to do their best.. (Principle 8)
"Providing...
1. Misison.
2. Little, minimial or even no specific work or project plans.
3. Challenging requirements - along with min possible constraints - as to how teams
meet their requirements
"
7. How to create an environment of Mutual influence (Principle 8)
Hear the workers and respect them in the context of the environment of mutual
influence
8. How do leaders create an environment of influence (Principle 8)
"1. Provide tough feedback.
2. Willingness to become vulnerable.
3. Encouraging others to - Make their needs clear, Push them to achieve it, Advocate
for the positions, Enter into a joint problem solving, Negotiate-Compromise-Agree-
Commit, Disagree when appropriate
1. What is the goal of SAFe (Principle 9)
To deliver value in the sutainabily shortest lead time
2. What does achieving the goal of SAFe require (Principle 9)
fast decentralized decision maling
3. What problem does Decentralized decision making solve (Principle 9)
"Any decision that needs to be escalated...
...to higher levels of authority...
...introduces a delay...
...can decrease the fidelity of the decision...
...due (1) lack of local context + (2) changes in fact patterns that occur during the wait
time.
"
4. What does decentralized decision-making reduce (Principle 9)
Delays + improves product development flow + enable faster feedback + more
innovative solutions
5. What is considred a critical step in ensuring flow of value to the Customer w.r.t
decision (Principle 9)
Decision making framework
6. Characteristics of decisions that require to be decentralized (Principle 9)
1. Happen frequently, time critical and do not have significant economies of scale.
7. Decisions must be decentralized to... (Principle 9)
those who have local context, detailed knowledge of the technical complexities and
who spend their time on the front lines of delivering value
8. What are the advantages of decentralized decision making framework (Principle 9)
Faster time to market + Higher quality products + unlock the intrinsic motivation of
knowledge workers + Higher level of employee engagement + personal job
satisfaction.
1. What is a Agile Release Train
"Long lived Self orginizing team of Agile Teams
Virtual Organizaiton - 5 to 12 teams.
"
2. What is a Program Increment
Fixed Timebox
3. ________ and ________ are sychron ized
Iterations, PI
4. Aligned to a _________ via a _________.
Common mission, Program Backlog
5. Operates under _________
Architecture and UX guidelines
6. Cadence without __________ is not enough
Synchronization#
7. Disadvantages of traditional Verticals# "* Political boundaries.
* Friction across the silos.
* Optimized for vertical communication.
"
8. Char of a Scrum Master
"Run agile meetings.
Drive Agile Behavoir
Remove Impediments.
Protect the team from outside intefrences.
Attend Scrum-of-Scrum meetings
"
9 Char of a Product Owner
"Defines user stories.
Accept User Stories.
Acts as a customer.
Answer Questions.
Facilitate PI Plannings
"
10. Char of Agile Team
"Create user stories.
Refine User stories
Define Acceptance Criteria.
Define/Build/Test/Deliver user stories.
Define PI Objectives.
Define Iteration Plan
"
11. Teams are organizaed aorund
1. Features 2. Components
12. When do you organize around features
Fastest velocity, Min Dependencies, Develop T shaped skills
13. When do you organize around Components
High technical specifications, Have Critical NFRs, High resue
14. Name the ART Roles
"Release Train Engineer.
Product Manager.
System Architect.
System Engineers
System Team
Business Owners
"
15. Who is the chief scrum master
16. Role of a Product Manager
Defines and Prioritizes Program Backlog
17. Role of a System Architect
Provide architectural guidance and tech enablement
18. Role of a System Team
Provide Processes and tools to integrate and evaluate assets
19. Key stakeholders?
Business Owners
20. Product Manager owns _______ Backlog
Program Backlog
21. Product Owner owns ________ Backlog
Team Backlog
22. Who implements value
Team
23. Role of Product Mgmt in PI Planning
Feature prioritization
24. Role of Dev Team in PI Planning
Story Planning and Estimation
25. Role of Architect/Engineer in PI Planning
Governance, Interfaces and Dependencies
26. Input for PI Planning
Vision, top features.
27. Output for PI Planning
PI Plan, PI Objectives
28. Structure of a Program Level calender
PI Planning Meetings, Demo & Inspect and Adapt.
29. Structure of a Team level Candelner
Iteration Planning, Team Demo & Retrospectives
30. What are PI Objecives
Buiness summaries
31. Does does the teams on the train decompose
Features into Stories
32. Teams on the train collaborate to deliver _____
Features
33. Features are implemented incrementally via ______
User Stories
34. How does Teams demonstrate working increments
Delivering stories on a regular candence
35. Features fit in one _____ for one _____.
PI, ART
36. Stories fit in one ______ for one _______
Iteration, Team.
37. Team Backlog has one owner. Who ?
Product Owner
1.2) What is SaFe for Lean Enterprises?
A knowledge base of proven integrated principles, practices, and competencies for
Lean, Agile, and DevOps
1.2) What are the Five Core Competencies of the Lean Enterprise?
1. Lean-Agile Leadership
2. Team and Technical Agility
3. DevOps and Release on Demand
4. Business Solutions and Lean Systems Engineering
5. Lean Portfolio Management
1.2) What are 4 things a Lean-Agile Leader must do?
1. Exemplify the core values
2. Embrace a Lean-Agile mindset
3. Apply the SaFe Principles
4. Lead the transformation
1.2) What are 3 Characteristics of Team and Technical Agility
1. Cross-functional, self-organizing teams that define build, test and possibly deploy
value
2. Teams use Scrum and Kanban for team agility
3. Apply Built-in Quality practices for Technical Agility
1.2) The term Lean-thinking-manager-teachers refers to which style of leadership?
Lean-Agile Leadership
1.2) What does DevOps provide a company?
The Culture, Automation, Lean-flow, Measurement, and Recovery that enable
continuous delivery
1.2) Agile Release Trains (ARTs) are made up of what?
Teams of agile teams
1.2) What are the components of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline?
1. Continuous Exploration
2. Continuous Integration
3. Continuous Deployment
4. Release on Demand
1.2) Which Lean Enterprise core competency enables the Continuous Delivery
Pipeline?
DevOps and Release on Demand
1.2) What are 8 Characteristics of Business Solutions and Lean Systems
Engineering?
1. Build solution components and capabilities with ARTs
2. Build and integrate the solution with Solution Trains
3. Capture and refine systems specifications as fixes/variable solution intent
4. Apply multiple planning horizons
5. Architect for scale, modularity, release-ability and serviceability
6. Manage the supply chain with systems or systems thinking
7. Apply continuous integration
8. Continually address compliance concerns
1.2) What are 4 Characteristics of Lean Portfolio Management?
1. Connects the portfolio to the enterprise strategy
2. Maintains a portfolio vision
3. Funds value streams
4. Establish portfolio flow
1.2) What are the 4 SaFe Configurations?
1. Full Configuration
2. Large Solutions
3. Portfolio Configuration
4. Essential Configuration
1.2-o) What is the purpose for the SaFe Implementation Road Map?
Describes the steps, or 'critical moves,' an enterprise can take to implement SAFe in
an orderly, reliable, and successful fashion
1.2) What are the 3 components of the Lean Portfolio Management Triangle?
1. Strategy & Investment Funding
2. Agile Portfolio Operations
3. Lean Governance
1.2) What are the 12 steps or critical moves of the safe implementation roadmap
1. Reaching the Tipping Point
2. Train Lean-Agile Change Agents
3. Train Executives, Managers, and Leaders
4. Create a Lean-Agile Center of Excellence
5. Identify Value Streams and ARTs
6. Create the Implementation Plan
7. Prepare for ART Launch
8. Train Teams and Launch the ART
9. Coach ART Execution
10. Launch More ARTs and Value Streams
11. Extend to the Portfolio
12. Sustain and Improve
1.2-o)What is a tipping point?
The point at which the overriding organizational imperative is to achieve the change,
rather than resist it
1.2-o) What are two ways organizations arrive at the "Need for Change"?
1. Burning Platform- company is failing to compete, and the existing way of doing
business is obviously inadequate, jobs are at stake
2. Proactive leadership- proactively by taking a stand for a better future state
1.2-o) Who has the primary responsibility to create a vision of change
Executive Leadership
1.2-o) What are 3 components a vision for change should have?
1. Purpose
2. Motivation
3. Alignment
1.2-oWhat are some numerical benefits of Implementing SaFe?
Improved Time to Market (30-75%)
Improved Quality (25-75%)
Improved Productivity (20-50%)
Improved Engagement (10-50%)
1.2-o) What are Kotters 8 stages for guiding organizational transformation?
1. Establishing a sense of urgency
2. Creating the guiding coalition
3. Developing a vision and strategy
4. Communicating the change vision
5. Empowering employees for broad-based action
6. Generating short-term wins
7. Consolidating gains and and producing more change
8. Anchoring new approaches in the culture
1.2-o) What are 4 components of a successful guiding coalition?
1. Leaders who can set the vision, show the way, and remove impediments to
change
2. Practitioners, managers, and change agents who can implement specific process
changes
3. Sufficient organizational credibility to be taken seriously
4. The expertise needed to make fast, intelligent decisions
1.2-o) What are the 3 critical 1st steps to creating a SaFe guiding coalition that is
powerful enough to initiate change?
1. Train Lean Agile Change Agents
2. Train Executive, Managers, and Leaders (Lean Agile Leaders)
3. Charter a Lean-Agile Center of Excellence
1.2-o) Which certification allows people to learn how to effectively apply the principles
and practices of SAFe and organize, train, and coach Agile teams, identify Value
Streams and Agile Release Trains (ARTs), launch ARTS, and help build and manage
an Agile portfolio.
Implementing SAFe® with SPC certification
1.2-o) Lean-Agile Changes Agents are typically undergo which training?
Safe Program Consultants (SPC4)
1.2-o) What is the goal of the SPC4 training?
1. Lead an enterprise Lean-Agile transformation
2. Implement SAFe
3. Train managers and executives in Leading SAFe
1.2-o) What are the six key constructs in the SaFe House of Lean?
Roof- Delivering Value
Pillar - Respect for people and culture
Pillar - Flow
Pillar - Innovation
Pillar - Relentless Improvement
Foundation - Leadership
1.2-o) What does it mean to embrace the Lean-Agile Mindset?
Thinking Lean - Represented by the SaFe House of Lean
Embracing Agility - Represented by the Agile Manifesto
1.2-o) What are the 9 Lean-Agile Principles?
1. Take an Economic view
2. Apply System Thinking
3. Assume variability; preserve options
4. Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
5. Vase milestones on objective evaluation of working systems
6. Visualize 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. Decentralize decision making
What is the purpose of Integration Points?
Provide objective milestones at which to evaluate the solution frequently and
throughout the development life cycle
1.2-o) What the 7 Responsibilities of Lean-Agile Leaders?
1. Lead the change
2. Know the way; emphasize life long learning
3. Develop People
4. Inspire and align with the mission; minimize constraints
5. Decentralize decision-making
6. Establish a decision making framework
7. Unlock the intrinsic motion of knowledge workers
1.2-o) What 2 day class is recommended to teach Executive and Leaders Safe Lean-
Agile mindset, principles, practices, and leadership values for managing the new
generation of knowledge workers?
Leading SAFe®: Leading the Lean-Agile Enterprise with the Scaled Agile Framework
1.2-o) What is the role of the Product Owner?
works with stakeholders to prioritize the team's transformation backlog
1.2-o) What is the role of the Scrum Master?
Facilitates the process and helps remove roadblock
What is the purpose of the "LACE"?
Developing the implementation plan and managing the transformation backlog
1.2-o) What is lead time?
The time from the trigger to the delivery of value. Shortening lead time reduces time
to market.
1.2-o) When does the customer receive value?
When the value stream executes all of its steps
1.2-o) What are Operational value streams?
The people and steps used to provide goods or services to a customer
1.2-o) What are Development Value Streams?
build the system that operational value streams use to deliver value
1.2-o) Name the two types of Value Streams?
Operational and Development
1.2-o) What are the steps to creating a value stream?
1. Identify the Operational Value Stream
2. Identify the Systems that support the Operational Value Stream
3. Identify the People who develop the Systems
4. Define the Development Value Stream
5. Form Agile Release Trains that realize the value
1.2-o) In a the Development Value Stream what is the the "trigger"?
Requirements and ideas which drive the features
1.2-o) What are five attributes of effective ARTs?
1. 50 - 125 people
2. Focused on a holistic system or related set of products or services
3. Long-lived, stable teams that consistently deliver value
4. Minimize dependencies with other ARTs
5. Can release independent of other ARTs
1.2-o) What is a feature ART
Individual teams on the train, and the entire train itself can deliver end-to-end
features(i.e. GPS Navigation)
1.2-o) What is a Subsystem ART
Individual teams on the train and the entire train itself focused optimizing the platform
or system to enable the develop of the feature
1.2-o) What are the 3 activities involves in creating the implementation plan?
1. Pick the first value stream
2. Select the first ART
3. Create a preliminary plan for additional ARTs and value streams
1.2-0) Opportunistic ARTs can be found at the intersection of what?
Leadership Support
Collaborating Team
Clear Product or Solutions
Signification program challenge or opportunity
1.2-o) How do you create your initial short-term win?
By focusing on the first ART
1.2-o) What is a PI Roadmap?
Schedule of events and Milestones that communicate planned Solution deliverable's
over a timeline. It includes commitments for the planned, upcoming PI and offers
visibility into the deliverable's forecasted for the next few PIs.
1.2-o) What is PI Planning?
Cadence-based, face-to-face event that serves as the heart of the ART, aligning all
the teams on the ART to a share mission and vision.
1.2-o) What is PI?
Program Increment is a timebox during which an ART delivers incremental value of
working tested software and systems. PIs are typically 8-12 weeks (4 development
iterations -2wks each, followed by one IP Iteration)
1.2-o) What is one output of PI Planning?
PI roadmap
1.2-o) Who typically host PI planning?
The LACE and SPCs, and they invite Business Owners top help define the business
strategy
1.2-o) What are signs that change is starting to happen?
1. The new vision is being communicated around the company
2. Principal stakeholders are aligning
3. Something big is in the air, and people are catching on
1.2-o) What are the larger activities needed to prepare to launch an ART?
1. Define the ART
2. Set the launch date and cadence for the program calendar
3. Train ART leaders and stakeholders
4. Establish the Agile teams
5. Train Product Managers and Product Owners (POs)
6. Train Scrum Masters
7. Train System Architects/Engineers
8. Assess and evolve launch readiness
9. Prepare the program backlog
1.2-o) What is a key benefit of the ART canvas?
Helps team identify the principal ART roles
1.2-o) What is the purpose of Setting the Launch Date and Program Calendar"?
This creates a forcing function, a 'date-certain' deadline for the launch, which will
create a starting point and define the planning timeline.
1.2-o) What activities are included on the PI Calendar?
1. PI planning
2. System Demos
3. ART Sync, or individual Scrum of Scrum and PO Sync meetings
4. Inspect and Adapt (I&A) workshop
1.2-o) What is the purpose of Defining the ART?
To fill in the key roles and enable those who do the work to develop a solution
definition, and the design strategy (building, validation and deployment )
1.2-o) Who are the ART Leaders and Stakeholders that need to be trained?
RTE, Product Managers, System Architects Business Owners, Managers, Internal
Suppliers
1.2-o) What is the purpose of training ART Leaders?
This is the handoff of primary responsibility for the change from the change agents to
the stakeholders of the newly formed ART
1.2-o) How should Agile Teams be organize with respect to system architecture and
solution purpose?
2 Primary Patterns
1. Feature Teams - Focused on user functionality
2. Component Team- Focused on system robustness, component reues, and
architectural integrity
1.2-o) What is the purpose of "Forming the Agile Team"?
Help bring clarity and visibility to the organization of each team, once the team roster
is completed
1.2-o) Should you assign practitioners to an agile team before or after PI Planning.
Before
1.2-o)Who is responsible for defining stories and prioritizing the Team Backlog, while
maintaining the integrity of the features or components for the team?
Product Owners
1.2-o) Who facilitates team iterations, plans and executes the PI, and
measures/improves the flow of work through the system using Kanban?
Scrum Master
1.2-o) Who supports the solution development by providing, communicating and
evolving the broader technology and architectural view of the solution?
System Architects/Engineers
1.2-o) What are the 9 required components of an ART readiness assessment?
1. Planning Scope and Context
2. Release Train Engineer ID'd
3. Scrum Master ID'd
4. Product Owner and Manager ID'd
5. Executives ID'd
6. PI Planning Dates, Iteration Cadence, and PI Cadence
7. Team attendance confirmed
8. Business alignment agreement between business owner and Product
Management
9. Clear vision of what is being built and program backlog
1.2-o) What largely define the scope of PI or what gets built?
Program Backlog
1.2-o) What are the 3 items program backlog contain?
1. Upcoming Features and Enabler Features
2. Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs)
3. Architectural Work that defines the future behavior of the system
1.2-o) Who creates the stories during PI Planning?
Scrum Teams
1.2o-) What are the SaFe Events?
1. Iteration Planning (IP)
2. Iteration Execution
3. Daily Stand Up
4. Iteration Review
5. Iteration Retrospective
6. Program Increment (PI) Planning
7. ART Sync (Scrum of Scrums, and PO Sync)
8. Inspect and Adapt
9. System Demo
1.2-o) Why the train the Agile teams using Safe for Teams(S4T)?
To provide an introduction to
-Agile Development
-Role of the Scrum Master and Product Owner
-Event Overview
-And How to build a Kanban board for tracking stories.
1.2-o) Team Backlog
Identifies the works needed for the upcoming PI and contains user stories that
originated from the program backlog
1.2-o) What are the benefits of "Big Room Training"
1. Accelerated Learning
2. A Common Scaled Agile Paradigm - Learning same time/same instructor
3. Cost-efficiency
1.2-o) What are some Team benefits of "Big Room Training"
1. Teams Fully Formed
2. Team Engages in Collective Learning
3. Features for the PI will be ready
4. Teams form own identifies
1.2-o) What are the 3 elements of the ART 5 day quick start approach?
1. SaFe for Teams - Training everyone at the same time in - Day 1-2
2. PI Planning - Align teams and get commitment in - Day 3-4
3. Workshops - for mentoring and tool training - Day 5
1.2-o) What are key indicators of a successful PI planning event?
1. Build confidence and enthusiasm
2. Start to build the ART as a team-of-Agile-teams
3. Teach the teams to assume responsibility for planning and delivery
4. Create visibility into the mission and current context of the program
5. Demonstrate the commitment of Lean-Agile Leaders to the SAFe transformation
1.2-o) What is the PO's role in quality control?
To define acceptance criteria and accept stories as done
1.2-o) Who has content authority for the Program Backlog, is responsible or identify
customer needs, prioritizing features and guiding work through the Program Kanban
and ART?
Product/Solution Manager
1.2-o) What are the responsibilities of a PO before PI Planning?
1. Backlog refinement
2. Updates the team backlog
3. Reviews and contribute to program vision
1.2-o) What are the responsibilities of a PO during PI Planning?
1. Story Definition
2. Provide clarification to assist teams with story estimates
3. Drafts team objective for upcoming PI
1.2-o) What is the role of a PO during Iteration Execution?
1. Maintain the team backlog
2. Iteration Planning
3. Just in Time story elaboration
4. Apply Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) through collaboration
5. Accepting stories as Done
6. Understand enable work
7. Participate in team demo and retrospective
1.2-o) What is the role of a PO during Program Execution?
1. Coordinating dependencies with other PO's via PO Sync
2. Producing the System Demo for Program and Value Stream stakeholders
1.2-o) What is the role of a PO during Inspect and Adapt?
1. Help teams define and implement improvement stories that will increase
velocity/quality
2. Producing the System Demo for Program and Value Stream stakeholders
3. To ensure they will be able to show the most critical aspects of the solution to
stakeholders
1.2-o) What is the recommended PM to PO to Agile team ratio?
Each Product Manager can usually support up to four POs, each of whom can be
responsible for the backlog of one or two Agile teams.
1.2-o) What really matters to SPCs and Lean Agile Leaders?
helping to assure the delivery of value in the shortest sustainable time while
producing the highest quality
1.2-o) What are 4 examples of modern software engineering, which support built-in-
quality and Team and Technical Agility?
1. Test Driven and Behavior Driven Development
2. Continuous Integration/Deploy
3. Test Automation
4. Pair Programming
1.2-o) What takes place during Iteration Planning?
Refinement and adjusting of initial iteration plans developed during PI Planning
1.2-o) What happens during Backlog refinement?
Refinement and adjusting the scope and definition of user stories defined during PI
Planning
1.2-o) What are the purpose of daily stand-ups?
to help the team stay aligned on progress toward iteration goals, raise impediments
and get help
What is the purpose of Iteration Reviews and System demos?
To get feedback from stakeholders and assess progress toward PI Objectives
1.2-0) What is the purpose of Iteration Retrospectives?
To maintain alignment and resolve issues with other teams on the A
1.2-o) What is the purpose of Scrum-of-Scrums, PO Sync and ART Sync?
To maintain alignment and resolve issues with other teams on the ART
1.2-o) Which training teaches best practices to model, design, implement, verify,
validate, deploy, and release stories in a SAFe Continuous Delivery Pipeline?
Safe Agile Software Engineering
What is PI Planning within the Program?
create alignment and shared commitment to a common set of objectives for the
program
What are system demos within the Program?
Close the rapid feedback loop through integration and validation of working systems
What are Inspect & Adapt Workshops within the Program?
They enable relentless improvement and systems thinking at the program level
What are Scrum-of-Scrums, PO Sync, and ART Sync within the program?
maintain alignment, resolve issues, and enable attainment of PI Objectives?
What is Continuous Exploration within the Program level?
Sense and respond to market/business needs to build and maintain the program
Vision, Roadmap, Backlog and Architectural Runway.
What is continuous integration within the Program level?
Build, validate and learn from working system increments
What is Continuous Deployment with the Program level?
Deliver validated features into production, where they are ready for release
Which training provides the competencies needed to accelerate time-to-market by
improving the flow of value through the Continuous Delivery Pipeline?
Safe Dev Ops
What is the Program Kanban?
Is the primary tool for visualizing and managing the continuous delivery pipeline
What is the SPC primary tool for enhancing the capabilities within the continuous
delivery pipeline?
DevOps, Value Stream Mapping, and the Problem Solving Workshop
Where can everyone learn how the PI went, how teams performed against PI
objectives, how well the organization is adopting SAFe and how the solution worked
at a point in time?
Inspect and Adapt Workshop
What are the 3 parts of the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event?
PI System Demo (Final System Demo)
Quantitative measurement
Retrospective and problem-solving workshop
What are the roles in a Large Solution
Solution Train Engineer(STE), Solution Management, Solution Architect/Engineering
What are the four states of the SaFe Implementation Railway?
1. Input Funnel - primary role is to act as an opportunity for stakeholders to volunteer
their value streams for transformation
2. Transformation backlog- value streams are prioritized for transformation based on
opportunity and support from relevant stakeholders
3. The tracks- the ARTs are structured, launched, and operated to achieve the aim of
the value stream
4. Sustain and improve- ARTs in the organization that have been launched to date,
and will be relentlessly improved
Why do Development Value Stream exist?
To meet the strategic goals of the portfolio
What is the core responsibility of the Lean Portfolio Management function?
To meet the strategic goals of the portfolio
What are Strategic Themes?
Differentiating business objectives that connect a portfolio to the strategy of the
Enterprise
What is the purpose of the portfolio canvas?
Describes how a portfolio of solutions creates, delivers and captures value for an
organization. It also helps define and align the portfolio's Value Streams and
Solutions to the goals of the enterprise.
What are the core principles of lean budgeting?
1. Funding Value Streams, Not Projects
2. Guiding Investments by Horizon
3. Applying Participatory Budgeting
What is the purpose of Governance at the portfolio level
Establishing and measuring the appropriate objective measures at each Program
Increment (PI) boundary
How can the enterprise ensure relentless improvement?
1. Foster relentless improvement and the Lean-Agile Mindset
2. Implement Agile HR practices
3.Advance program execution and servant leadership skills
4. Measure and take action
5. Improve Agile technical practices
6. Focus on Agile Architecture
7. Improve DevOps and continuous delivery capability
8. Reduce time-to-market with value stream mapping
What is the unintended consequence of organizing around a value stream?
It can limit the opportunities to share knowledge and learn new skills with other
people in the same role. Therefore have a Community of Practice can help with
knowledge sharing
What is Model-Based Systems Engineering?
is the practice of developing a set of related system models that help define, design,
and document a system under development
What is set base design?
is a practice that keeps requirements and design options flexible for as long as
possible during the development process
What is the fastest way to reduce time to market?
Reduce delays in the value stream
*What are the steps to map the value stream?
1. From the receipt of a customer request to release, map the current state by
identifying all the steps, value-added times, handoffs, and delays.
2. Identify the largest sources of delays and handoffs as the feature moves through
the system.
3. Pick the biggest delay. Perform root-cause analysis. Create improvement backlog
items to reduce the delay. Reduce batch sizes wherever possible.
4. Implement the new improvement backlog items.
5. Measure again, and repeat the process.
Safe Agile Team
People who have the responsibility to define, build, test, and where applicable
deploy, some element of Solution value—all in a short Iteration timebox
ning/calendar/
What are the skills needed to develop increments of value in a short timebox
1. Define - Elaborate and design features and components
2. Build - Implement features and components
3. Test - Run test cases to validate features or components
4. Deploy - Move features to 'staging' and 'production' environments
Scrum Master
is a servant leader who enables teams to self-organize, self-manage, and deliver via
effective Lean-Agile practices. Also helps the team coordinate with other teams on
the Agile Release Train (ART) and communicates status to management as needed
Release Train Engineer (RTE)
A servant leader and coach for the Agile Release Train. Facilitates ART sync, and
summarizes Program PI Objectives from the team.
Solution Train Engineer (STE)
Servant leader and coach for a Solution Train. Facilitates and guides the work of all
ARTs and Suppliers in the Value Stream. Summarizes Solution PI Objectives from
the Program.
Product Owner
responsible for defining Stories and prioritizing the Team Backlog to streamline the
execution of program priorities while maintaining the conceptual and technical
integrity of the Features or components for the team
Who is the only team member to accept stories as done
Product Owner
What is the responsibility of the PO during Iteration Planning?
Be the primary source for story detail and priorities and has the responsibility of
accepting the final iteration plan.
What are the recommended team ratios?
Product Manager can usually support up to four POs, each of whom can be
responsible for the backlog of one or two Agile teams.
Product Management
responsible for identifying Customer needs, prioritizing "Features", guiding the work
through the Program Kanban, authority over the Program Backlog and developing
the program Vision and Roadmap
Solution Management
work with customers to understand their needs, prioritize "Capabilities", create the
Solution vision and roadmap, define requirements, and guide work through the
Solution Kanban, has authority over Solution Backlog.
Continuous Exploration
is the process used to explore the market, and user needs continually, and to
synthesize a vision, roadmap, and set of features and capabilities that address those
needs
Solution Intent
is the repository for storing, managing, and communicating the knowledge of current
and intended Solution behavior. Where required, this includes both fixed and variable
specifications and designs; reference to applicable standards, system models, and
functional and nonfunctional tests; and traceability.
Epic Owners
responsible for coordinating portfolio Epics through the Portfolio Kanban system.
They define the epic, its Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and Lean business case
including cost, and when approved, facilitate implementation
Systems and Solution Architect/Engineer
Plan and develop the Architectural Runway in support of new business Features and
Capabilities (Enablers and NFRs)
Agile Manifesto Values
1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
2. Working software over comprehensive documentation
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
4 .Responding to change over following a plan
Principles of the Agile Manifesto
Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer
through early and continuous delivery
of valuable software.
Welcome changing requirements, even late in

development. Agile processes harness change for
the customer's competitive advantage.
Deliver working software frequently, from a

couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a
preference to the shorter timescale.
Business people and developers must work

together daily throughout the project.
Build projects around motivated individuals.

Give them the environment and support they need,
and trust them to get the job done.
The most efficient and effective method of

conveying information to and within a development
team is face-to-face conversation.
Working software is the primary measure of progress.
Agile processes promote sustainable development.

The sponsors, developers, and users should be able
to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
Continuous attention to technical excellence

and good design enhances agility.
Simplicity--the art of maximizing the amount

of work not done--is essential.
The best architectures, requirements, and designs
emerge from self-organizing teams.
At regular intervals, the team reflects on how

to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts
its behavior accordingly.
Enterprise Architect
promotes adaptive design, and engineering practices and drives architectural
initiatives for the "portfolio". Also facilitate the reuse of ideas, components, services,
and proven patterns across various solutions in a portfolio. They also have the
authority and knowledge to work across Solution Trains and Agile Release Trains
(ARTs)
What are the five elements of enterprise architectural strategy?
Choice of technology and usage
Solution architecture strategy
Infrastructure strategy
Inter-program collaboration
Implementation strategy
What are the benefits of organizing around Value Streams?
Faster learning
Shorter time-to-market
Higher quality
Higher productivity
Leaner budgeting mechanisms
What are the Program events that keep the Agile Release Train on the track?
*PI Planning
Art Sync (Scrum of Scrums and PO Sync)
*System Demo
Prepare for PI Planning
Inspect and Adapt
What is the Benefit Hypothesis?
Proposed measurable benefit to the end user or business
(Justifies feature cost and Provides business perspective when making scope
decisions)
In PI Planning what happens during Team Breakouts 1&2?
-Teams estimates their capacity (velocity) for each Iteration
-Identify the backlog items to realize the features
-Creates their draft plans by iteration
-Finalizes their plans
Integration Points control product development and accelerate what?
Feedback and System improvement
Which two SPC resources are intended to aid in arriving at the SAFe tipping point?
SPC and SA
What are the three components of Invitation-based ART Quick Start?
Training for Safe Teams
PI Planning
Workshops
What is the advantage of dynamic budgeting?
Flexibility to shift budgets to respond to changing priorities.
Why might an organization choose to create a platform Agile Release Train?
To ensure the software platform in continuously integrated and support architectural
robustness
A new Agile Release Train is formed and Lee is the new coach. All members of the
train are new to Agile. After three iterations Lee is hearing that many of the teams are
having problems running their team events. What can she do to assist the teams?
Attend Iteration Retrospective
SAFe for Lean Enterprises is a....
knowledge base of proven, integrated principles, practices, and competencies for
Lean, Agile, and DevOps
What are the 5 core competencies of the Lean Enterprise
1) Lean-Agile Leadership
2) Team and Technical Agility
3) DevOps and Release on Demand
4) Business Solutions and Lean Systems Engineering
5) Lean Portfolio Management
Within Lean-Agile Leadership you have 4 key atributes
1) exemplify the core values
2) embrace a Lean-Agile mindset
3) Apply the SAFe principles
4) Lead the transformation
Within Team and Technical Agility there are 3 key atributes
1) Cross-functional, self-organizing teams that define, build, test, and possibly deploy
value
2) Teams use Scrum and Kanban for team agility
3) Apply Built-in Quality practices for Technical Agility
- Lean and Agile principles and practices
- Behavior-Driven Development (BDD)
- eXtreme Programming (XP)
- Code Quality
- Design patterns and practices
- Agile modeling
Within DevOps and Release on Demand there are 4 key atributes
1) Not every organization needs continuous delivery; They all need the ability to
Release on Demand
2) DevOps provides the culture, Automation, Lean-Flow, Measurement, and
Recovery that enables continuous delivery
3) Agile Release Trains (ARTs) are teams of agile teams
4) ARTs are organized around Release on Demand through the Continuous Delivery
Pipeline; many ARTs also operate the solution
What are the 4 key areas of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline
1) Continuous Exploration
2) Continuous Integration
3) Continuous Deployment
4) Release on Demand
Within Business Solutions and Lean Systems Engineering there are 4 key atributes
1) Solution Trains coordinate multiple Agile Release Trains and suppliers
2) Manage frequent integration
3) Continuously address compliance concerns
4) Architect for scale, modularity, release-ability, and serviceability
Lean Portfolio Management consists of 4 key atributes
1) Connects the portfolio to the enterprise strategy
2) Creates Lean Budgets and investment guardrails
3) manages portfolio operations
4) Provides Lean governance across value streams
Four configurations provide the right solution for each enterprise and they are?
1) Full Configuration
2) Large Solutions Configuration
3) Portfolio Configuration
4) Essential Configuration
What is the cover over the top of the SAFe House of Lean
Value
What are the 4 pillars holding the roof up of the House of Lean
1) Respect for people and culture
2) flow
3) innovation
4) Relentless improvement
What is the foundation of the House of Lean
Leadership
What does "Value" stand for in the House of Lean?
1) Best quality and value to people and society
2) High morale, Safety and customer delight
What does "Respect" represent in the House of Lean?
1) The people who do all the work
2) The customer is whomever consumes your work
- Don't overload them
- Don't make them wait
- Don't force them to do wasteful work
- Don't impose wishful thinking
3) Build long-term partnerships based on trust
4) Culture change comes last not first
5) to change the culture you have to change the organization
What does "Flow" represent in the House of Lean?
1) Optimize continuous and sustainable throughput of value
2) Avoid start-stop-start project delays
3) Build quality in; flow depends on it
4) Understand, exploit and manage variability
5) Integrate frequently
What does "Innovation" represent in the House of Lean?
1) Producers innovate; customers validate
2) Get out of the office (Gemba)
3) Provide time and space for creativity
4) Apply innovation accounting
5) Pivot without mercy or guilt
What does "Relentless Improvement" stand for in the House of Lean?
1) A constant sense of danger
2) Optimize the whole
3) Consider facts carefully, then act quickly
4) Apply lean tools to identify and address root causes
5) Reflect at key milestones; identify and address shortcomings
What does "Leadership" stand for in the House of Lean?
1) Lead the change
2) Know the way; emphasize life-long learning
3) Develop people
4) Inspire and align with mission; minimize constraints
5) Decentralize decision-making
6) Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
What does agile look like when turning the iron triangle upside-down?
> cost and schedule are at the top and are variable (i.e. constraints)
> Features are at the bottom and are fixed
> This model drives value and quality not a plan
What are the SAFe Lean-Agile Principles?
1) Take an economic view
2) Apply system thinking
3) Assume variability; preserve options
4) Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
5) Base milestones on objective evaluation of working systems
6) Visualize 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) Decentralize decision-making
What is the cycle used to define Iterations and Program Increments to learn fast?
> Plan, Do, Check, Adjust (PDCA)
What do long queues create?
1) Longer lead times
2) Increased risk
3) More variability
4) Lower quality
5) Less motivation
What is the formula for the "Average wait time"
Average wait time = Average queue length divided by average processing rate
Increased variability creates what?
1) Large batch sizes
2) High utilization
3) Severe project slippage
4) handoff
5) dispersed/distributed teams
6) poor infrastructure
Control variability with?
> Planning cadence (i.e. single interval)
Scrum has 3 roles and 4 key events, what are they?
Roles > PO, SM, and Development Team
Events > Iteration planning, Daily, iteration review, and iteration retrospective
What is Kanban?
1) Visualize work flow
2) Limit WIP
3) Improve flow
What is eXtreme Programing (XP)?
1) provides the basis for technical agility
> TDD > Coding Standards > Pair Programming > Refactoring > User Story >
Continuous Integration > Test-Driven Development > Simple Design > Automated
Testing > Collective Ownership
DevOps in SAFe uses the acronym "CALMR" and what does it stand for?
1) Culture of shared responsibility
2) Automation of Continuous Delivery Pipeline
3) Lean Flow accelerates delivery
4) Measurement of everything
5) Recovery enables low risk releases
What is the desired iteration length on average (i.e. sprint cycle)?
2 weeks
What is the power of "Ba"?
1) is its self-organizing nature
2) resolve contradictions through dialogue
3) energized with intentions, vision, interest, and mission
4) leaders provide autonomy, variety, trust, and mission
5) there is creative chaos
6) team is challenged to question every norm of development
7) equal access to information at all levels is critical
Collocation?
1) enhances productivity
2) critical for agile teams to be effective
3) recommended for programs to have efficient product development flow
If you have distributed/dispersed teams they must be compensated with what?
1) remote interaction (video-conferencing)
2) Collaboration tools online
What are the responsibilities of the Development Team?
1) Create and refine user stories and acceptance criteria
2) defines, builds, tests, deliver stories
3) develop and commit to team PI Objectives and iteration plan
What are the responsibilities of the PO?
1) defines and accepts stories
2) acts as the customer for developer questions
3) Works with Product Management to plan releases
4) a team has only one PO, who may be dedicated to one or two teams
What are the responsibilities of the SM?
1) runs team meetings, coaches agile mindset and practices
2) removes impediments, protects the team from outside influence
3) attends Scrum of Scrum meetings
4) May be a part-time role for a team member (25-50%), or a single SM may be
shared across 2-3 teams
What does the "System Team" do?
1) provides processes and tools to integrate and evaluate assets early and often
2) builds the development infrastructure and manages environments
3) assists with test automation strategies and adoption
4) Provides and supports full system integration
5) Performs end-to-end system and performance testing
6) stages and supports the systems demos
Teams can be organized around what types of development teams?
1) Features
2) Components
It is far less desirable to organize teams around?
1) Architectural layer (i.e. Platform, middleware, UI, DB, business logic, etc.)
2) Other (Programming languages, spoken language, technology, location)
You want Feature Teams that have 3 key attributes for faster delivery?
1) fastest velocity
2) To minimize dependencies
3) To develop T-Shaped skills
Use Component Teams only when?
1) High reuse, high technical specialization, critical NFRs
2) Creating each component as a 'potentially replaceable part of the system, with
well-defined interfaces'
What is the SM's role at the team level?
1) Coaches the team
2) Ensures that the team follows agile principles and practices
3) Facilitates processes and meetings
4) Removes impediments and barriers
5) Protects the team from external forces
What is the SM's role at the Enterprise level?
1) Coordinates with other SM's, the System Team, and shared team members in the
ART PI Planning meetings
2) Works with the above teams throughout each Iteration and PI
3) Coordinates with other SM's and the RTE in Scrum of Scrums
4) Fosters normalized estimating within the team
5) Helps teams operate under architectural and portfolio governance, system-level
integration, and System Demos
6) Fosters adoption of agile technical practices
What is the role of a PO in at the team level?
1) Member of the agile team
2) Provides a single voice for the Customer and stakeholders
3) Owns and manages the Team Backlog
4) Defines and accepts requirements (i.e. backlog items)
5) Makes the hard calls on scope and content
What is the role of a PO at the Enterprise level?
1) Establishes the sequence of backlog items based on program priorities, events,
and dependencies with other teams
2) Operates as part of an extended Product Management Team, usually reporting via
a 'fat dotted line' to Product Management
3) Understands how the Enterprise backlog Model operates with Epics, Capabilities,
Features, and Stories
4) Uses PI Objectives and Iteration Goals to communicate with management
5) Coordinates with other Product Owners, the System Team, and shared services in
the PI Planning meetings
6) Works with other Product Owners and the Product Management team throughout
each Iteration and PI
The Agile Release Train (ART) consists of what?
1) A Virtual organization of 5-12 teams (50-125+ individuals) that plans, commits, and
executes together
2) Program Increment (PI) is a fixed time box; default is 10 weeks
3) Synchronized Iterations and PIs
4) Aligned to a common mission via a single Program Backlog
5) Operates under architectural and UX guidance
6) Frequently produces valuable and valuable System Level Solutions
What are the ART Roles at the Program Level in SAFe?
1) Release Train Engineer (RTE)
2) Product Manager
3) System Architect/Engineer
What is the role of an RTE?
Is a servant leader who facilitates and guides the work of the ART. Acts like a chief
SM
What is the role of Product Management?
Is the main content authority guiding the train. Owns the prioritizes the Program
Backlog
What is the role of the System Architect/Engineer?
Has the technical responsibility for the overall architectural and engineering design of
the system. Provides architectural and technical guidance to the teams on the train.
Define Solution Features for the Program Backlog?
1) Features are services that fulfill user needs
2) Feature is an industry-standard term familiar to marketing and Product
Management
3) Expressed as a phrase, value is expressed in terms of benefits
4) Features are identified, prioritized, estimated, and maintained in the Program
Backlog
What is a feature benefit hypothesis?
1) Benefit hypothesis justifies Feature implementation cost and provides business
perspective when making scope decisions
2) Business benefits impact economic Prioritization of the feature
What is are feature acceptance criteria?
1) feature acceptance criteria are typically defined during Program Backlog
refinement
2) Acceptance criteria reflect functional and nonfunctional requirements
Define the Team Backlog?
1) Contains all the work the team needs to work on
2) Created by the PO/Team
3) Prioritized by PO
4) Contains user and enabler stories
- User stories provide Customers with value
- Enabler stories build the infrastructure and architecture that makes user stories
possible
5) NFRs are constraints on the backlog
User Stories are defined as?
1) containers for user and customer value
2) Written using the following template
- As a "user role" I want "activity", so that "business value"
How do you define the "user role" within the container?
User role is the description of the person, device, or system doing the action
How do you define the "Activity" within the container?
Activity is what they can do with the system
How do you define the "business value" within the container?
Business value is why they want to do the activity
Define the 3'c?
1) Card - written on a card or in a tool and may annotate with notes
2) Conversation - details are in a conversation with the PO
3) Confirmation - Acceptance criteria confirms the story correctness
Define the INVEST model used when writing user stories?
1) Independent - story should be independent of all other stories
2) Negotiable - story should only share the why and what but not the how (i.e.
solution)
3) Valuable - story should add value to a customer that uses the feature,
product/solution
4) Estimable - story should provide enough information to be understood by the team
and estimated
5) Small - story should be small enough in size to be completed in as little time as
possible (i.e. few weeks to a few days)
6) Testable - story should be understood enough by the team as to define them (i.e.
acceptance criteria)
Define Enabler Stories?
They build the groundwork for future user stories
What are the four types of enabler stories?
1) Infrastructure
2) Architecture
3) Exploration
4) Compliance
Define an infrastructure enabler story?
Builds development and testing frameworks that enable a faster and more efficient
development process
Define an architecture enabler story?
Builds the architectural runway, which enables smoother and faster development
Define an exploration enabler story?
Builds understanding of what is needed by the customer, to understand prospective
solutions and evaluate alternatives
Define a compliance enable story?
Facilitate specific activities such as verification and validations, documentation, sing-
offs, regulatory submissions and approvals
What are the 10 techniques to splitting user stories (i.e. PI and Iterative planning)
1) Work flow steps
2) Business rule variations
3) Major effort
4) Simple/Complex
5) Variations in data
6) Data methods
7) Defer system qualities
8) Operations
9) use-case scenarios
10) Break out a spike
Describe the "Work flow steps" technique when splitting a user story
1) Identify specific steps that a user takes to accomplish a work flow, then implement
the work flow in increments
Describe the "business rule variations" technique when splitting a user story?
Often provide a straightforward splitting scheme
Describe the "major effort" technique when splitting a user story
Split into several parts, with first requiring a most effort. More functionality can be
added later on
Describe the "simple/complex" technique when splitting a user story
Simplify! What's the simplest version that can possibly work?
Describe the "variations in data" technique when splitting a user story
Variations in data provide additional opportunities
Describe the "data methods" technique when splitting a user story
Complexity can be in the interface rather than the functionality itself. Split stories to
build the simplest interface first
Describe the "deferring system qualities" technique when splitting a user story
Sometimes functionality isn't that difficult. More effort may be required to make it
faster...or more precise..or more scalable
Describe the "operations" technique when splitting a user story
Split by type of operation: Create Read Update Delete (CRUD)
Describe the "use case scenarios" technique when splitting a user story
If use cases are used to represent complex interaction, the story can be split via the
individual scenarios
Describe the "Break out a spike" technique when splitting a user story
1) A story or feature may not be understood well enough to estimate. Build a
technical or functional spike to figure it out, then split the story based on that result
2) Sometimes the team needs to develop a design, or prototype an idea
3) Spikes are demonstrable, like any other story
3 steps in the path of BDD are?
1) Discovery of behavior
2) Formulation of specific tests
3) Automation of tests
Define acceptance criteria?
1) Acceptance criteria provide the details of the story from a testing point of view
2) Acceptance criteria are created by the agile team
A story point is a singular number that represents 4 criteria?
1) Volume: How much is there?
2) Complexity: How are is it?
3) Knowledge: what do we know?
4) Uncertainty: What's not know?
Story points are relative; they are not connected to what?
1) Any specific units of measure
2) Compare with other stories (e.g. 8 point story would take 4 x longer than a 2 point
story)
What is estimating poker and who is involved?
1) estimating poker combines expert opinion, analogy, and disaggregation for quick
but reliable estimates
2) all dev team members participate
Why is estimating a whole-team exercise?
1) Increases accuracy by including all perspectives
2) Builds understanding
3) Creates shared commitment
What happens in the Program Backlog when sequencing stories?
Primary economic prioritization happens in the Program Backlog
The PO and Team sequence work based on what?
1) story priorities inherited from Program Backlog priorities
2) Events, Milestones, releases, and other commitment made during PI Planning
3) Dependencies with other teams
4) Local Priorities
5) Capacity allocations for defected, maintenance, and refactors
When does initial sequencing happen?
During the PI Planning
What happens at Iteration boundaries?
Adjustments
What is capacity allocation and what does it help
The development team plans all work to be included in the team backlog for a
healthy balance?
What does a healthy capacity allocation team backlog consist of?
1) user stories
2) technical debt/maintenance
3) bug fixes/defects
4) enhancements
What is the purpose of Iteration planning and commit?
Define and commit to what will be build in the iteration
What is the process of the iteration planning an commit?
1) PO defines the what
2) The team defines the how and how much
3) 4 hrs max
What is the result of the iteration planning and commit?
Iteration Goals and backlog of the team's commitment
What is the reciprocal commitment in the iteration planning and commit?
1) Team commits to delivering specific value
2) Business commits to leaving priorities unchanged during the iteration
What are the 6 key functions during an Iteration Planning flow session?
1) Team establishes its velocity
2) Team clarifies and estimates the stories
3) Team optionally breaks stories into tasks
4) Process continues while there is more capacity
5) Team synthesizes Iteration Goals
6) Everyone commits
We use size to estimate what?
Duration
We establish velocity by looking at what?
The average output of the last iteration
What are the key functions when establishing velocity before historical data exists?
1) For every full-time developer and tester on the team, give the team 8 points (adjust
for part-timers)
2) subtract 1 point for every team member vacation day and holiday
3) Find a small story that would take about a half-day to develop and a half-day to
test and validate, and call it a 1
4) Estimate every other story relative to that one
5) Never look back (don't worry about recalibrating)
What provides clarity, commitment, and management information during Iteration
Planning?
Iteration Goals
Iteration Goals serve 3 purposes and what are they?
1) Align team members to a common purpose
2) Align Program Teams to common PI Objectives and manage dependencies
3) Provide continuous management information
A team meets their commitments by doing what two key functions?
1) by doing everything they said they would do
2) In the event that it is not feasible, they must immediately raise a red flag
What 4 key function and groups do teams commit to?
1) the work
2) other teams
3) the Program
4) stakeholders
What teams have a more responsive nature to their work using a Kanban approach?
1) Maintenance teams
2) System Teams
3) DevOps
Do Kanban teams still publish Iteration Goals?
Yes
Kanban Teams commit to the goals as well as to ..... for incoming work based on
their know historical data?
Cycle time SLA
What would be an example of visualizing the flow of work?
To Do > WIP > Done; To Do > Code > Test > Done
What are a couple of key areas to think of when setting up WIP limits?
1) WIP limits can apply to a single step or to multiple steps
2) Some steps have no WIP limits; others serve as buffers and have minimum and
maximum WIP limits
What are 2 options to track status of teams work?
1) Burn-up charts
2) Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFD)
What key functions would teams practice to build quality in with technical agility?
1) Continuous Integration
2) Test-First
3) Refactoring
4) Pair Work
5) Collective Ownership
What is "Emergent Design"?
What is meant by "Intentional Architecture"?
Fosters team alignment and defines the Architectural Runway
A balance between emergent design and intentional architecture is required for
what?
Speed of development and maintainability
What is meant by an "Architectural Runway"?
It is existing code, hardware components, etc. that technically enable near-term
business features
Testing "V-Model" would be considered a what?
Traditional approach to testing within teams
For faster and continuous feedback when testing you would use a different technique
from the traditional way of testing, what is it?
Shift left technique
What would you call a balanced portfolio of tests with many small, low-level,
automate tests and fewer large, manual tests?
Test Pyramid
What would the function of the "Test Pyramid" look like?
1) top of the pyramid would be "large(slow) tests (e.g. E2E UI)
2) Middle of the pyramid would be "Medium" (e.g. external services, single UI)
3) bottom of the pyramid would be "Small(fast) (e.g. individual classes)
What would be consider as a test strategy anti-pattern?
An inverted "Test Pyramid"
1) Large (slow) test on top
2) Medium test in the middle
3) small(fast) test on the bottom
What are good practices with doing continuous code integration?
1) Integrate every vertical slice of a user story
2) Avoid physical branching for software
3) Frequently integrate hardware branches
4) Use development by intention in case of inter-team dependencies
We separate deploy to product from what?
Release
Before exposing new functionality to users, by a separate deploy to production, we
should do the following?
Enable testing background and foreground processes in the actual production
environment
DevOps is an agile approach to bridge the gap between what?
Development and operations (i.e. to deliver value faster and more reliable)
What does CALMR approach refer to in DevOps?
1) Culture - shared responsibility for development, deployment, and operations.
2) Automation - (i.e. continuous delivery pipeline
3) Lean flow - keep batch size small, limit WIP and provide extreme visibility
4) Measurement - the flow through the pipeline
5) Recovery - architect and enable low risk releases. Establish fast recovery, fast
reversion, and fast fix-forward
What is the even that is key to team synchronization and self-organization, but is not
a daily status meeting for management
Daily stand-up (DSU)
What are a few guidelines to follow when participating in a good "Daily Stand-up"?
1) Every day you should meet in front of the board
2) time boxed to 15 min
3) make sure it does not turn into a problem solving session
4) Most importantly ask "will we still meet our Iteration Goals and our commitments"
What are the Daily Stand-up patterns?
1) What did I do yesterday to advance the Iteration Goals?
2) What will I do today to advance the Iteration Goals?
3) Are there any impediments that will prevent the team from meeting the Iteration
Goals
What is the Meet-After agenda referring to?
1) review topics the SM wrote on the meet-after board
2) only involve the team members needed in the Meet-After agenda to discuss the
topics
What would be considered a preview and elaboration of upcoming stories?
The backlog refinement session
What function does the backlog refinement session address with the team?
1) helps the team "sleep" on new stories prior to the Iteration Planning
2) Provides enough time to identify and resolve dependencies and issues that could
impact the next Iteration
3) The team can improve stories, add acceptance criteria, and point out missing
information to the PO
4) Most of the focus is on the next Iteration, but it allows time to discuss future
iterations and even Features for the next PI
What would be considered as the 4 key functions of an Iteration Review?
1) Provides the true measure of progress by showing working software functionality,
hardware components, etc.
2) Preparation for the review starts with planning
3) Teams demonstrate every story, spike, refactor, and NFR
4) Attendees are the Team and its stakeholders
What are a few of the Iteration Review guidelines?
1) Time-box: 1 - 2 hrs
2) Review preparation should be limited to 1 - 2 hrs. Minimize PowerPoint. Work from
the repository of stories
3) If a major stakeholder cannot attend, the PO should follow up individually
What are the two views with Iteration Reviews?
1) How we did on the Iteration
2) How we're doing on the PI
With the view of ":How we did on the Iteration", what would the Team aim to
complete?
1) Did we meet the Iteration Goals
2) Review story by story
With the view of " How we're doing on the PI", what would the team aim to complete
1) Review of PI objectives
2) Review remaining PI scope and reprioritize if necessary
In SAFe there could be 4 levels of "Definition of Done", what are they?
1) Team Increment
2) System Increment
3) Solution Increment
4) Release
What key 3 functions would a Iteration Retrospective accomplish?
1) 30 - 60 minutes long
2) Pick 1 - 2 things that can be done better, target for the next Iteration
3) Enter improvement items into the Team Backlog
What are some examples that identify "Functionality" Iteration Metrics?
1) # of stories (loaded at beginning of Iteration)
2) # fo accepted stories (defined, built, tested, and accepted)
3) % accepted
4) # not accepted (not achieved within the Iteration)
5) # pushed to next iteration (rescheduled in next iteration)
6) # not accepted: deferred to later date
7) # not accepted: deleted from backlog
8) # added (during iteration; should typically be 0)
What are some examples that identify "Quality and test automation" Iteration
Metrics?
1) % SC with test available/test automated
2) Defect count at start of Iteration
3) Defect count at end of Iteration
4) # of new test cases
5) # of new test cases automated
6) # new manual test cases
7) Total automated tests
8) Total manual tests
9) % tests automated
10) Unit test coverage percentage
What would be considered the pacemaker of the Agile Enterprise?
Cadence-based PI Planning meetings
To have a successful PI Planning meeting what would be considered 5 key
guidelines to follow?
1) Two days; every 8 - 12 weeks (10 weeks typical)
2) Everyone attends in person if at all possible
3) Product Management owns Feature Priorities
4) Development teams own story planning and high-level estimates
5) Architects/Engineering and UX work as intermediaries for governance, interfaces,
and dependencies
Starting a PI Planning session the RTE starts by saying "Why are we here" and to
align on what?
Align to a common mission
What takes place during PI Planning on day 1 and what is the schedule?
1) 8 - 9 AM "Business Context" - State of the business and upcoming objectives
2) 9 - 10:30 AM "Product/Solution Vision" - Vision and prioritized Features
3) 10:30 - 11:30 AM "Architecture Vision and development practices" - Architecture,
common frameworks, etc - Agile tooling, engineering practices, etc
4) 11:30 - 1 PM "Planning context and lunch" - Facilitator explains planning process
5) 1 - 4 PM "Team breakouts" - Teams develop draft plans and identify risks and
impediments - Architects and Product Managers circulate
6) 4 - 5 PM "Draft plan review" - Teams present draft plans, risks, and impediments
7) 5 - 6 PM "Management review and problem solving" - Retrospective - Moving
Forward - Final Instructions
What take place during PI Planning on day 2 and what is the schedule?
1) 8 - 9 AM "Planning adjustments" - Planning adjustments made based on previous
day's management meeting
2) 9 - 11 AM "Team breakouts" - Teams develop final plans and refine risks and
impediments - Business Owners circulate and assign business value to team
objectives
3) 11 - 1 PM "Final plan review and lunch" - Teams present final plans, risks and
impediments
4) 1 - 2 PM "Program risks" - Remaining program-level risks are discussed and
ROAMed
5) 2 - 2:15 "PI confidence vote" - Team and program confidence vote
6) 2:15 - ??? "Plan rework if necessary" - If necessary, planning continues until
commitment is archived
7) After commitment "Planning retrospective and moving forward" - Retrospective -
Moving Forward - Final Instructions
Who is normally in briefing sessions during PI Planning
Executive, Product Manager, and System Architect
During the PI Planning session the PO is responsible for what?
Content authority to make decisions at the user story level
During the PI Planning session the SM is responsible for what?
To manage the time Box, the dependencies, and the ambiguities
During the PI Planning session the Development Team is responsible for what?
To define user stories, plan them into the Iteration, and work out interdependencies
with other teams
What are the key outcomes to focus on during the Planning requirements portion of
the PI Planning session?
1) stories committed for each iteration
2) PI Objective, Stretch Objectives, and weighted value
3) Risks (i.e. dependencies)
PI Objectives align to a mission and are define as what?
1) Are business summaries of what each team intends to deliver in the upcoming PI
2) They often map directly to the feature in the backlog, but not always
What provides a reliability guard band within the PI Objectives during PI Planning?
Stretch Objectives
Do "Stretch Objectives count in velocity/capacity planning?
Yes
(1.2) Definition of SAFe
SAFe is a freely revealed knowledge based of integrated, proven patters for
enterprise Lean-Agile development.
(1.2) What are the 3 SAFe Benefits?
1. Synchronizes alignment
2. Promotes collaboration
3. Coordinates delivery for large numbers of teams
* (1.2) 4 SAFe Core Values
1. Built In Quality
2. Program Execution
3. Alignment
4. Transparency
(1.2) Benefits of an Agile Team
- Empowered, self-organizing, self-managing, cross-functional team
- Delivers valuable, tested, working system every two weeks
- Uses a team framework which combines the best of Scrum project management,
XP-inspired technical practices and Kanban for flow
- Value delivery via User Stories
(1.2) What are the benefits to a team of Agile teams
- Self-organizing, team of agile teams
- Delivers working, tested full system increments every two weeks
- Operates with vision, architecture, and UX guidance
- Common iteration lengths and estimating
- Face-to-face planning for collaboration, alignment, and adaption
- Value delivery via features and benefits
(1.2) How is an Agile portfolio organized?
It is organized around the flow of value
(1.2) In an Agile Portfolio, what impact does Lean Agile budgeting have?
It empowers decision makers
(1.2) In an Agile Portfolio, what benefit do kanban boards have?
They provide visibility and WIP limits to Portfolio
(1.2) In an Agile Portfolio, why and How does SAFe use objective metrics?
To support governance and improvement
(1.2) In an Agile Portfolio, delivery of value is rolled up to what kind of organizing
structure?
Epics
(1.3) What are the 3 steps in the Implementing SAFe 1-2-3 training process?
"1. Train change agents
2. Train executives, managers & leaders
3. Train teams and launch train"
(1.3) What business results can you get from SAFe?
"1. Happier, more motivated employees
2. 30-70% faster time to market
3. 20-50% increase in productivity
4. 50%+ defect reduction"
(1.3) List the 8 big mistakes of Leading Change (Kotter)
Complacency
Obstacles blocking Vision
Lack powerful guiding coalition
Lack of Vision
Under-communicating Vision
Missing short term wins
Neglecting anchoring changes in corporate culture
Declaring victory too soon
***
"1. Allowing too much complacency
2. Failure to create sufficiently powerful guiding coalition
3. Underestimating the power of vision.
4. Under-communicating the power of vision by 10-100x
5.Permitting obstacles to block the new vision
6. Failure to create short term wins
7. Declaring victory too soon
8. Neglecting to anchor changes firmly in the corporate culture"
* (2.1) What are the 4 pillars of the House of Lean
"1. Respect for People and Culture
2. Flow
3. Innovation
4. Relentless Improvement"
* (2.1) What is the base of the House of Lean?
Leadership
* (2.1) What is the roof of the House of Lean?
Value
* (2.1) What is the Purpose of Lean (In SAFe House of Lean)
"Achieve the sustainably shortest lead time with:
1. Best Quality and value to people and society
2. High Morale, safety and customer delight"
* (2.1) To change the culture, what do you need to change first? (respect for people
and culture)
The organization
* (2.1) What is the last change to take place? (respect for people and culture)
Culture change
* (2.1) On what value do we build long-term partnerships? (respect for people and
culture)
Trust
* (2.1) Why do we need to respect people? (respect for people and culture)
People do all the work
* (2.1) Who is your customer? (respect for people and culture)
Whomever consumes your work
* (2.1) What should you do to respect your customer?
Don't overload them
Don't make them wait
Don't force them to do wasteful work
Don't impose wishful thinking
* (2.1) In what way do we optimize value throughput? (flow)
So it is continuous and sustainable
* (2.1) To optimize value throughput, what kind of delays do we need to eliminate?
(flow)
start, stop, start project delays
(waits, hand-offs)
* (2.1) Why is it critical to build quality in? (flow)
Flow depends on quality
* (2.1) In order to verify that our product actually works, what do we need to do as
often as possible? (flow)
Integrate frequently
* (2.1) How do we treat variability? (flow)
We understand, exploit and manage variability
* (2.1) Why is fast feedback critical? (flow)
It provides informed decision making
* (2.1) Considering innovation, what is the difference between producers and
customers? (innovation)
Producers innovate; customer validate
* (2.1) What must be given to producers in order to innovate? (innovation)
Time and space for creativity
* (2.1) You must apply Innovation Accounting - what is it? (innovation)
"Everything in the train is capitalizable once it is released or visible, at which point
everything afterward is expenses.
By releasing code frequently it becomes an asset that provides for tax depreciation."
* (2.1) Why does innovation say we should "pivot without mercy or guilt"? (innovation)
If there are changes and the market changes or other discoveries, it is best to move
in the right direction without considering money spent.
* (2.1) Why do we need to foster a sense of urgency or danger? (relentless
improvement)
By avoiding complacency, and by remaining constantly aware of potential failure, we
drive the urge to continuously improve.
*(2.1) What guidance should we take when looking at optimization? (relentless
improvement)
Optimize the whole
* (2.1) When we review the work we have done, what do we do? (relentless
improvement)
Consider the facts carefully, then act quickly
* (2.1) Why does SAFe encourage the use of lean tools to identify root causes?
(relentless improvement)
To be sure we identify the real causes of issues, prioritize them, and address them.
*(2.1) Why do we institutionalize reflection at key milestones?
To identify and address shortcomings - to build improvement into the program
cadence.
* (2.1) Why do we need to train leadership in SAFe? (leadership)
So they can lead the change
* (2.1) Why should leaders be continuously learning? (leadership)
To Know the way and emphasize life-long learning for our teams
* (2.1) What is the most effective impact leaders can have on their people?
(leadership)
Develop people (help them grow)
* (2.1) Why do we encourage the decentralization of decision making?(leadership)
To free the creative power of the teams to solve their own problems
* (2.1) Why do good leaders inspire and align with mission and then minimize
constraints? (leadership)
Once the team understands the mission and "buys in", the teams' intrinsic
motivations can be released to solve their own problems.
* (2.1) Instead of motivating with financial rewards, what should leaders do?
(leadership)
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: What is our highest priority?
Satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: how do we consider changing requirements?
Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Harness change for the
customer's competitive advantage.
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: Why do we deliver working software frequently (couple of
weeks to couple of months)?
To provide for frequent inspection and adaptation, learning, and early correction.
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: Why do business people and developers work together
daily?
Agile encourages face-to-face conversations, frequent discussions, to improve
quality
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: Around what do we build projects?
Motivated individuals who have the environment and support they need and the trust
to get the work done.
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: What is the best way to communicate?
Face to face conversation
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: What is the primary measure of progress?
Working software
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: Why do agile processes promote sustainable
development?
Agile processes promote sustainable development so sponsors, developers, and
users can maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: How does agile promote agility?
It encourages constant attention to technical excellence and good design.
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: Why does agile encourage simplicity?
The art of maximizing the amount of work not done is essential.
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: What are the benefits of self-organizing teams?
The best architectures, requirements and designs emerge from self-organizing teams
* (2.1) Per Agile Manifesto: Why do we hold retrospectives?
Teams reflect at regular intervals on how to become more effective and then adjusts
accordingly.
(3) What are the 9 SAFe Lean-Agile Principles
Every Apple App Builds Beautiful Visual Appeal Until Deleted
"1. Economic View
2. Apply systems thinking
3. Assume variability/preserve options
4. Build incrementally w fast integ learning cycles
5. Base milestones on objective evaluation of working systems
6. Visualize and limit WIP, reduce batch, manage queue
7. Apply cadence
8. Unlock intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
9. Decentralize decision making"
(3) What is the difference between waterfall and incremental delivery
(1. take an Economic view)
Increases value delivery faster through iterations and allows for faster feedback
(3) * Why should we take an economic framework for decision making?
(1. take an Economic view)
- Sequence jobs for maximum benefit
- Do not consider money already spent
- Make economic choices continuously
- Empower local decision making
- *If you only quantify one thing, quantify the cost of delay
(3) What is the greatest limiter on a systems ability to evolve?
(2. Apply systems thinking)
A system can evolve no faster than is slowest integration point
(3) When optimizing the full value stream, what si the the fastest way to reduce the
time to market? (2. Apply systems thinking)
Reducing delays
(3) When applying systems thinking, what type of approach should you take?
(3. Assume variability/preserve options)
Set based approach (this gives you multiple design options and learning points)
(3) What does PDCA stand for
(4. Build incrementally with fast integrated learning cycles)
Plan, Do, Check, Apply - Apply fast learning cycles. Fast feedback accelerates
knowledge. Facilitated by small batch sizes.
(3) What are the 3 problems of phase gate milestones?
(5. Base milestones on objective evaluation of working systems)
1. Force too early design decisions; encourages false positives feasibility
2. assumes a "point" solution exist and can be built right the first time
3. and creates huge batches and long queues; centralizes reqts and design in
program management
(3) What problem arises from the phase-gate milestone approach to requirements
and design?
Requirements and designs are fixed too early making adjustments costly and late as
new fasts emerge
(3) How do you fix the problem of phase gate milestones?
1. Apply objective milestones - PI demos are orchestrated to deliver objective
progress, product, and process metrics.
2. Iterate to the optimum solution - Objective milestones facilitate learning and allow
for continuous, cost-effective adjustments towards an optimum solution.
(3) What does BVIR stand for?
(6. Visualize and limit WIP, reduce batch sizes, manage queue lengths)
Big Visible Information Radiator. This term may apply to Kanban boards as an
example.
(3) What are the benefits of reducing the batch size?
"Small batch sizes go through the system faster, with lower variability.
- Large batch size increases variability
- High utilization increases variability
- Severe project slippage is the most likely result
- Most important batch is the transport (handoff) batch
- Proximity (co-location) enables small batch size
- Good Infrastructure enables small batches "
* (3) How do you find the optimum batch size?
by reducing transaction costs - this also reduces total costs and shifts optimum batch
size lower
(3) What 5 negative impacts do long queues cause?
1. longer cycle time
2. increased risk
3. more variability
4. lower quality
5. less motivation
* (3) What is the equation for Little's Law?
Average wait time = average queue length/ average processing rate
(3) What does Cadence-based planning allow for
(7. Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning)
limits variability to a single interval
* (3) What are 3 motivations of knowledge workers
(8. Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers)
Autonomy, mastery, and purpose
(3) What 3 types of decisions should be decentralized?
(9. Decentralize decision making)
frequent and common decisions
time critical decisions
decisions that require local information
(3) When deciding when to centralize or de-centralize decisions, we centralize those
that...
(9. Decentralize decision making)
are infrequent, long lasting, and have significant economies of scale
? Describe the role of the Release Train Engineer (RTE)
Steers the train. Servant leaders who Facilitate program level process and execution,
escalate impediments, manage risk, and drive program level continuous
improvement.
? Describe the role of the Value Stream Engineer (VSE)
Similar role to RTE but at the Value Stream Level, servant leaders who facilitate and
guide work of all ARTs and suppliers. Generally have experience as program
managers and should have deep knowledge on lean principles and facilitation.
? 19 Responsibilities of RTEs and VSE Role
1. Manage and optimize value flow
2. establish and communicate calendars
3. Facilitate PI Planning readiness
4. Facilitate PI Planning
5. Aggregate team objectives into PI objectives
6. Aggregate PI objectives into Value Stream objectives
7. Assist with feature progress tracking
8. Facilitate frequent synch meetings
9. Assist with economic decision-making by facilitating the feature and capability
estimating and roll-up to PI and VS levels
10. Escalate and track impediments
11. Encourage collaboration within and between teams, and other roles such as
architects etc.
12. Work with Prod Management to ensure alignment
13. Manage risks and dependencies
14. Understand and operate within ART budget
15. Provide input on resourcing
16. Attend system and solution demos
17. Drive continuous improvement
18. Encourage continuous integration at all levels.
19. Coach leaders at all levels.
? RTEs and VSEs have greater authority than Scrum Masters, T or F?
False. They are also servant leaders, but utilize persuasion, facilitation and coaching
skills to guide decision making.
? Describe the role of the System and solution Architects
Have responsibility for the overall system architectural and engineering solution.
? At what granularity do system and solution architects view the system?
They take a higher level view of the higher functional and non-functional system
requirements. They analyze trade-offs, major components and sub-systems, define
interfaces and collaborations between them.
? How does architect/engineering align with the value stream and ARTs?
They communicate a common architectural and engineering vision of the solution
under development
? What are the 10 listed responsibilities of the architect?
"1. Participate in planning, definition and high level design of the solution
2. define sub-systems and interfaces
3. Work with stakeholders to determine the high-level solution intent, understand
deployment and communicate interactions with solution intent
4. Establish critical non-functional requirements
5. Validate economic impact of design decisions within the economic framework
6. Participate in PI meetings, demos, and retrospectives
7. Define and support Enablers to evolve the architecture intent
8. Design the architectural runway
9. Help determine capacity for enablement
10. supervise and plan in Quality"
? What 6 main architectural decisions are made in a centralized manner?
The larger-scale decisions, such as
1. primary system intent
2. sub-systems and interfaces
3. allocation of functions to those systems
4. selection of common platforms
5. definition of solution-level non-functional requirements, and
6. elimination of redundancy.
? Why are the majority of the design decisions left to the teams instead of the
architects?
To apply the concept of emergent design, balanced with alignment with intentional
architecture coming from the architects.
* (4.2) How does the PM/PO team steer the Agile Release Train?
* Each Product Manager has 2..4 Product Owners who each have 1..2 Teams
- Product manager owns the program backlog.
- Product owner owns the team backlog.
- Team implements the value.
(At scale, a single person cannot handle product and market strategy while also
being dedicated to an Agile Team.)
* (4.3) What is PI Planning?
Cadence-based planning meeting
- 2 days every 8-12 weeks (10 weeks typical)
- Everyone attends in person if possible
- Product management owns Feature priorities
- Development teams own Story planning and high-level estimates
- Architect/Engineering and UX work as intermediaries for governance, interfaces,
and dependencies
* (4.3) What are inputs and outputs of the PI Planning process?
Input: Vision and top 10 features (from the program backlog)
Output: Team and Program PI Objectives and (updated) program board (with
dependencies)
(5.1) What are the major portions of Day 1 of the PI Planning?
1. Business Context (1 hour)
2. Product/Solution Vision (1.5 hours)
3. Architecture Vision and Dev Practices (1 hour)
4. Team Breakouts (3 hours)
5. Draft Plan Review (1 hour)
6. Management Review (1 hour)
(5.1) What are the major portions of Day 2 of the PI Planning?
1. Planning adjustments (1 hour)
2. Team Breakouts (2 hours)
3. Final Plan (1-2 hours)
4. Program Risks (1 hour)
5. PI Confidence Vote (00:15)
6. Plan rework if needed.
Afterward: Planning retrospective & moving forward.
? What are the 8 listed benefits of the PI Planning?
1. Establish fast communication across teams, stakeholders.
2. Build the ART social network
3. Alignment development to business
4. Identify dependencies
5. Foster cross-team collaboration and planning
6. Provide just right amount of architecture
7. Match demand to capacity
8. Accelerate decision making
? What are the 4 main Inputs for the PI Planning?
1. Vision
2. Product Roadmap
3. Top 10 Features
4. Other business content
? What are the 3 main Outputs for PI Planning?
1. SMART PI objectives for each team, with business value and Program Objectives
2. Program board with new features, anticipated delivery dates, other milestones,
and dependencies
3. Vote of confidence
? What are the 3 main areas of readiness to prepare for a PI Planning?
1. Organizational Readiness
2. Content Readiness
3. Facility Readiness
? What is organization readiness?
Strategic alignment and teams and trains set up
? What is Content Readiness?
Management and development preparedness
? What is facility readiness?
Having the physical space and communication methods prepared for the meeting
(5.3) What does it mean to ROAM risks
Addressing program risks
- After all plans have been presented, remaining program risks and impediments are
discussed and categorized.
ROAMing risks:
- Resolved - Has been addressed; no longer a concern
- Owned - Someone has taken responsibility
- Accepted - Nothing more can be done. If risk occurs, release may be compromised.
- Mitigated - Team has plan to adjust as necessary
What are Strategic Themes?
Itemized, specific business objectives that connect a SAFe business portfolio to the
evolving Enterprise strategy. They provide business context for the decision making
within the portfolio and influence investment decisions in Value Streams.
Who participates in developing strategic themes?
1. Executives
2. Enterprise Architects
3. Program Portfolio Management
4. and Portfolio Stakeholders
What are the inputs to Strategic Themes?
1. Business Mission
2. Financial Objectives and Constraints
3. Competitive environment
4. Portfolio context
What is the primary input into the Portfolio Vision?
Strategic Themes
What are the 3 main reasons we align the portfolio backlog to the Strategic Themes?
1. It impacts the identification, success criteria and prioritization of the Epics in the
funnel.
2. To drive consideration and discussion in the lightweight business case
3. Impacts how epics are split and implemented
What are "trailing indicators"?
Success criteria that we may want to apply to Strategic Themes, but which may take
a long time to record or achieve.
What is Innovation Accounting?
Innovation Accounting is a technique commonly employed by Lean enterprises. It is a
thoughtful look at what early indicators are likely to produce the desired long term
results, because many success criteria that would normally be used to measure
success or failure in high level strategic themes are trailing indicators and take too
long to measure.
What is the benefit of Strategic Theme success criteria?
They provide learning milestones that allow the portfolio to understand the solutions
involved, validate business and technical hypotheses and pivot towards a better
solution (if necessary)
What is the PPM, Program Portfolio Management?
The people who have the highest-level strategy and fiduciary decision-making
responsibility in the framework.
What is the purpose of Strategy and Investment Funding?
The allocation and assurance of funding to the strategy.
What is the purpose of Program Management?
Drive, assist or support program execution.
What is the purpose of Governance?
To close the loop on funding and program execution, measures and reporting, and
necessary compliance.
Is there always an official department for PPM in every enterprise?
No.
What is the main responsibility of the PPM?
To participate in the establishment and communication of Strategic Themes,
determine the relevant Value Streams and allocate budgets to them.
They also define and prioritize cross-cutting portfolio backlog epics and report to the
business on investment spend and KPIs.
SAFe describes 7 Transformational Patterns.
What is the Lean Agile Approach for the traditional "Centralized Control"?
Decentralized decision-making.
What is the Lean Agile Approach for the traditional Project Overload?
Demand Management and continuous value flow
What is the Lean Agile Approach for the traditional Detailed Project Plans?
Lightweight, epic-only business cases
SAFe describes 7 Transformational Patterns. What is the Lean Agile Approach for
the traditional Centralized annual planning?
Decentralized rolling wave planning
the traditional Work Breakdown Structure?
Agile Estimating and planning
the traditional Project-based funding and control?
Lean-Agile budgeting and self managing Agile Release Trains
What is the Lean Agile Approach for the traditional Waterfall milestones?
Objective, fact-based measures and milestones.
What is the purpose of strategy and investment funding?
To support implementation of the business strategy through programs that develop
and maintain the company's value-added products and services.
How is Investment funding allocated in SAFe?
It is allocated to ongoing programs and new initiatives in accordance with business
strategy and current strategic themes.
True or False? Each Value Stream has its own budget?
True
How often are Lean-Agile budgets updated for each Value Stream?
Twice yearly
Why is demand management preferable?
Overloading any system decreases throughput. Otherwise, too much WIP will limit
velocity and quality as individuals change from project to project.
Why does SAFe encourage the creation of Lightweight Epic Business Cases?
To replace the old Waterfall detailed project plans, and to provide visibility and
economic justification for upcoming, cross-cutting work.
While the primary responsibility for program execution lies with the ARTS, Value
Streams, and their RTEs and VSEs, the Program management also helps. How?
They can help develop, harvest and apply successful program execution patterns
across the portfolio.
What replaces the traditional project and program chartering and management
activities?
Value stream-based, self managing and self-organizing Agile Release Trains (ARTs),
each of which provides continuous flow of value to its stakeholders.
What replaces centralized planning?
Decentralized rolling-wave planning using routine, cadence based PI Planning.
What are some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that may be a part of
governance?
ROI
Market share
Customer net promoter score
Innovation accounting, and others.
What are Qualitative Data?
Include Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis. Most
importantly, the accumulated solution, market and business knowledge of the
stakeholders.
Why must every portfolio execute within an approved operating budget?
The operating costs for solution development are a primary factor in overall economic
success.
What can be the result of the inherent conflict with current (traditional) methods of
budgeting and project cost accounting, and the Lean-Agile processes?
The move to Lean-Agile development, and all the potential business benefits, are
compromised or made unachievable.
What is the benefit of the Lean-Agile Budgets promoted by SAFe?
Fiduciaries still have control of spend, while programs are empowered for rapid
decision making and flexible value delivery.
In Traditional budgeting: Projects are the basic unit of work. In SAFe...
Value Streams are funded and value streams through them, guided by Strategic
Goals and Epics.
In Traditional budgeting: People are brought to the work. In SAFe...
The teams remain part of their value streams, and work is brought to the teams.
In Traditional budgeting: Measure compliance to inherently uncertain work. In SAFe...
ARTs provide objective evidence of fitness to purpose and delivery of value, and
approve Epic-Level initiatives.
Traditionally, the enterprise is organized into cost centers. Each cost center
contributes to project spending. In what ways does this create complications?
1. It takes many individual budgets (1 per cost center) to create the project budget.
2. It drives teams to try to make detailed and precise decisions far too early in the
cone of uncertainty.
3. Resource assignment is temporary, assuming resources will "return to their cost
center" after the project.
4. It drives managers to make sure everyone is fully allocated, which is disastrous.
5. It prevents individuals and teams from working together beyond the project, which
detracts from knowledge acquisition, team performance, and employee engagement.
Traditionally, personnel are fixed to projects for the term of the project. How does this
create problems?
The organization is unable to flex to the changing business needs without the
overhead of re-budgeting and reallocating personnel, driving up Cost of Delay.
In SAFe, who is empowered to allocate budget to whatever personnel and resources
make sense based on backlog and Roadmap content?
Value Stream Stakeholders including VSE and PPM.
What is Resource Pooling and how does it help in SAFe?
Because all the people on a Value Stream are in the same budget, they are all
resources from the same pool of funding and can be moved around easily without
difficult re-budgeting and delays.
What is the purpose of Solution and Product Management?
To ensure that the value streams are building the right thing.
What does Solution Management use to validate that the right thing is being built?
The Strategic Vision, Product Roadmap, Epics, WSJF values, etc.
How can solution managers validate that the effort is progressing as planned?
The ARTs are able to provide objective evaluations of the working systems through
every product increment via the solution demo, and every two weeks in system
demo.
What is the primary motivation of the Portfolio Kanban Board?
To ensure that Epics and Enablers are reasoned and analyzed prior to reaching the
program increment boundary, are prioritized appropriately and have acceptance
criteria.
Also, they can be tracked.
On the Epic Burn Up chart, what are the three measures tracked?
1. Initial Epic Estimate
2. Work Completed (Actual Story Points)
3. Cumulative work completed.
What is the Epic Progress Measure
A bar graph that displays each epic as a bar and indicates
1. Total current estimated story points for the epic's children stories
2. Dark green indicates points completed
3. Light green indicates points in progress
4. Vertical red line indicates original estimate
In the Enterprise Balance Scorecard, what are the four perspectives to measure
performance for each portfolio?
1. Efficiency
2. Value Delivery
3. Quality
4. Agility
What is the Program Portfolio Management Self-Assessment?
A graph used by the PPM to continuously measure and improve their processes. It
creates a RADAR chart that captures (Clockwise from top):
1. Program Portfolio Management team
2. Strategy and Investment Funding
3. Governance
4. Program Management
5. Portfolio Metrics
6. Budgets
7. Value Streams
8. Portfolio Kanbans
What is the Value Stream Predictability Measure?
A diagram that measures overall predictability for teams on an ART by aggregating
the individual team predictability by Product Increment. It compares predicted or
forecast Objectives versus achieved Objectives, then averages across the teams.
What are the 8 metrics that go into the Value stream Performance metrics for
Functionality?
PLANNED Features, Enablers, and Stories (AGGREGATED POINTS)
ACCEPTED Features, Enablers, and Stories (AGGREGATED POINTS)
This will also give program velocity and predictability measure.

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