SAFe SAFe Principles and Lean-Agile Mindset 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which SAFe Core Value emphasizes transparency of work, backlogs, and risks across all levels?
- Built-in Quality
- Program Execution
- Transparency (Correct answer)
- Relentless Improvement
Correct answer: Transparency
Transparency is a SAFe Core Value that builds trust by making work, plans, and problems visible to all stakeholders.
Question 2: What does 'Relentless Improvement' in SAFe encourage teams to do?
- Rewrite code every sprint
- Continuously reflect and optimize processes at every level (Correct answer)
- Always add new features
- Replace team members who underperform
Correct answer: Continuously reflect and optimize processes at every level
Relentless Improvement is a SAFe Core Value that drives a culture of continuous learning, Kaizen events, and process optimization.
Question 3: In SAFe, the concept of 'Decentralize decision-making' means:
- Removing all management layers
- Pushing time-sensitive decisions to the teams closest to the work (Correct answer)
- Having a committee approve every technical decision
- Eliminating the role of Product Management
Correct answer: Pushing time-sensitive decisions to the teams closest to the work
Decentralizing decisions improves speed and quality by empowering those with the most context — the teams doing the work.
Question 4: Which SAFe principle specifically addresses managing work in progress (WIP) to improve flow?
- Visualize and limit WIP, reduce batch sizes, and manage queue lengths (Correct answer)
- Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning
- Assume variability; preserve options
- Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
Correct answer: Visualize and limit WIP, reduce batch sizes, and manage queue lengths
SAFe Principle #6 directly targets flow efficiency by limiting WIP, reducing batch sizes, and managing queue lengths.
Question 5: What is the role of 'Economic Prioritization' in SAFe?
- Assigning budget to the highest-paid teams
- Using the Cost of Delay to sequence work for maximum economic benefit (Correct answer)
- Buying the most expensive tools first
- Deferring all low-priority features indefinitely
Correct answer: Using the Cost of Delay to sequence work for maximum economic benefit
Economic prioritization uses Cost of Delay (CoD) to ensure the most economically valuable work is delivered first.
Question 6: Which statement best reflects the SAFe principle 'Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers'?
- Pay bonuses for every story completed
- Give teams autonomy, mastery, and purpose to drive engagement (Correct answer)
- Assign tasks daily via standup
- Track individual velocity to reward top performers
Correct answer: Give teams autonomy, mastery, and purpose to drive engagement
Intrinsic motivation is unlocked through autonomy (self-organizing teams), mastery (learning culture), and purpose (mission alignment).
SAFe SAFe Principles and Lean-Agile Mindset 2
Which SAFe Core Value emphasizes transparency of work, backlogs, and risks across all levels?