SAFe® 5 DevOps : SAFe® 5 Practitioner Flashcards

What action always initiates the Inspect and Adapt event?

Answer: The PI System Demo

In SAFe, the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event is a crucial cadence-based activity held at the end of each Program Increment (PI). It always commences with the PI System Demo, where the Agile Release Train (ART) showcases the integrated solution to stakeholders. This demonstration provides the factual basis and context for the subsequent quantitative measurement and problem-solving workshop.

A component team should be used when?

Answer: To obtain high reuse and technical specialization with a focus on Non-functional Requirements

Component teams in SAFe are specialized teams focused on developing and maintaining specific technical components or subsystems. Their primary benefit is to foster deep technical expertise and enable high reuse of these components across different features. This specialization often includes a strong focus on Non-functional Requirements (NFRs), such as performance or security, which are critical to the component's integrity and overall solution quality.

What are two benefits of agile development over waterfall development? (Select two.)

Answer: It increases productivity and employee engagement

Agile development, with its iterative and incremental nature, fosters continuous feedback, collaboration, and empowered teams, leading to increased productivity and higher employee engagement. Furthermore, by focusing on delivering working software frequently and in small increments, Agile enables businesses to release value to the market much faster than the traditional, sequential waterfall approach.

Which factor enables knowledge workers' intrinsic motivation?

Answer: Autonomy

According to Daniel Pink's research on motivation, widely adopted in Agile contexts, knowledge workers are intrinsically motivated by three key factors: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. Autonomy, the desire to direct one's own life and work, is a powerful enabler of intrinsic motivation, fostering engagement and innovation.

What sort of event falls under the Program?

Answer: Scrum of Scrums

The Scrum of Scrums is a key coordination event at the Program Level in SAFe, typically attended by Scrum Masters or representatives from each Agile Team. Its purpose is to synchronize progress, discuss dependencies, and address impediments across the Agile Release Train (ART), ensuring alignment towards the Program Increment (PI) objectives.

Which four stages make up the Scaled Agile Framework?

Answer: Team, Program, Large Solution, Portfolio

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is structured around four core configuration levels that address different organizational scopes. These foundational levels are the Team Level (Agile Teams), Program Level (Agile Release Trains), Large Solution Level (Solution Trains for complex solutions), and Portfolio Level (strategic themes and value streams).

Which task is essential to implementing the Scaled Agile Framework successfully?

Answer: Use a cadence-based PI Planning process

PI Planning (Program Increment Planning) is the cornerstone event of SAFe, bringing all teams on an Agile Release Train (ART) together to align on a shared vision, create PI Objectives, and plan the upcoming Program Increment. Using a cadence-based PI Planning process ensures regular, predictable synchronization and alignment across the ART, which is fundamental to SAFe's successful implementation and execution.

Who is this demo intended for if the PI System Demo depicts the Solution in its current state?

Answer: The Business Owners

The PI System Demo is a crucial event where the Agile Release Train (ART) demonstrates the integrated solution to key stakeholders. Its primary audience is the Business Owners, who represent the business and customer interests. They need to see the progress, provide feedback, and make informed decisions about the value delivered and the future direction of the solution.

Regarding iteration planning for Kanban teams, which statement is true?

Answer: Kanban teams publish Iteration Goals

While Kanban teams don't typically commit to a fixed scope in the same way Scrum teams do, they still operate within iterations (or Program Increments in SAFe) and benefit from setting clear objectives. Publishing Iteration Goals helps Kanban teams align their work with the broader PI Objectives, communicate their focus, and ensure they are delivering value within the established cadence.

Which two perspectives are provided into the program by the iteration review? (Select two.)

Answer: How the team did on the Iteration

The Iteration Review is a regular event where the Agile Team demonstrates the work completed during the iteration to stakeholders and gathers feedback. It provides crucial insights into 'How the team did on the Iteration' by showcasing the working solution and 'How the team is responding to the stakeholders' by demonstrating their adaptability to feedback and changing needs, fostering transparency and collaboration.

Which curves are the focal point of a cumulative flow diagram?

Answer: Arrival curve (“to-do”) and Departure curve (“done”)

A Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD) is a powerful Lean-Agile metric that visualizes the flow of work over time. Its core components are the 'Arrival curve' (representing work entering the system or 'to-do') and the 'Departure curve' (representing work leaving the system or 'done'). The space between these curves illustrates work in progress (WIP) and lead time, providing insights into flow efficiency.

Which two of the following best sum up what the Product Owner is responsible for? (Pick two.)

Answer: To be a single voice for the customer and stakeholders

In SAFe, the Product Owner (PO) is the content authority for the Team Backlog, responsible for defining, prioritizing, and accepting stories. They act as the primary liaison between the Agile Team and Product Management/stakeholders, ensuring the team's work aligns with customer needs and business objectives. This makes them the 'single voice' for the customer and stakeholders, and the owner and manager of the team's backlog.

Which team task falls under the purview of the Product Owner?

Answer: To sequence backlog items to program priorities, events, and dependencies

The Product Owner is primarily responsible for maximizing the value of the product delivered by the Development Team. This includes managing and ordering the Team Backlog, which involves sequencing backlog items to align with program priorities, upcoming events like PI Planning, and dependencies with other teams. This task ensures that the team's work contributes effectively to the overall solution and business objectives.

What would be an illustration of a modified Fibonacci sequence?

Answer: 5, 8, 13, 20, 40

The standard Fibonacci sequence adds the two preceding numbers (e.g., 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34). In Agile estimation, a modified Fibonacci sequence is often used for story points, where the numbers diverge from the strict sum rule at higher values to reflect increasing uncertainty with larger estimates. Option A (5, 8, 13, 20, 40) demonstrates this modification, starting with standard Fibonacci numbers but then using larger, less precise increments (e.g., 20 instead of 21, and 40 instead of 34) for bigger items.

Which ideas are included in Kanban for teams?

Answer: Visualize work flow, limit WIP, improve flow

Kanban for teams is based on three core principles: visualizing the workflow to make work transparent and identify bottlenecks, limiting Work In Progress (WIP) to improve focus and prevent overburdening, and continuously improving the flow of work through the system. These principles help teams optimize their delivery process, reduce lead times, and enhance predictability.

Why do Lean-Agile Leaders attempt to break down the barriers between business, system engineering, hardware, software, test, and quality assurance silos?

Answer: To align around value

Lean-Agile Leaders aim to dismantle organizational silos (like business, engineering, test, and QA) to foster seamless collaboration and communication across functions. The fundamental reason for this integration is to ensure that all efforts are collectively aligned towards a common goal: delivering maximum value to the customer. By breaking down barriers, teams can work together more effectively to understand, build, and deliver solutions that truly meet business needs.